Draft Environmental Impact Report

Sapphire Project

Lead Agency: City of Los Angeles

Case Number: ENV-2015-3033-EIR

State Clearinghouse Number: 2016031029

Project Addresses: 1324-1342 W. 5th Street, 1101-1135 W. 6th Street, and 517-521 S. Bixel Street Los Angeles, California 90017
Community Plan: Westlake
Council District: 1

Project Description: The project involves the demolition of the existing structures on-site, which includes a three-level parking structure, one five-story commercial office and medical office building, and one four-story commercial office and medical office building, for the development of a residential and commercial mixed-use project. The Proposed Project would consist of the construction of two buildings (North Building and South Building) that would be connected by a footbridge spanning above the adjacent alleyway. The North Building would include 142 apartment units within seven levels and would front 5th Street. The South Building would include 22,000 square feet (sf) of ground-floor retail and 227 apartment units within six levels above the ground-floor retail and would front both 6th Street and Bixel Street. The Proposed Project would have a total of 369 residential apartment units and approximately 22,000 sf of ground-floor commercial space. The ground-floor commercial space may include retail, restaurant, coffee shop uses, and/or other uses permitted by the Central City West Specific Plan (“CCWSP”). The unit mix would include 193 studio units, 96 one-bedroom units, 56 two-bedroom units, and 24 three-bedroom units of varying sizes and configurations. Both buildings include seven stories above grade and two levels of subterranean parking. The elevation across the Project Site increases from south to north and west to east. The Proposed Project would provide required on-site vehicle and bicycle parking spaces pursuant to the LAMC. Open space courtyards and landscaping features are proposed throughout the Project Site which would include 16,075 sf of open space within the North Building property and 24,600 sf of open space within the South Building property for a total of 40,675 sf of open space on-site. In total, the Project would contain approximately 348,431 sf of floor area.

The discretionary approvals for the project include: (1) Project Permit Compliance Approval of the CCWSP; (2) Specific Plan Exceptions of the CCWSP, including: (a) to allow a (0) zero-foot front yard setback for the North Building, in lieu of the 15 ft. as required, (b) to allow (0) zero-foot side yard setbacks for the east and west property lines for the North Building, in lieu of the 10 ft. required, (c) to allow a (0) zero-foot rear yard setback for the seven-story North Building, in lieu of the 19 ft. (15 ft. + 1 ft. per floor above the 3rd floor) as required, (d) to allow a (0) zero-foot rear yard setback for the South Building in lieu of the 19 feet required (15 ft. + 1 ft. per floor above the 3rd floor of the 7-story Building), and (e) to deviate from the street standards of 5th Street, required by the CCWSP Appendix C.1.K to be consistent with the Mobility Plan 2035; (3) Specific Plan Project Permit Adjustment to average or reallocate the permitted density and floor area within the South Building portion of the site; and (4) a Director’s Decision to allow a 10% increase in the qualifying area of interior open space up to a maximum of 35%, in lieu of 25% of the total required usable open space. Pursuant to various sections of the LAMC, the Applicant will request approvals and permits from the Department of Building and Safety (and other municipal agencies) for Project construction activities including, but not limited to, the following: demolition, excavation, shoring, grading, foundation, haul route, removal of existing street trees, building and tenant improvements.

DOCUMENT REVIEW AND COMMENT: If you wish to review a print copy of the Draft EIR or the documents referenced in the Draft EIR, you may do so during office hours (between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.) at the City of Los Angeles, Department of City Planning, 200 North Spring Street, City Hall, Room 750, Los Angeles, CA, 90012. Digital versions are also available for viewing at the following libraries:

1) Los Angeles Central Library, 630 West Fifth Street, Los Angeles, CA 90071
2) Echo Park Library, 1410 West Temple Street, Los Angeles CA 90026
3) Pico Union Branch Library, 1030 South Alvarado Street, Los Angeles CA 90006

The Draft EIR can also be purchased on CD-ROM for $7.50 per copy. Contact Christina T. Lee by email at Christina.toy-lee@lacity.org or by phone at (213) 473-9723 to purchase copies.

The comment period for the Draft EIR ends on August 21, 2017. If you wish to submit comments regarding the Draft EIR, please reference the file number above and submit in writing no later than 4:00 p.m. on Monday, August 21, 2017.
Please direct your responses to:

Mail: Christina T. Lee
Los Angeles Department of City Planning
200 N. Spring Street, Room 750
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Fax: (213) 978-1343

Email: Christina.toy-lee@lacity.org

When a public hearing is required for the Project, a separate hearing notice will be mailed at a later date for such purpose. If you have any questions, please contact Christina T. Lee at the location and email above.

To view the electronic version of the document in PDF please select from the following:

Draft EIR Sections

Appendices to the Draft EIR

APPLICANT:	PREPARED BY:	ON BEHALF OF:
Sapphire Equity, LLC		The City of Los Angeles Department of City Planning Major Projects Section