Mid-Wilshire-based developer CIM Group continues to inch forward with plans to build a new medical office and research center in Santa Monica.

The proposed project, according to a draft environmental study published by the City of Santa Monica, would rise from a roughly one-acre property located at the northwest corner of 20th Street and Arizona Avenue, replacing two small apartment buildings which are now used as offices.  Plans call for the construction of a new three-story edifice containing approximately 18,800 square feet of medical offices and clinics, as well as 54,000 square feet of space intended for use as a research facility.  Parking for up to 275 vehicles would be placed on five subterranean levels.

NMDA is designing the proposed which would include cascading outdoor decks along its southern perimeter, ending at a new plaza located along 20th Street.  Plans call for an exterior of limestone panels and glazed windows.

The development site is currently improved with the former Gates, Kinsgley & Gates funeral home, a Tudor Revival-style building completed in 1933.  CIM Group will retain the landmarked structure, which was converted into a new location for the Tartine Bakery chain in early 2020.

Construction of the wellness facility is expected to occur over a roughly 23-month period.  The project's environmental study points to a build out period between March 2021 and January 2023.

The project site, located in Santa Monica's Healthcare Mixed Use District, sits diagonally across the street from the Providence St. John's Health Center campus, which is poised for an ambitious expansion and renovation plan over the coming 20 years.