At its meeting on July 10, the East Los Angeles Area Planning Commission is scheduled to review a proposed development that would create apartments and a hotel near the L.A. River in Lincoln Heights.

The project, which would replace 12 existing structures at 169 N. Avenue 21, calls for the construction of a six-story building featuring 100 residential units - three of which would be set aside for lower-income renters - and a 100-room hotel atop nearly 5,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space.

The design by Tighe Architecture is described as featuring a "varying geometric roofline and arched ground-floor opening," with an exterior of metal panels, painted concrete, and plaster.  Parking for 135 vehicles would be provided within a two-level podium structure, concealed from view by habitable spaces - including hotel amenities and street-fronting live/work units.

The Area Planning Commission is weighing in on whether or not the project should be granted an exception from the Cornfield Arroyo Specific Plan (CASP) - specifically a request to average the permitted residential floor area across the site's Urban Village and Urban Innovation zones.  Additionally, Commissioners will vote on whether or not the project should require an independent environmental study, or if it falls under the environmental impact report completed for the CASP.

A staff report recommends that both requests should be approved.

4Site Real Estate is developing the proposed hotel and apartment complex, which is one of several infill projects in the company's portfolio.  4Site is also building a mixed-use structure at the intersection of Melrose and Virgil Avenues and a 54-unit apartment complex in Westlake.

Just a few blocks away from 169 N. Avenue 21, the Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation and Goodwill Southern California are planning a mixed-use campus featuring offices, commercial space, and affordable housing.