The LeFrak Organization has passed a key milestone in its bid to construct a mixed-use apartment building near the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

At its meeting yesterday, the Los Angeles City Planning Commission voted to approve the company's project at Hollywood Boulevard and Wilcox Avenue, which calls for the construction of a 15-story tower containing 260 apartments and 8,800 square feet of commercial uses. 

The project, which would replace four small commercial buildings fronting Wilcox Avenue, would set aside 10 percent of its apartments for workforce, low-, and moderate-income households - a revision from an earlier plan 26 units of workforce housing.

GMPA Architects is designing the Hollywood Wilcox development, which would feature tiered roof heights culminating at a 160-foot peak.  The series of setbacks facing Hollywood Boulevard would create a terrace decks for residents.

In addition to the new construction, the LeFrak Organization's plans for Hollywood and Wilcox include the restoration of the 1930s Attie Building, a two-story edifice which stands at the project's namesake intersection.  The landmark building will be retained as commercial space.

Completion of Hollywood Wilcox is expected in 2023, according to an environmental study conducted for the project.

Though LeFrak has requested a zone change as part of its entitlement application, the project's filing date with the City predates the passing of Measure JJJ, which would have mandated a larger number of on-site affordable housing units.  As such, the proposed below market-rate set-aside was voluntarily agreed to by the developer during the environmental review process.

Prior to the meeting, the developer had negotiated an agreement with the office of Councilmember Mitch O'Farrell to set aside 8 percent of its apartments for low- and moderate-income households and make a $1.6-million in-lieu payment to the 13th Council District's affordable housing trust fund.  However, the Los Angeles City Attorney's office - alluding to the Federal corruption probe which has enveloped multiple Downtown developments - advised the Commission against codifying an agreement with a Council office in its conditions of approval.  Instead, Commissioners conditioned that the project's affordability set-aside would be provided fully on-site.

The development site is located one block north of Selma Avenue, where Hollywood-based developer Relevant Group is in the midst of construction on a series of new hotel projects.

Across Wilcox Avenue, developer Thomas Safran & Associates is planning to redevelop a City-owned parking lot with a mixed-use apartment building.