A reader files a report on last night's meeting on the newest Palmer project. G.H. Palmer, of course, is the developer behind the city's unfortunate rash of faux Tuscan-style buildings. We'd try and confirm the report with the company but this is a developer that does not return calls. Our reader writes: "Went to an EIR (Environmental Impact Report) scoping meeting last night for the newest Palmer monstrosity. This time on 23rd between Flower and Figueroa , on 8 acres that used to be Orthopedic Hospital. Now they want to shed the permanent Q (hospital) zoning and the CRA's PF zoning to become...a 1,400 unit 50 story glass and steel luxury rental tower! Connected by a sky-walk on the 3rd or 4th floor to a six-story in the more "traditional" Palmer faux-talian style. This shall be grandly termed The Lorenzo, which is apparently his favorite name so he's been saving it for somethin' special. Just what South LA needs, luxury market rate units instead of a hospital."
Though they're "not student housing" they are banking on a lot of USC students, either from existing Palmer properties (they'd be delighted if people moved out of Orsini, which is getting a lot of interest, the EIR consultant said), or from elsewhere. While USC students desperately need more housing, I don't know that the luxury market is as big as it once was, now that Tuscany is on-line and University Gateway is underway.
This will be the first Palmer property to use a density bonus, meaning 140 of those 1,400 units might be made affordable to those earning 80% of AMI. And to get that 50 stories they would need a TFAR from the six-story building (not to mention zoning changes).
As far as details, there won't be any retail, but the CRA wants them to do something like a sit-down restaurant like a Denny's, a small grocery store, and maybe a coffee shop..."
· DestructionWatch: Downtown's Orsini III Has Its Detractors [Curbed LA]
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