clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Frogtown Industrial Site to Become 117 Small Lot Houses and Condos, Plus Retail

New, 50 comments

LA-River-adjacent Frogtown has gotten a lot of attention from developers this year. Within the last four months, a complex combining 40 live/work units and retail aimed at artsy types and a Lorcan-O'Herlihy-designed mixed-user have been announced, but by far the largest of these new projects is the plan—seen on Urbanize LA—to put 100 small lot homes and 17 condos on two neighboring sites (nearly 5 acres in all) off Blake Avenue near Rich Street.

An environmental report for the project, currently called the Blake Avenue Riverfront Project, shows boxy, colorful structures at both the Blimp Avenue site, where condos are planned, and at the much larger Blake Avenue site, where the small lot houses will rise. Both sites, developed by LA-based Harridge Development Group, will have retail and restaurants mixed in with housing.

The plan for the spot on Blake Avenue—currently housing some industrial buildings formerly used by a food processing plant—is to raze part of the site, but hold onto three of the existing buildings and convert them so they can be used as commercial space. This conversion, plus the the 2,260 square feet of new space for businesses in four of the tiny houses (which will be "mixed-use small lots"), will give the Blake Avenue complex 25,410 square feet of space for retail and eateries. The Blake Avenue location will also have 100 small lot houses.

Across the street at the Blimp Street site, what's now a parking lot will give way to 17 condos and 1,347 square feet of new space for retail. The new two-part development will have nearly 300 parking spaces to be shared among residents, guests of residents, and customers of the businesses that move in. There will also be 103 bike parking spaces, which will probably come in handy for a project right off the LA River Path.

Designed by local firm Zago Architecture, dwellings at both sites will rise three stories. Residents will have access to amenities like a dog park, a playground, and designated exercise space. The Blake Avenue site will also create an attractive, ped-friendly, public access point to the LA River Path, which doesn't currently exist through this location.

There's no defined timeline for the project but ULA says that city records suggest that construction could be completed in 12 months once it's begun.


· Small Lot Houses Planned in Frogtown [Urbanize LA]
· First Look at First Big Mixed-User on the LA River in Frogtown [Curbed LA]
· Frogtown Fancification on a Roll With Second Big Mixed-User [Curbed LA]