Mixed-use, multifamily projects at 601 Wilshire, 1318 Lincoln, 1441 Lincoln, and 1650 Lincoln will together add 227 new residential units to help meet high demand
(Santa Monica, CA – May 18, 2018) KFA is pleased to announce that four of its new projects, located at 601 Wilshire Boulevard, 1318 Lincoln Boulevard, 1441-1443 Lincoln Boulevard, and 1650 Lincoln Boulevard in Santa Monica, have won approval from the City’s Planning Commission to go forward with development and construction. WS Communities is the developer of all four buildings.
“We are pleased that the City of Santa Monica has recognized the positive contribution these much-needed, attractive multifamily projects will bring to the City. KFA’s building design and planned amenities are of the same mind as the Downtown Community Plan adopted by the Santa Monica City Council,” said KFA Senior Associate Jesse Ottinger, AIA. “Under the plan, residential development is an essential part of Wilshire and Lincoln Boulevards, two major thoroughfares’ that will be transformed into ‘pedestrian paradises’ with wider sidewalks, street trees, and plenty of ground floor businesses, coffee shops, restaurants, and retail,” he added.
KFA has a long and successful track record of award-winning urban infill/residential projects that are key to the transformation of aging neighborhoods into vibrant, transit-oriented environments that are welcoming and pedestrian-focused. The architecture of all three projects further enhances and fits into the existing context both on Wilshire and on Lincoln. The projects on Lincoln Blvd. will do their part to enhance the stretch of U.S. Highway 1 north of the 10 Freeway, where old zoning laws and past priorities created automobile-oriented businesses without much appeal for pedestrians. The area is ripe for improvement through the addition of ground-floor, neighborhood-serving retail, wide sidewalks, landscaping and trees.
This four-story, 32,200 SF, 43-unit building takes its place as a compelling urban statement along the 16-mile Boulevard that stretches from Downtown LA to Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica. Two strong horizontal bands move boldly across the façade, one creating a protective overhang over the retail areas, and both angled to open up to the glassy corner at 6th Street, which is carved back to create a space for outdoor café seating. Vertical copper screen elements, suspended between the bands, address solar heat gain, provide privacy to the residents, and present a shimmering façade to passers-by on Wilshire Boulevard.
The 33,706-square-foot four-story building will have a modern, modular appearance and include 43 apartments and 3,400 square feet of commercial space, located on an infill site near the corner of Lincoln Boulevard and Arizona Avenue. The building mass is divided into two distinct forms that give the feeling of different buildings. A sunbathing deck will look over a private courtyard with a jacuzzi for residents. Offering 102 underground parking spaces and 35 bike stalls, the building is set back far enough from the street to allow a restaurant or cafe with outdoor seating. A total of four units will be saved for very-low-income households.
The design concept of this four-story, 33,845 SF, 43-unit building is influenced by the Santa Monica landscape, with a white band winding up and down the façade that subtly refers to the Santa Monica Mountains to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Residents will enjoy terraced courtyards and two roof decks, and the project’s 2,600 SF of ground floor retail space continues the pedestrian-friendly streetscape established by the KFA project immediately to the south at the corner of Broadway.
Located just north of the 10 Freeway, this four-story, 69,885-square-foot mixed-use residential project with 100 units joins others located on this soon-to-be-transformed stretch of Lincoln Boulevard. More than 5,800 square feet of retail space will be available on the ground floor, which is set back from the street, allowing for wide sidewalks, outdoor seating and a landscaped buffer from the busy street. The building’s volumes rotate slightly along Lincoln Blvd., and a generous break in the massing allows views, light and air to penetrate into a large 6,500 SF courtyard. This resident amenity includes a lounge/theater, Jacuzzi, fireplace, and kitchen. Exterior materials include dark gray metal panels, raked finish board formed concrete and warm-toned synthetic wood siding. Three levels of underground parking will accommodate 205 cars and 173 bicycles.
