A new affordable housing project has been given the green light in Los Angeles. Uncommon, a Los Angeles-based developer, has secured approval for its proposal to develop a vacant parcel of land at Northbridge into a five-story affordable housing building.
The Los Angeles City Planning Commission gave the approval for the project during its meeting on April 24. Uncommon Halstead, as it is called, will soon rise at 17829 W. Halsted St., just a short walk in the north-east direction away from the Cal State University’s Northridge campus.
Highlights
- Uncommon Developers had received the approval to go ahead with the five-story affordable housing building project on the Northridge campus.
- Uncommon Halstead will add 232 apartments to Los Angeles’s affordable housing inventory.
- The approval has been granted on the condition that the entire project will come under affordable housing.
Uncommon’s Project Proposal
Uncommon’s plan, which has now been approved, is to build a new five-story building at Northbridge. The building will consist of 232 apartments, all of which will come under the affordable housing category. It will also feature an underground parking level which will have space for up to 63 vehicles.
The contemporary design of the development was created by JZA Architecture. The design incorporates storefront system glass with varying colors, exterior featuring plaster in various neutral tones, vinyl windows, and perforated metal screens along the roofline. Landscaping with trees, shrubs, and turf will be included along the project’s boundaries, as well as in the interior courtyard and on the roof deck.
Approval Given on One Condition
Uncommon sought approval for the project with some off-the-menu incentives and waivers. The zoning rules for the area do not allow for larger buildings. The commission, by approving the project, made an exception to the rule on the condition that it would be a 100% Affordable Housing Development.
All units in the building, except for a manager’s unit at market rate, will be a much-needed addition to the city’s affordable housing inventory.
It must be noted that Uncommon’s original proposal for the Halsted St. project consisted of a seven-story building. The plan was for the building to include 255 studio, one-, and two-bedroom apartments along with a 125-vehicle podium-parking. However, the project was reduced to the current state as part of the approval process.
About Uncommon
Uncommon has its headquarters in Los Angeles, CA. It focuses on crafting innovative environments that create synergy between people and spaces, optimizing resources and investment, as per the official website.
The company has several other affordable housing projects in the pipeline, including those at Beverly Grove, Hollywood, Inglewood, and North Hills. The mixed-use headquarters campus of MGA Entertainment in Chatsworth is one of the company’s most prominent projects.
