After six years of planning, developer IMT Residential has received the approval of the Los Angeles City Council for the construction of new apartments flanking the former headquarters of the Sunkist Growers Cooperative in Sherman Oaks.

The ICON at Sherman Oaks, located at the southwest corner of Hazeltine Avenue and Riverside Drive, calls for the construction of three low-rise buildings containing 249 residential units - including 25 priced for moderate-income households - with roughly 27,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial uses and parking for 1,141 vehicles.

Johnson Fain is designing the project, which would consist of colorful buildings four- and five-story buildings surrounded by open space amenities - including a small park planned along the banks of the Los Angeles River.  

The centerpiece of the property, the AC Martin-designed Sunkist Building, is to be retained and rented as 127,000 square feet of offices.  

Construction is expected to occur over approximately 33 months.

IMT is developing several mixed-use and multifamily residential projects in the San Fernando Valley, including the proposed Il Villagio Toscano complex in Sherman Oaks.