A project proposed nearly two years ago is getting the go ahead to begin construction, after the Los Angeles City Council denied an appeal to block the development from taking place earlier this month.
The project proposal by Continuum Partners was initially approved by the City in April of this year, according to city documents, and included the construction of a 14-story office building at 655 Mesquit Street. In total, the project would feature 184,629 square feet of office space and 4,325 square feet of ground floor retail including four restaurants with indoor and outdoor seating.
The building will primarily consist of office space on floors seven through 14, with a community event space on the sixth floor. The remaining floors will consist of 367 parking spaces, screened in windows and glass for the building’s overall design.
Designs for the project come from Culver City-based architecture firm Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects, with renderings showing a mix of common and public open spaces. Renderings for the project show balconies, a landscaped rooftop deck and a pedestrian paseo.
The project was appealed earlier this year by the Coalition for Equitable Economic Development, or CREED LA. However, after being cleared by the City, the project is anticipated to take approximately two years, according to a determination letter from the City of Los Angeles.
The project site is located in the Arts District, near Interstate 5, U.S. 101 and California Route 60. Several bus stops are also within close proximity to the site.
Currently, the property is developed with a 54-vehicle parking lot, which will be demolished in order to make way for the proposed project. The remaining portion of the project site is home to Produce LA, a 116,000 square-foot creative office building also developed by Continuum Partners.
The Denver-based development firm was founded in 1997, and now has active projects throughout the United States. With a focus on large scale, mixed-use, urban projects, the company currently has active projects in six states, including California, Nebraska, Texas, Illinois and Colorado.
