Los Angeles County recently began pushing for a series of upgrades that would bring kitchy Marina Del Rey into the 21st century.  A large mixed-use community planned by AMLI Residential looks like it will fit in with this new, modern vision for the neighborhood.  With a cluster of five-story residential buildings, AMLI-MDR will create 585 apartment units on an L-shaped parcel at the intersection of Via Marina and Panay Way.  The new waterfront complex will replace a series of low-rise apartment and commercial structures located just south of Mother's Beach.  AMLI's project is one of several ground-up developments seeking to revamp Marina Del Rey's aging housing stock, including the Silicon Beach-friendly Shores complex which recently opened across the street.

Designed by TCA Architects, AMLI-MDR would mimic the aesthetics of a boathouse, featuring exposed rafters and large corner windows.  Buildings would be clad in a combination of fiber cement paneling, wood screen, plaster and stone.  At ground level, plans call for wide, pedestrian friendly green space to bisect the property, preserving views of the Marina and encouraging foot traffic along the waterfront.  As expected of most Southern California residential developments, AMLI-MDR seeks to blur the lines between indoors and outdoors.  All units come equipped with cable-railed balconies, supplemented by communal amenities such as outdoor pools, fireplaces, and barbeque pits.  A site plan indicates that the project will also include a small amount of retail space on the Via Marina side of the parcel.