Editor's note: A previous iteration of this article incorrectly stated the number of parking spaces had substantially increased.
The most recent iteration of a proposed 148-foot-tall development planned for a plot of public land at Fourth Street and Arizona Avenue has more office space but fewer hotel rooms and housing units than the version presented to City Council in 2013.
The project will go to Planning Commission for comment on Wednesday.
In 2013, Metro Pacific Capital beat out other developers — scoring a right to negotiate exclusively with City Hall — after putting forward a project that proposed 172,000 square feet of office space, 96 residential units, and 225 hotel rooms over a 12-story, 448,000-square-foot project.
After signing the negotiating agreement, Metro Pac got to work creating a more specific project.
The Planning Commission will review a 420,000-square-foot project with 206,800 square feet of office space, 195 hotel rooms, and 48 residential units, all affordable.
The total amount of proposed public open space dropped slightly from 56,700 square feet to 51,000 square feet in the most recent version of the project.
The version slated to be reviewed by the Planning Commission would include 1,143 parking spaces within a four-level subterranean garage.
Last year, council asked the developer to propose an alternative 84-foot-tall design after many residents complained that the 148-foot-tall version was too big.
Metro Pac pitched that version of the project a year ago, claiming that the shorter version would generate less revenue, allow for less open space, and create fewer hotel jobs.
Council voted unanimously to have the developer move forward with the taller option.
The slow-growth group Residocracy has come out in strong opposition to the project, asking that a park and underground parking garage be built on the public plot of land that runs between Fourth and Fifth streets along Arizona Avenue.
They've threatened a referendum if the project is moved forward and are already gathering e-signatures in opposition to the project on their website.
The group successfully challenged the Hines development agreement last year through a referendum process.
Project approval and resulting referendum attempts are still a long way away.
After the Planning Commission comments on the project, council will consider the proposal in a float-up.
Then, there will be a review of the environmental impacts of the project.
Next, the Planning Commission will officially deliberate on the proposal, deciding whether or not to recommend its approval to council.
Finally, council will consider approving the project.
Previous versions of the project had included a gondola lift, which would transport riders between the incoming Expo Light Rail station, the Santa Monica Pier, and the top of the development. There is no mention of a gondola lift in the newest iteration of the project.
dave@www.smdp.com
