Another midcentury triplex is coming down on the Westside, and this time it is making way for an all-affordable mid-rise. Crews have taken over the narrow lot at 1734 S. Barrington Avenue in Sawtelle, where a six-story apartment building is going up in place of a 1950s three-unit building. The Passo-led project is slated to bring 37 studio and one-bedroom homes reserved for very low-, low-, and moderate-income renters, plus a single market-rate manager’s unit. It is one of several ED1-era affordable developments the company is pushing across the Westside.
Permits Clear The Way
The Barrington site got the bureaucratic green light when the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety signed off on construction permits, as first reported by Urbanize LA. The filings spell out a six-story design and note that the project qualified for ED1 ministerial review, which in turn opened the door to density-bonus incentives. Those incentives let the developer build taller and bigger than the lot’s base zoning would usually allow.
Design, Units And No Parking
Aero Collective is listed as the architect of record, with plans calling for a mix of studios and one-bedroom apartments and no on-site parking, according to LA YIMBY. Almost all of the homes will be income-restricted, while one manager’s unit will lease at market rate, a setup that has become standard for ED1 projects. Passo has not yet made detailed floor plans public, and there is still no official construction timeline for full buildout.
Early Work In The Ground
Public permit records show that early-start foundation and grading permits were issued for 1734 S. Barrington Avenue last year, suggesting that site prep and foundation work are already underway, according to listings compiled by BuildZoom. Those early permits typically let contractors pour foundations and start podium work while final plan checks are still being wrapped up. Inspectors from the city will ultimately decide when the project can move from work in the dirt to walls going up.
Piece Of A Larger Westside Buildout
Passo has framed the Barrington building as one of several ED1-driven developments the firm is advancing in Sawtelle and nearby Del Rey, and the company announced that it broke ground on multiple Westside sites at the same time, according to a company release cited by Business Wire. Taken together, those projects are pitched as delivering hundreds of income-restricted homes in what the city labels high-opportunity neighborhoods. Prospective tenants can look up income limits and waitlist details through the city’s housing portal at LA Housing.
What Neighbors Will See Next
For anyone keeping tabs, updated permit statuses and inspection logs from the Department of Building and Safety will show when the job moves from foundation work to framing. In the meantime, neighbors should expect more excavation and concrete activity as crews build out the podium and slab. We will keep an eye on new filings and visible progress on-site, and report back as the project hits major construction milestones.
