Tall & Urban News

Plans for a 31-story tower, near the landmark Grand Central Market at 340 South Hill Street, have made their way through the Los Angeles City Council’s planning and land use management committee. The project’s Sustainable Communities Environmental Assessment, which allows for a streamlined environmental review for projects that are in line with regional transportation plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions—mainly by creating dense housing near public transportation—has been approved.

The tower would sit directly over an entrance to the Pershing Square Metro subway station at the northeast corner of Hill and Fourth streets, where the Historic Core and Bunker Hill meet.

The TCA Architects-designed tower would hover over the Metro entrance, which, in renderings, appears much more visible and easier to access than the current portal. The new building at 340 South Hill would replace a parking lot and taco restaurant on the site now.

Developed by Equity Residential—the project would hold 428 apartments. Of those apartments, 22 would be reserved for very low-income households; the project would also include either 10 percent of the total number of units for low-income households, or 15 percent of the total number of units for moderate-income households, or 20 percent of the total number of units for workforce housing.

The project would also hold 379 parking spaces, none of which are intended to serve the 5,600 square feet (520 square meters) of commercial space planned within the building.

The 31-story tower isn’t the only project planned for this intersection. Across the street, next to the other Pershing Square entrance, is a grassy hill where a billion-dollar development is in the works. Called Angels Landing, the project would bring 500 hotel rooms, 250 condos, 400 apartments, and two towers reaching 42 and 64 stories, respectively. Angels Landing isn’t expected to open until at least 2028, so the property is just a steep grassy hill for now.

For more on this story go to Curbed LA .