LA Gives Green Light to Large Development at La Cienega/Jefferson

A large mixed-use development proposed for a 3.5-acre site just on the outskirts of Culver City has received the green light for construction.

Recently, the Los Angeles City Planning Commission approved a proposal to redevelop the storage facility at 3401 S. La Cienega Boulevard – near the La Cienega/Jefferson Metro station – with new housing and commercial uses and parking for 785 vehicles.

Development plans call for the construction of two mid-rise buildings featuring 260 residential units, approximately 227,000 square feet of offices, and 2,869 square feet of ground-floor retail space atop parking for 785 vehicles, according Urbanize Los Angeles.

SHoP Architects is designing the project, which will be developed by the American arm of Australian real estate firm Lendlease and its joint venture partner Aware Super.

The project includes the construction of a 13-story, nearly 150-foot-tall residential building and a six-story, roughly 92-foot-tall office building. The proposed office building would also incorporate mass timber into its design.

According to the City of Los Angeles, the project at 3401 La Cienega is expected to break ground in early 2023 and open by 2025.

The developers received density bonus incentives to permit a larger residential building than allowed under zoning rules, according to Urbanize Los Angeles. In exchange for the zoning concessions, the project will include 22 units of deed-restricted very low-income affordable housing as well as 7 units to be reserved as workforce housing.

The new project represents one of several mixed-use developments in the works surrounding La Cienega/Jefferson Station, highlighted by the Cumulus District, a 12-acre complex consisting of more than 1,200 apartments and a Whole Foods Market, which may add more traffic to neighboring streets.