Its nice to see that the city finally took action against Palmer and stopped him from building more of those ugly ass sprawling suburban apartment complex, talking about the Orsini. One city official called it "Italian Renaissance fortress-like building,"
i drive by there everyday and man its just not good with the surrounding neighborhood, its like being in a city then you drive by them and it feel like you no longer in the city, as if you were driving on some street in the burbs. I completely agree and i am glad they have stopped him its just plain fugly. I just hope he doesn't come up with something and continue building.
These Building do not belong in downtown or even any parts of the city. Maybe beverly hills or the valley. Its an eye sore and they are only 5 stories and the view they get is the 101 freeway LOL
, the people that live there will step out of their balcony and breath in all the exhaust from the cars during rush hour hum really nice. The 5th story is like eye level to the freeway.
Read below:
CRA Rejects Orsini III
Luxury 210-Apartment Project Fails to Gain Land-Use Approval
by Evan George
Officials at the Community Redevelopment Agency halted the spread of the Italian Renaissance in Downtown's housing market last Thursday, when they denied an approval to the controversial developer behind the villa-styled Orsini, Medici and Visconti apartments.
The CRA board of commissioners, voting 3-3, failed to grant a discretionary land use approval needed for the Orsini III project to move forward.
Opponents called the design
distasteful and said the project posed more harm than benefit to the nearby Chinatown community. Some cited distrust of the developer, who has butted heads with the city over affordable housing requirements in the past.
G.H. Palmer Associates had plans to convert the northeast corner of Figueroa Street and Cesar Chavez Avenue into an eight-story complex of 210 luxury apartments. It would have left only one corner of the intersection untouched by Palmer's trademark architecture of slanted brick parking levels, palm lined terraces and faux marble courtyards.
"I feel very strongly that we would be better served with a commercial building... than another Italian Renaissance fortress-like building," said Madeline Janis, vice chair of the board.
Commissioner John Pérez, also opposed, said, "These are not projects that relate well to the surrounding community."
Some in attendance disagreed with the decision.
"The fact is, we may have to wait another 20 years for another investment opportunity," said George Yu, executive director of the Chinatown Business Improvement District. Yu said that "economic balance" in the form of market-rate housing is needed to bring more business dollars to Chinatown. A handful of other Chinatown residents read statements of support.
Although Palmer was not seeking funding assistance from the agency, the CRA board must approve any change in land use since it falls within the Chinatown redevelopment area. Currently the parcel, which includes a vacant lot and a popular barbecue restaurant, is zoned for commercial use.
"This highlights a philosophical issue that we still have on this board that we haven't resolved," said Board Chairman William Jackson, referring to whether the agency should demand public benefit packages from developers even when no CRA money is involved.
Commissioners emphasized that they could grant approval on such cases "as deemed necessary" but couldn't require that the developer negotiate. Peter Novak, vice president of G.H. Palmer, declined to comment.
Still, one commissioner entreated the developer to consider adding features such as an affordable housing element, living wage or local hire programs to give them a reason to reconsider.
"See what makes sense," said Commissioner Bruce Ackerman. "See what makes sense to your bottom line, and come back."
Contact Evan George at
[email protected].
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