Metro's moving forward on plans to develop the giant parking lot next to the North Hollywood Red Line Station, plus three additional properties across Lankershim and adjacent to the station, says The Source. This month, the agency will begin creating development guidelines for the parcels, which together total 15.6 acres. And although rents often rise near public transit, the projects that are eventually built there would be the first that meet the new Metro goal of having affordable units account for 35 percent of all housing development built in partnership with private developers.
"Early estimates" suggest that the sites could hold between 750 and 1,500 housing units, plus office or commercial space, and zoning for the area would allow a structure up to 12 stories tall, but the guidelines Metro creates with community input would ultimately shape what goes there and how big and tall it is.
The parking lot was identified by a previous Metro study that zeroed in on sites next to rail lines that were the best candidates for new housing. At that time, it was mentioned that Metro would be asking the eventual developer of the lot to create some replacement parking. Now word comes that Metro is planning to ask for an incredible 2,000 replacement parking spots to go on the site, just for Metro Red and Orange Line riders. (Those spaces would be in addition to the parking set aside for future shoppers and residents!) That would "almost double" the number now open to Metro users, which is 957 in that big lot and another 194 being created now to the east of it.
Metro is hosting community events later this month and in October to help with the creation of the development guidelines.
· Metro begins process to develop 15 acres in NoHo [The Source]
· 10 Sites Along Rail Lines Where Metro Wants New Housing [Curbed LA]