WEST HOLLYWOOD—The Palm Project was rejected after West Hollywood’s Historic Preservation Commission’s vote ended in a tie on Monday, July 27.
The plan to construct a senior care facility behind the two historic properties on Palm Avenue was not approved. The Commission’s vote was 3-3, but since a majority of the Commission members completely rejected the project, it was denied a “certificate of appropriateness” for fitting in with the historic structures.
Commission members indicated the proposed four-story building, although meant for a senior care facility, would tower over the heritage buildings minimizing its historic importance.
In 2013, two bungalows on 927 and 931 Palm Ave. were designated as historic landmarks and are protected from being obscured.
Federal historic property guidelines allow new structures to be built adjacent to the historic homes, provided that “when visible and in close proximity to historic buildings, the new construction must be subordinate to these [historic] buildings.”
The Preservation Commission previously held a hearing for the project in July 2017, but rejected it in a 4-1 vote.
The Palm Project has been redesigned to be more compatible in the background of the bungalows, but would still drown the historic buildings.
Of the 14 people speaking during the public comment period, the proposed project was vehemently rejected by all of them calling the proposed structures “out of character” and “ill conceived.”
One of the members, Roy Oldenkamp, called the new building a “giant monolith behind the bungalows.”
The process of decision making on the project is not final yet and next moves to the Planning Commission for consideration, keeping the possibility of the project approval still open.
