The Los Angeles skyline is officially gaining five more Gehries.
City planning voted unanimously Thursday to approve celebrity architect Frank Gehry’s cluster of mixed-use buildings at 8150 Sunset Boulevard, developed by Townscape Partners, Curbed reported.
The project would comprise five structures between three and 15 stories and a total 249 residential units, including about 37 reserved for lower-income tenants. The plan also calls for a public plaza, market, restaurant, bank, retail stores and about 800 parking spaces.
Gehry made an artistic appeal in presenting his project before the commission, suggesting that his project would supplement L.A.’s unremarkable collection of buildings.
“The art of architecture is rarely practiced in our city,” he said.
Despite some opposition from West Hollywood residents, who feared that the project was too dense and would cause traffic congestion, most people were on board.
“Would you say no to a Michaelangelo?” one woman reportedly asked.
Renderings show that the structures are consistent with Gehry’s aesthetic style — curved edges and steel facades.
Townscape, based in L.A., spent nearly $167,000 on lobbying city officials for this project in the first quarter of 2016, The Real Deal previously reported. [Curbed] — Cathaleen Chen