Hearing Held on MTA Lot
By Carol
Fondiller
The Metropolitan Transit
Authority has effected a land-swap that benefits developers Robert D’Elia
and RAD Jefferson, LLC. The proposed development will rise 56 feet high.
That’s nearly 20 feet over the coastal development plan maximum. The
development includes 10,000 - 13,000 square feet of commercial space.
At a March 24, 2004 meeting regarding the
proposed plan, 255 residential condominiums were proposed with 167 of the 255
units at market rate prices, and 58 units proposed as “affordable.”
(since then, the “affordable” units have shrunk to 17
units.)
At last month’s Aug. 22
meeting, called by the L.A. Planning Commission, over 150 Venetians showed up to
protest this most recent development that would bring at least 750 more cars
into the area, plus more traffic congestion.
One Venetian suggested that the future
residents of this proposed gated community be locked in and only allowed out if
they showed proper Patriot Act identification to ensure that they would not harm
the immediate surroundings.
The 3.13
acre site is bounded on the west by Pacific Avenue, Main Street to the east,
Thornton to the south and Sunset Avenue to the north.
Posted: Thu - September 1, 2005 at 07:29 PM