The Los Angeles City Planning Commission has voted to approve a proposed development that calls for the construction of a high-rise apartment building near MacArthur Park.

The project, known as the Lake on Wilshire, is highlighted by a proposed 41-story tower that would rise on a current parking lot at the corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Bonnie Brae Avenue.  The new construction would create 478 apartments - including studio, one- and two-bedroom dwellings - atop parking for 933 vehicles. According to a project website, plans call for 39 residential units to be set aside for very low-income households.

Save for the tower, perhaps the most visible element of the proposed development is a colorful performing arts center, which would feature an art gallery, classrooms and an 850-seat auditorium.  The facility would be oriented around Sri Lankan culture.

An existing 14-story office building, constructed in the 1920s, is slated for a conversion to a 220-room boutique hotel as part of the project.

The mixed-use complex is being developed by Dr. Walter Jayasinghe - or "Dr. J" - a local physician who has owned the subject property for decades.  The official project website states that he has  had a 40-year presence in the Westlake neighborhood,

A recent article published by Streetsblog LA has questioned the merits of the project, arguing that it does not provide enough affordable housing and could spur new investment in the surrounding community.