
Santa Monica's skyline is getting a rejig with a proposed 18-story high-rise at 1437 6th Street, developed by Madison Realty Capital and designed by Ottinger Architects, aiming to blend into the urban fabric with a mix of studio, one and two-bedroom apartments, hitting nearly sfeet at its apex, as Urbanize LA detailed in its report.
The development, situated between Santa Monica Boulevard and Broadway, plans to replace a previously smaller NMS Properties project, Madison a former lender, now steering the development with 173 residential units featuring 26 affordable ones, all atop a fifty-five car parking garage spread across two subterranean levels, however, parking incentives have been pushed for reduction, namely reducing long-term bike storage from one space per bedroom to 0.35 spaces, and eliminating the minimum requirement for three-bedroom units entirely, amid other zoning relaxations under the State Density Bonus law, according to the City of Santa Monica.
The building's design, which includes a towering dual-structure featuring contrasting forms, one side showcasing glass with undulating patterns and a solid white tower on the other, has been pitched to contribute to Santa Monica as a notch of creative individuality, yet setting off discussions around its fit in the context of the neighborhood, with concerns over its scale and impact on historic resources on adjoining lots, including the building on 1433 6th Street eligible for landmark designation, Becky Jones, an Associate Planner, highlighted the building's compliance with Santa Monica's special conditions in her report to the Architectural Review Board.
While the proposed development looks to enhance the building's livability with balconies, a roof deck, and open spaces, balancing the high-density allowances, it faces the scrutiny over its potential environmental and historical impact, nonetheless, with a CEQA exemption already in place and the developer having met private cultural art requirements, it's signaled a tangent towards Santa Monica's future blend of modernity and utility, all while asserting that natural light, air, and outdoor spaces would maintain the design's lightness, a plea to mitigate any possible material depreciation in the neighborhood's value or appearance, as per the City of Santa Monica.