A handful of small commercial buildings in Gramercy Park could make way for multifamily housing, according to an application submitted earlier this month to the Los Angeles Department of City Planning.

The property, located at the northeast corner of 91st Street and Western Avenue, is slated for the construction of a new five-story edifice featuring 71 studio and one-bedroom apartments above parking for 36 vehicles.

8942-8960 S Western AvenueGoogle Maps

Requested entitlements for the project include Transit Oriented Communities affordable housing incentives, permitting increased height and floor area due to the property's location near frequent bus service.  In exchange for the bonuses, six of the proposed apartments would be set aside at rents considered affordable to extremely low-income households.

City records list the property owner and developer behind the project as Legass Investments Inc., an entity which is managed by Negest Legesse.  City records indicate that the land was assembled in multiple transactions between 2010 and 2019.

The project site is located a few blocks south of an empty lot at 87th Street and Western Avenue, where Innovative Housing Opportunities and EAH Housing are planning a mixed-use project featuring affordable housing and pedestrian-oriented commercial space.