Exclusive Agreement Stretched to March 2024 for Nine-Acre Development
By Dolores Quintana
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors granted an extension of the exclusive negotiation agreement with Abode Communities and AvalonBay Communities to re-develop West Los Angeles Civic Center, pushing the previous expiration date from November 11, 2023, to March 22, 2024. This alteration, as detailed in a staff report to the Board, was driven by changing financial conditions relayed by Abode and AvalonBay, who have expressed the need for more time before committing to the ground lease for the site, in anticipation of improved market conditions.
West L.A. Commons is the new name for the project at the Civic Center. Abode Communities and Avalon Bay Communities’ proposal is for a huge new development of approximately one million square feet across a nine-acre site between Santa Monica Boulevard, Iowa Avenue, Corinth Avenue, and Butler Avenue. The development plan is a mixed-use development that will boast:
- 926 residential units, comprising 495 market-rate and 431 income-restricted units.
- 36,569 square feet designated for neighborhood-serving retail and restaurant establishments.
- 76,341 square feet allocated for municipal offices.
- Parking facilities capable of accommodating more than 1,500 vehicles.
The one update of the overall plan is the relocation of the new Felicia Mahood Multipurpose Center. It will now be located on the ground floor of the municipal building of offices. This adjustment allows for the incorporation of a public park into the project, which was previously slated to encompass over 100,000 square feet of open space. The project’s design team is led by Koning Eizenberg, Olin, and AC Martin.
