At a ceremony held on April 21, construction kicked off for the Bhatia Family Village, a new housing development catering to neurodiverse adults in the Pico-Robertson neighborhood.

The project from local non-profit organization Cornerstone Housing for Adults with Disabilities, located at 9224 W. Pico Boulevard, will consist of a six-story building featuring 64 studio, one-, and two-bedroom apartments above 9,400 square feet of ground-floor commercial space and a 55-car basement garage.

Groundbreaking ceremony for The Bhatia Family VillageGary Leonard

While all of the apartments will be designated as supportive for residents with intellectual and developmental disabilities, the project will also provide eight units of deed-restricted very low-income affordable housing - a condition of approved imposed by the City of Los Angeles.

"The Bhatia Family Village will provide the neurodiverse community with an opportunity to live independently and contribute in unprecedented ways," said Kam Babaoff, Chair, Cornerstone Housing for Adults with Disabilities in a news release. "It will also enrich and enliven the Pico-Robertson neighborhood, creating a space of beauty and soul. Most importantly, it will provide a blueprint for how we can meet an urgent housing need that can be replicated across California and beyond. Through this project, we are creating a place where generations of families and individuals can find a sense of belonging and community."

Urban Architecture Lab is designing the the Village, which is depicted in renderings as a contemporary podium-type building. Besides housing and retail, plans call for on-site amenities such as a second-level terrace, a third-level courtyard, and a rooftop deck.

Groundbreaking ceremony for The Bhatia Family VillageGary Leonard

The ceremony was attended by a variety of state and local elected officials, as well as a representative of the Ramesh and Kalpana Bhatia Family Foundation, which provided funding for the project.

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