A staff presentation scheduled for today's meeting of the Metro Board's Planning and Programming Committee provides a first glimpse of an affordable housing complex planned adjacent to the Blue (A) Line's 103rd Street/Watts Towers Station.
The project, which is being developed by Thomas Safran & Associates, is slated for properties located on both sides of the station owned in part by the developer and Metro. Plans call for the construction of multiple buildings containing up to 277 units of affordable housing for seniors, families, and formerly homeless persons.
Other elements of the proposed project include art-focused community space and streetscape improvements connecting the station to the Watts Towers, as well as improvement to an existing pedestrian bridge crossing the Metro right of way.
A conceptual rendering depicts a contemporary four-story edifice with a new plaza flanking the historic Watts Station building.
The development is also slated to include ground-floor commercial space, according to filings with the City of Los Angeles.
The Metro Board is slated to vote at an upcoming meeting to enter into an exclusive negotiating agreement with the developer, with an initial term of 18 months, potentially followed by an extension of up to 30 months.
Thomas Safran & Associates is developing numerous affordable housing projects across the Los Angeles area, including new communities now under construction in Sawtelle and Hollywood.
Interested in finding affordable housing? Visit housing.lacity.org.
