On October 14, the city's Landmarks Commission approved a Certificate of Appropriateness for the Miramar Redevelopment Project at the 1133 Ocean Avenue site, deeming fit the project's design, materials, colors, landscaping, signage and historic preservation. The planned expansion and modernization of the Miramar includes adding up to 60 residential condominiums, restaurant and retail spaces, a three-level subterranean parking garage and publicly-accessible open space.
The project also allocates 15,000 square feet at 1127 and 1129 Second Street for 42 one, two and three-bedroom units at affordability levels ranging from 30% to 80% income households. The housing site, to be owned and operated by Community Corporation of Santa Monica, was approved by the city's Architectural Review Board (ARB) in May 2023.
Landmarks Commission approval is the final step of the city's entitlement approval process, City PIO Tati Simonian told the Daily Press, with applicant Ocean Avenue LLC's next step with the city to be submittal for comprehensive plan check review for issuance of building permits, in order to begin construction after a decade-plus long journey.
"This achievement represents a win for destination tourism, housing development, and preservation in Santa Monica," Santa Monica Conservancy said of the endeavor. "The project also successfully revitalizes the Miramar while preserving two significant landmarks: the Palisades Building and the historic Moreton Bay Fig Tree."
A development agreement application for the Miramar was initially submitted in April 2011, finally taking part in preliminary review discussions with the Landmarks Commission and ARB in 2019. Santa Monica City Council approved the agreement in September 2020, followed by the California Coastal Commission approving the project's Coastal Development Permit in March 2022.
The city's ARB was given an updated presentation on the project in July, with the board unanimously recommending the project move forward. Board members were appreciative of Ocean Avenue LLC for responsiveness to prior comments and desires, while public comment during the meeting praised the care in mind for the Fig Tree.
Principal and Vice President of developer The Athens Group Dustin Peterson said the tree "anchored" the site design, with the updated site plan including an approximately 14,000 square foot publicly-accessible space surrounding the tree. The tree is also why the Landmarks Commission had final say in October, due to the 80-foot-tall icon's designation as a city landmark, a distinction also shared by the complex's Palisades Building.
According to the project website, projections for the first 25 years of operations predicts the development will bring in over $444 million to the city's general fund, over $112 million to local schools and altogether, over $3 billion in economic impacts to the city. The site also says $12 million will be given in one-time contributions for city initiatives like transportation improvements and affordable lodging.
The significant milestone for the Miramar project comes during a particularly notable fall for the local hotel scene. On September 18, Hyatt Hotels Corporation opened the Hyatt Centric Delfina Santa Monica at the site formerly known as Le Méridien Delfina Santa Monica, and just weeks later the Regent Santa Monica Beach held its grand opening celebration.
thomas@smdp.com
