An auto repair shop in Arlington Heights could soon trade oil changes for leases. A developer has filed plans to replace the garage at 3521 W. Washington Boulevard with Washington Gardens, a seven-story affordable housing complex with roughly 146 one-bedroom apartments, plus a small commercial space on the ground floor. The units would be set aside for moderate- and low-income households. City records show the planning application was submitted on Thursday.
Project details
The planning case, listed as EAR-2026-2040-AH-HCA, describes a seven-story mixed-use building with 146 residential units over ground-floor commercial space and identifies 3521 MSB Capital LLC as the applicant, according to the Los Angeles Department of City Planning. The case file shows the application is currently marked "On Hold," and that planner Mayela Villa has been assigned to the review.
Design and program
KFA Architecture is listed as the project designer, and application materials name the development Washington Gardens, as reported by Urbanize LA. Renderings submitted with the filing show a Mid-Century Modern inspired massing. The paperwork calls for about 862 square feet of commercial space at street level, notes that the apartments would be primarily one-bedroom units, and confirms the building would replace the existing auto-repair shop on the site.
Where it fits
The property sits in City Council District 10 and within the United Neighborhoods of the Historic Arlington Heights area, according to city planning records. It fronts a stretch of Washington Boulevard that has already attracted multiple housing developments in recent years. The planning database lists the primary address as 3521 W WASHINGTON BLVD and reflects the same case number and status that appear on the department's site.
What's next
The proposal now heads into the standard planning review process, which could include public hearings and requests for additional entitlements before any construction equipment shows up. Nearby, an affordable housing project at 3300 Washington Boulevard recently topped out and a mixed-income development is under construction a few blocks to the west, as reported by Urbanize LA, underscoring a steady wave of infill housing along this corridor. If Washington Gardens secures approval, it would join that pipeline and take the place of the auto-service business that currently operates on the site.
