51-unit now open at 11010 Santa Monica Boulevard
In a ceremony held recently, the Weingart Center and local officials celebrated the debut of a new permanent supportive housing complex at 11010 Santa Monica Boulevard in West Los Angeles.
“In response to our city’s ongoing housing crisis, we designed a project that could offer near-immediate support and shelter to unhoused seniors and veterans living in the streets. As architects and designers committed to positively impacting our community, Perkins&Will devised a modular solution that prioritizes the safety and comfort of those in need of a permanent home,” said Perkins&Will director of global diversity Gabrielle Bullock.
Named “11010 smB” for its address, the project replaced a city-owned surface parking lot with a new five-story, 51-unit building composed of prefabricated modular units which were manufactured offsite, then assembled by general contractor Swinerton. Perkins&Will designed the complex, which includes studio apartments ranging from 315 to 400 square feet in size. Besides housing, on-site features include a rooftop deck, a fitness center, patios, and a community room. Likewise, plans call for wraparound services such as case management and substance abuse counseling.
“I’m very excited for this type of building. It’s amazing. It’s beyond my wildest dreams,” said 60-year-old Roy Ward who is about to move into the new apartment building in an interview with ABC 7.
Weingart and its development partner Valued Housing secured funding for the project through a variety of state and local sources, including Measure HHH and tax-exempt bonds. The total budget estimated budget for 11010 SMB is $27.5 million, which translates to a per-unit cost of just over $530,000.
“When you’re on the streets, you don’t have health care. It is cold right now,” said Los Angeles Mayor Karen during the ceremony. “And you could imagine that our seniors would be some of the most vulnerable to lose their lives in these tents on the streets.”
Rents are to be set at levels considered affordable to a household earning up to 50 percent of the Los Angeles area median income.
