A trio of century-old homes at the intersection of Fairfax and Fountain Avenues could make way for a new co-living apartment complex, according to a pending presentation to the West Hollywood Planning Commission's Design Review Subcommittee.
The project, which would rise at the northwest corner of the intersection, is proposed by an entity affiliated with Washington D.C.-based real estate firm PERS Development. Plans call for the construction of a new five-story edifice featuring 17 apartments - including three affordable units - above a two-level, 42-car subterranean parking garage.
Levin-Morris Architects is designing the development, which is named for its address at 1301 N. Fairfax Avenue. Plans call for a contemporary podium-type building containing a mix of four- and five-bedroom dwellings, offering capacity for more than 100 residents. Renderings depict a contemporary low-rise structure clad in plaster, composite food siding, stone, and cement. Proposed on-site amenities include a rooftop deck and a business center.
A staff report encourages the Commission to provide feedback regarding the design concept and building program.
"From a design and urban programming perspective, co-living models can introduce new options for expanding the city's housing stock," says the report. "Many residents do not cook, clean, or desire the responsibility of maintaining their own household and might enjoy regular housekeeping and more shared living or communal interaction with others that they do not know. This type of living opportunity can be engaging and open doors otherwise not available. However, if not thought through at a level of detail, unintended consequences could hamper the project's success."
The development site sits directly across the intersection of Fairfax and Fountain from a 1920s church, which Los Angeles-based developer South Park Group is planning to incorporate into a different apartment complex.
Farther south on Fairfax, local developer Palisades is in the midst of construction of a 53-unit apartment complex.
- West Hollywood (Urbanize LA)