“Starting from the Beginning” for Some Metro Owned Sites in Boyle Heights

12:05 PM PST on December 6, 2012

A few of the Metro owned sites in Boyle Heights that will be discussed tonight at a community meeting at the Boyle Heights Senior Center. Photo from Metro

Last month, when Jsm/Polis Builders (JSM) lost the contract to develop a CVS Pharmacy and shopping center on the corner of Soto Street and Cesar Chavez Avenue, the fate of that site and other Metro-owned properties seemed vague. Today, Metro representatives will host a meeting to update the public on the status of four Metro-owned sites and to get feedback from the community. The meeting will be tonight from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Boyle Heights Senior Center (2839 E. 3rd St. Los Angles, CA 90033).

"If you want to have in impact in the process at the beginning, this is the time to do it," said Greg Angelo, Metro's director of real property management and development.

In advance of tonight's meeting, Metro spokesman Jose Ubaldo outlined the status of plans for Metro-owned properties in Boyle Heights for Streetsblog. In short, here are some of the proposed changes:

A.      Southwest Corner of 1st & Boyle: Planned 98 units of affordable housing and 6,800 s.f. of retail. Metro Board approved.
B.      Mariachi Plaza and Southeast Corner of Pennsylvania & Bailey: Staff plans to obtain Metro Board approval of Conceptual Development Guidelines for this site, then issue a development RFP. The Conceptual Development Guidelines are attached to the RFP and provide useful information to developers planning to submit development proposals. Prior to seeking Metro Board approval, staff will be conducting a meeting to update the community regarding this development site, and our sites at 1^st & Soto, 1^st & Lorena, and Chavez & Soto. We will also be seeking input from the community regarding development at these sites. The meeting is scheduled for December 6^th.
C.      1st & Soto: Same status as for the Mariachi Plaza site.
D.     1st & Lorena: Staff is in discussions/negotiations with A Community of Friends, the Board-approved developer for this site, regarding the scope of their development.
E.      Chavez & Soto: Same status as the Mariachi Plaza site.
F.       Chavez & Fickett: Staff is considering development of a proposed grocery store on this site, and hopes to gain Metro Board approval of such a concept in January.