A 15,000-square-foot parking lot in Downtown Los Angeles’ burgeoning South Park neighborhood could be improved with an eight-story residential development featuring three live/work units and 224 studio apartments.
Applicant Housing Diversity Corp. is seeking Transit Oriented Communities (TOC) Tier 4 incentives, as the site is just over 1,000 feet away from the Pico rail station, serviced by the Metro Blue and Expo lines. This designation would allow the developer to eliminate vehicle parking, instead adding 132 bicycle stalls.
While the apartments would be market-rate, due to their compact size, they would offer lower rents than traditional units, appealing to moderate-income individuals. Twenty-five apartments would be set aside for extremely low income households, representing 11 percent of the unit count.
Studio floorplans would measure 289 square feet and the live/work floorplans, fronting onto Flower Street, would encompass 353 square feet. About half of the micro units would include private balconies of 50 square feet.
Studios would have near-identical layouts, each with a linear kitchenette, sleeping space, and an enclosed bathroom with a small vanity, toilet and a bathtub/shower combination. Laundry machines would be provided on every floor.
Amenities would include a landscaped courtyard, a lobby with a mailroom, three resident lounge areas, a fitness center, and a bicycle storage and repair area. An expansive, 7,060-square-foot roof deck would boast barbecues, dining tables, built-in chaise lounges, a pingpong table, fire pits, seating areas and ample greenery.
The micro housing development was designed by Los Angeles architecture firm Steinberg Hart, who drew inspiration from the components of a tree. The material palette would include fiber cement shingles in charcoal and light gray hues, board-formed concrete, cedar wood siding, and perforated, pre-finished aluminum screens.
Located at 1411 Flower Street, the proposed project is steps away from the Los Angeles Convention Center, STAPLES Center, LA Live, and numerous restaurants, coffee shops and art galleries. The Pico Metro station is one stop away from 7th Street/Metro Center, which connects to five transit lines.
