The applicant proposes to construct a 137-unit residential building, associated parking for resident and visitor use, and replacement parking for the adjacent St. Vincent de Paul Roman Catholic Church (St. Vincent’s Church). The Project is designed to provide housing for students attending the University of Southern California (USC), Mount St. Mary’s College Doheny Campus and other local educational institutions. Faculty and staff of these educational institutions may also live in the Project. However, up to ten percent of the units could also be made available to non-student, faculty, and staff residents. The Project Site currently contains a paved parking lot and small garden for use by St. Vincent’s Church. The proposal includes replacing existing uses with a multi-story structure with five levels atop two levels of subterranean parking. The upper four levels of the structure would contain residences, while the lower (ground) level would be reserved for parking for the Church, and a lobby and lounge for the residential uses. The residential component of the building would total approximately 142,653 square feet. The project proposes a total of 137 units on the second through fifth levels of the building, including 43 one-bedroom units, 91 two-bedroom units, and 3 three-bedroom units. The project would incorporate trees and other landscaping intended to ensure compatibility with the adjacent land uses.

The residential component of the Project would be arranged around four open air courtyards, which would serve as common areas for building residents. A total of approximately 26,781 square feet of common space and amenities is proposed, including common open space areas and courtyards, a lobby/leasing office, lounge and recreation areas, study rooms, roof decks and private open space.

The building would be modified Mediterranean Revival in architectural style and would be five stories tall, or 60 feet above adjacent grade to the roofline. The Project would incorporate a 35-foot front-yard setback from the eastern property boundary on Figueroa Street, a 17-foot rear-yard setback from the western property boundary, a 10-foot side-yard setback from the northern property boundary, and a 28-foot side-yard/fire department access lane along the southern property line. Front, rear, and south side-yard setbacks meet or exceed Municipal Code requirements.

A total of 395 parking spaces would be provided for Project residents and church parishioners on three levels, including two subterranean levels and one at-grade level. Of this total, 270 spaces would be reserved for residents of the building in the subterranean levels. The remaining 125 spaces would occupy the at-grade parking level and would be reserved for use by parishioners of St. Vincent's Church during functions and liturgical services, replacing the existing 123 surface parking spaces. Additionally, one bicycle parking spot per resident would be provided in a dedicated room within the parking structure. Access to the Project Site would continue to be via two full service-driveways on Figueroa Street. The driveway for the subterranean residential parking would be gated and located near the northern side of the building boundary. Church parishioners would access the Project Site via a separate driveway off Figueroa Street near the southern property boundary. An approximately 28-foot side-yard/fire department access lane would be provided along the southern edge of the Project, with the church parking driveway located adjacent to the north side of the access lane. An existing easement, currently ten feet wide, is proposed to be widened to approximately 24.5-foot-wide and paved to provide secondary emergency access road to the rear of the Project Site from Adams Boulevard. Pedestrian access between the Church parking/fire access lane and adjacent St. Vincent's Church property would be provided as part of the Project from any of five entry/exit points along the fire access lane along the southern edge of the Project Site.

The Project Applicant is requesting the following discretionary approvals from the City of Los Angeles as part of the proposed Project: Conditional Use Permit pursuant to Los Angeles Municipal Code (LAMC) 12.24.W.37 to continue to allow public parking in an R Zone for the Church replacement at-grade parking component of the Project, Site Plan Review Findings pursuant to LAMC 16.05.D.2 for residential uses with more than 50 units, haul route approval, and other approvals as necessary.

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS POTENTIALLY AFFECTED:

Significant and unavoidable impacts have been identified in the following areas: (1) Aesthetics – Construction: Short-term impacts would occur during the construction phase because of the Project Site’s proximity to valued visual resources such as St. Vincent’s Church and the Stimson House. (2) esthetics – Shading: The proposed Project would shade adjacent sensitive uses for more than 3 hours during the Winter Solstice. (3) Noise – Construction: Construction-related noise impacts from construction equipment would affect the adjacent sensitive land uses. With implementation of proposed mitigation measures, no significant and unavoidable impacts in the other issue areas addressed in the EIR are expected with regard to construction or operation of the Project. No significant and unavoidable cumulative impacts were identified. Other issues addressed in the EIR include aesthetics and visual resources, air quality, global climate change, biological resources, cultural resources (archaeological resources, paleontological resources and historic resources), geology, hazards, surface water hydrology and water quality, land use, noise, population and housing, public services (police and fire), transportation, and public utilities (water supply, wastewater, solid waste and energy).

DOCUMENT REVIEW AND COMMENT: If you wish to review a copy of the Final EIR or the documents referenced in the Final EIR, you may do so at the City of Los Angeles, Department of City Planning at 200 North Spring Street, Room 750, Los Angeles, California 90012. Copies of the Draft and Final EIRs are also available at the following library locations:

1. Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Regional Library - 3665 S. Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90007

2. Los Angeles Central Library - 630 W. 5th Street, Los Angeles, California 90071

3. Junipero Serra Branch Library - 4607 S. Main Street, Los Angeles, California 90037

4. Jefferson Branch Library - 2211 W. Jefferson Blvd., Los Angeles, California 90018

The Final EIR can be purchased on CD-rom for $7.50 per copy. Contact Hadar Plafkin of the City of Los Angeles at (213) 978-1357 to purchase one.

Hadar Plafkin, City Planner

Environmental Review Section

Department of City Planning

200 N. Spring Street, Room 750

Los Angeles, California 90012

(213) 978-1343 (fax)

Hadar.Plafkin@lacity.org (e-mail)

If a public hearing is required for the proposed project, a separate notice will be mailed at a later date for such purpose.

Please select from the menu below to view each section of the Final EIR in PDF format.

For Final EIR Sections:


	Figueroa and Adams Student Housing Project Final Environmental Impact Report EIR Case File No. ENV-2007-4288-EIR SCH No: 2008011006 Prepared for: City of Los Angeles Department of City Planning Environmental Review Section 200 N. Spring Street, Room 750 Los Angeles, California 90012 Prepared by: Impact Sciences 234 East Colorado Boulevard, Suite 205 Pasadena, California 91101 EAF NO.: ENV-2007-4288-EIR PROJECT NAME: Figueroa and Adams Student Housing Project PROJECT LOCATION/ADDRESS: 2455 S. Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, 90007 COMMUNITY PLANNING AREA: South Los Angeles Community Plan Area COUNCIL DISTRICT: CD 8 DUE DATE FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS: October 26, 2009 PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The Project Applicant, Capital Oak Venture, LLC, proposes the development of a residential project on a 1.67-acre site located at 2455 South Figueroa Street, north of West Adams Boulevard in the South Los Angeles Community Plan Area (the “Project Site”). The applicant proposes to construct a 137-unit residential building, associated parking for resident and visitor use, and replacement parking for the adjacent St. Vincent de Paul Roman Catholic Church (St. Vincent’s Church). The Project is designed to provide housing for students attending the University of Southern California (USC), Mount St. Mary’s College Doheny Campus and other local educational institutions. Faculty and staff of these educational institutions may also live in the Project. However, up to ten percent of the units could also be made available to non-student, faculty, and staff residents. The Project Site currently contains a paved parking lot and small garden for use by St. Vincent’s Church. The proposal includes replacing existing uses with a multi-story structure with five levels atop two levels of subterranean parking. The upper four levels of the structure would contain residences, while the lower (ground) level would be reserved for parking for the Church, and a lobby and lounge for the residential uses. The residential component of the building would total approximately 142,653 square feet. The project proposes a total of 137 units on the second through fifth levels of the building, including 43 one-bedroom units, 91 two-bedroom units, and 3 three-bedroom units. The project would incorporate trees and other landscaping intended to ensure compatibility with the adjacent land uses. The residential component of the Project would be arranged around four open air courtyards, which would serve as common areas for building residents. A total of approximately 26,781 square feet of common space and amenities is proposed, including common open space areas and courtyards, a lobby/leasing office, lounge and recreation areas, study rooms, roof decks and private open space. The building would be modified Mediterranean Revival in architectural style and would be five stories tall, or 60 feet above adjacent grade to the roofline. The Project would incorporate a 35-foot front-yard setback from the eastern property boundary on Figueroa Street, a 17-foot rear-yard setback from the western property boundary, a 10-foot side-yard setback from the northern property boundary, and a 28-foot side-yard/fire department access lane along the southern property line. Front, rear, and south side-yard setbacks meet or exceed Municipal Code requirements. A total of 395 parking spaces would be provided for Project residents and church parishioners on three levels, including two subterranean levels and one at-grade level. Of this total, 270 spaces would be reserved for residents of the building in the subterranean levels. The remaining 125 spaces would occupy the at-grade parking level and would be reserved for use by parishioners of St. Vincent's Church during functions and liturgical services, replacing the existing 123 surface parking spaces. Additionally, one bicycle parking spot per resident would be provided in a dedicated room within the parking structure. Access to the Project Site would continue to be via two full service-driveways on Figueroa Street. The driveway for the subterranean residential parking would be gated and located near the northern side of the building boundary. Church parishioners would access the Project Site via a separate driveway off Figueroa Street near the southern property boundary. An approximately 28-foot side-yard/fire department access lane would be provided along the southern edge of the Project, with the church parking driveway located adjacent to the north side of the access lane. An existing easement, currently ten feet wide, is proposed to be widened to approximately 24.5-foot-wide and paved to provide secondary emergency access road to the rear of the Project Site from Adams Boulevard. Pedestrian access between the Church parking/fire access lane and adjacent St. Vincent's Church property would be provided as part of the Project from any of five entry/exit points along the fire access lane along the southern edge of the Project Site. The Project Applicant is requesting the following discretionary approvals from the City of Los Angeles as part of the proposed Project: Conditional Use Permit pursuant to Los Angeles Municipal Code (LAMC) 12.24.W.37 to continue to allow public parking in an R Zone for the Church replacement at-grade parking component of the Project, Site Plan Review Findings pursuant to LAMC 16.05.D.2 for residential uses with more than 50 units, haul route approval, and other approvals as necessary. ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS POTENTIALLY AFFECTED: Significant and unavoidable impacts have been identified in the following areas: (1) Aesthetics – Construction: Short-term impacts would occur during the construction phase because of the Project Site’s proximity to valued visual resources such as St. Vincent’s Church and the Stimson House. (2) esthetics – Shading: The proposed Project would shade adjacent sensitive uses for more than 3 hours during the Winter Solstice. (3) Noise – Construction: Construction-related noise impacts from construction equipment would affect the adjacent sensitive land uses. With implementation of proposed mitigation measures, no significant and unavoidable impacts in the other issue areas addressed in the EIR are expected with regard to construction or operation of the Project. No significant and unavoidable cumulative impacts were identified. Other issues addressed in the EIR include aesthetics and visual resources, air quality, global climate change, biological resources, cultural resources (archaeological resources, paleontological resources and historic resources), geology, hazards, surface water hydrology and water quality, land use, noise, population and housing, public services (police and fire), transportation, and public utilities (water supply, wastewater, solid waste and energy). DOCUMENT REVIEW AND COMMENT: If you wish to review a copy of the Final EIR or the documents referenced in the Final EIR, you may do so at the City of Los Angeles, Department of City Planning at 200 North Spring Street, Room 750, Los Angeles, California 90012. Copies of the Draft and Final EIRs are also available at the following library locations: 1. Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Regional Library - 3665 S. Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90007 2. Los Angeles Central Library - 630 W. 5th Street, Los Angeles, California 90071 3. Junipero Serra Branch Library - 4607 S. Main Street, Los Angeles, California 90037 4. Jefferson Branch Library - 2211 W. Jefferson Blvd., Los Angeles, California 90018 The Final EIR can be purchased on CD-rom for $7.50 per copy. Contact Hadar Plafkin of the City of Los Angeles at (213) 978-1357 to purchase one. Hadar Plafkin, City Planner Environmental Review Section Department of City Planning 200 N. Spring Street, Room 750 Los Angeles, California 90012 (213) 978-1343 (fax) Hadar.Plafkin@lacity.org (e-mail) If a public hearing is required for the proposed project, a separate notice will be mailed at a later date for such purpose. Please select from the menu below to view each section of the Final EIR in PDF format. For Final EIR Sections:
	Impact Sciences 234 East Colorado Boulevard, Suite 205 Pasadena, California 91101