Crews have begun demolishing a series of small commercial and residential buildings in Historic South-Central, making way for the construction of a mixed-use affordable housing complex.
The project, which is being developed by AMCAL Multi-Housing Company, will rise from a roughly 1.35-acre property at the southeast corner of Washington Boulevard and Los Angeles Street. Plans approved by the City of Los Angeles call for the construction of a new five-story edifice featuring 105 residential units above 7,300 square feet of ground-floor retail space and basement parking for 75 vehicles.
Per a landing page from the AMCAL website, plans call for a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, most of which will be reserved for households earning 60 percent or less than the area median income ($67,560 for a family of four). A total of 25 apartments will be set aside for transition-age youth earning 30 percent or less than the area median income.
Proposed ancillary features include a workforce development center and a cafe, which would be made available the surrounding neighborhood. Case management services for residents would be provided by the Coalition for Responsible Community Development.
VTBS Architects is designing the contemporary low-rise structure, which would include a community room, a central courtyard, and a street-fronting public plaza. Architectural plans show an exterior of grey, white, and olive-colored stucco and fiber cement panels.
The project is named La Prensa Libre, an allusion to a past occupant of the development site - a printing facility for the Spanish language newspaper La Opinion.
Construction of La Prensa Libre, which will rise from a property located midway between the Metro A Line's San Pedro and Grand Stations, is expected to occur over an approximately two-year period.
AMCAL is also developing affordable housing in Pomona, Florence-Firestone, and Long Beach.
- 220 E Washington Boulevard (Urbanize LA)
Looking for affordable housing? Visit lahousing.lacity.org/aahr
