A block west of the L.A. Waterfront Holland Partner Group hopes to break ground in the near future on its second mixed-use development in Downtown San Pedro.  But first, it must overcome a hurdle at the Harbor Area Planning Commission.

View of 625 Beacon from northwest cornerMVE + Partners

At its meeting scheduled for October 19, Commissioners are scheduled to take up an appeal from SAFER, an affiliate of Laborers International Union of North America Local 270 (LIUNA), which argues that the proposed development at 625 Beacon Street violates the California Environmental Quality Act.  The project, which would span a full city block bounded by 6th, 7th, Beacon, and Palos Verdes Streets, would consist of an eight-story building featuring 281 studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, 2,316 square feet of ground-floor retail space and a three-level, 505-car subterranean parking garage.

Designed by MVE + Partners, 625 Beacon is depicted in conceptual renderings as a contemporary podium-type building.  Architectural plans show that the apartment complex with include an outdoor community space overlooking Pepper Tree Plaza and the waterfront, as well as an elevated courtyard fronting 7th Street.

The project, which was issued a determination letter by the Planning Department earlier this year, is slated to be built over a roughly 34-month period.  The apartment complex is scheduled to be ready for move-ins in 2024.

Street level view of 625 Beacon Street from northeast cornerMVE + Partners

SAFER, which is a frequent appellant of larger projects in the City of Los Angeles, contends through its attorney that a fully environmental impact report should be conducted for the project, rather than an addendum the study conducted as part of the San Pedro Community Plan update.  A staff report, finding no merit to SAFER's arguments, recommends denial of the appeal, with minor technical modifications to the earlier determination letter to comply with the standards of the San Pedro Community Plan Implementation Overlay.

Construction at 625 Beacon would come not long after Holland Partner Group completed work on the neighboring 550 Harborfront apartments, which also includes housing and ground-floor retail space.