[There is a Spanish translation]
From: Rescalvo, Vivian
"Metro Projects Update – Boyle Heights
Hello! If you are receiving this update you are on our Boyle Heights Community Stakeholders list. For the past year, you have been receiving our notices for community meetings and workshops regarding proposed projects on Metro owned land. Following is an update on each parcel as well as a list of upcoming meetings. As always, we welcome your thoughts, comments and input. Thank you for your continued participation in our process of community engagement.
Cesar Chavez and Soto
The proposed project at Cesar Chavez and Soto is comprised of 77- units of affordable family housing, both two and three bedrooms, and will include 8,500 square feet of ground floor retail. The affordability of the units will be a combination of low-moderate, low and very-low income units. The project is being proposed by Abode Communities, a not-for-profit affordable housing developer. Back in March 2015, the Metro Board approved entering into a Short-term 6-month ENA with Abode Communities. Since that time, Abode has been actively engaging the community in order to obtain their input. They have held community meetings and focus groups as well as individual meetings with key stakeholders. After this series of meetings, Abode presented their proposal before the Boyle Heights Neighborhood Council on Wednesday, October 28, 2015. It was approved to move forward to the next step in the process - a full Exclusive Negotiating Agreement (ENA) with Metro. The purpose of this next step is to refine the project in terms of the mix of affordability, commercial uses and negotiate the terms of a joint-development agreement with Metro. Based on stakeholder feedback, Abode hopes to increase the number of units designated for very-low income households. Metro’s Planning and Programming Committee will consider entering into an ENA with Abode Communities at their next meeting on Wednesday, November 18, 2015. The full Board will consider this request on Thursday, December 3, 2015 (see below for details).
1st and Soto
The proposed project at 1st and Soto is comprised of 66 units of affordable family housing, studios, one, two and three bedrooms, over 5000 sq. ft. of ground floor commercial space. The affordability of the units will be a combination of low and very-low income units. The project is being proposed by ELACC/Bridge Housing, a not-for-profit affordable housing developer. The Boyle Heights Neighborhood Council Planning and Land Use Committee approved moving the project forward to the full Boyle Heights Neighborhood Council on December 2, 2015 (see below)
Back in March 2015, the Metro Board approved entering into a Short-term 6-month Exclusive Negotiation Agreement (ENA) with ELACC/Bridge Housing. Since March, ELACC/Bridge Housing has been actively engaging the community in order to obtain their input. They have held community meetings and focus groups as well as individual meetings with key stakeholders. The proposed project is still in development and they are fine-tuning the design which is immediately adjacent to the 1st and Soto Plaza and Station. In order to continue engaging the community and obtaining input, an additional 6-month extension to the Short-term ENA is proposed. Metro’s Planning and Programming Committee will consider extending the Short-term ENA with ELAAC/Bridge Housing at their next meeting on Wednesday, November 18, 2015. The full Board will consider this request on Thursday, December 3, 2015 (see below for details).
1st and Lorena
In March 2013, the Metro Board approved an Exclusive Negotiating Agreement (ENA) with A Community of Friends (ACOF) to develop affordable housing at this site adjacent to the 1st and Indiana Station. Through a community outreach process, the project has been modified to include 49 units of affordable family housing with 10,000 sq. ft. of ground floor commercial space. Twenty-four of the units will be offered as supportive housing for veterans.
Over the past eight months, ACOF has held a series of community meetings and open houses to refine their project concept. The Boyle Heights Neighborhood Council approved the project by a vote of 15-1 in July 2015. Additionally, the project obtained the approval of the Boyle Heights Design Review Advisory Committee in August 2015. At this juncture, ACOF is in the process of securing their entitlements through the City of Los Angeles and finalizing the design and retail components of the project. In order to go to the next step in Metro’s process, a Joint Development Agreement, entitlements and city approvals must be obtained. ACOF needs additional time to complete this step. As a result, Metro’s Planning and Programming Committee will consider extending the ENA with ACOF for 6-months at their next meeting on Wednesday, November 18, 2015. The full Board will consider this request on Thursday, December 3, 2015 (see below for details).
Mariachi Plaza Station
Metro has procured the urban design/architecture firm of Gwynne Pugh Urban Studio. Together with their architectural team Perkins and Will, and DakeLuna for community outreach, Gwynne Pugh will conduct design charrettes and lead the community engagement and Development Guidelines process for Mariachi Plaza in early 2016. Development Guidelines are a requirement prior to Metro releasing a Request for Proposals for development at the site. Stay tuned for a schedule of meetings.
Cesar Chavez and Fickett
This site had been proposed for affordable housing and most recently as a supermarket. However, Metro staff seeks to engage the community and gather more information as to potential uses for the site.
Metro will be working with their urban design/architecture team – Gwynne Pugh Urban Studio, Perkins and Will, and DakeLuna for community outreach to facilitate design charrettes and community meetings to obtain input in order to create development guidelines for the site. Development Guidelines are a requirement prior to Metro releasing a Request for Proposals for development at the site. Design charrettes will occur in early 2016. Stay tuned for a schedule of meetings.
1st and Boyle
Eighty units of affordable family housing with approximately 4000 sq. ft. of ground floor retail are currently under construction. The developer is McCormack Baron Salazar. The project is being constructed under a Ground Lease executed in March 2015. The affordability of the units will be a combination of low-moderate, low and very-low income units and will include one, two and three bedroom apartments. The project had its groundbreaking in May 2015 and completion is expected mid- 2016.
The developer has been working with Self Help Graphics and local students to create a temporary art fence for the project site. Thirteen vibrant and artistically creative banners will soon be installed along the temporary construction fence.
UPCOMING MEETINGS
· Metro Planning and Programming Committee – Wednesday, November 18, 2015, 2pm
Metro Board Room, One Gateway Plaza, 3rd Floor, Los Angeles
· Boyle Heights Neighborhood Council – Wednesday, December 2, 2015, 6pm
Boyle Heights City Hall Community Room, 2130 1st St., Los Angeles
· Metro Board Meeting – Thursday, December 3, 2015, 9 am
Metro Board Room, One Gateway Plaza, 3rd Floor, Los Angeles
Thank you for your continued participation in our process of community engagement. Feel free to contact Vivian Rescalvo if you have any questions. She can be reached at rescalvov@metro.net or 213-922-2563."
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