WS Communities has tweaked the design of its proposed mixed-use complex at 1425 5th Street, according to a staff report to the Santa Monica Architectural Review Board.
The proposed development which would replace a small commercial building, calls for the construction of an eight-story edifice featuring 92 one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments and 5,349 square feet of ground-floor retail space.
The new design by Michael W. Folonis Architects responds to feedback from a preliminary review conducted in May 2019. At the time, Board members felt that the building facade made use of too many materials and that its massing needed to be broken up. To address those and other complaints, the project has added a three-story opening along its front facade and removed its rooftop element and ground-floor entry plaza.
A staff report recommends that the Board should approve the new design application.
The 1425 5th Street project, along with another WS Communities development at 1543 7th Street, have been granted expedited processing due to a settlement agreement between the developer and the City of Santa Monica regarding a series of proposed single-room occupancy developments in the Downtown area.
