At its meeting next week, the Los Angeles City Planning Commission will consider a proposal to develop a long-empty lot near MacArthur Park with a mixed-use project featuring multifamily residential units and retail space.

The project, which comes from an entity known as N.Y. Properties, calls for the construction of a seven-story building, featuring 173 dwelling units, nearly 37,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial space and parking for 262 vehicles.  The developer intends to set aside 20 of the studio, one- and two-bedroom dwellings for very low-income households in exchange for density bonus incentives.

M2A Architects, a Downtown-based firm, is designing the project, which would split its residential levels into a U-shaped form wrapping around an interior courtyard.

A staff recommendation points toward approval for the project.