Road block? Councilmember Ryu will vote against Frank Gehry-designed WeHo project

Council member David Ryu and a rendering of Frank Gehry’s design for 8150 Sunset Boulevard
Council member David Ryu and a rendering of Frank Gehry’s design for 8150 Sunset Boulevard

Looks like Townscape Partners’ Frank Gehry-designed Sunset Strip project might be in for a roadblock.

Fourth district councilmember David Ryu said he will not vote for the five-structure development at 8150 Sunset Boulevard because his constituents worry the project would worsen traffic.

The Planning Commission approved the project in July without “meaningfully addressing the single most important community concern: height,” he wrote in a letter, Curbed reported.

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The letter addresses Councilmember Jose Huizar, the president of the Planning and Land Use Committee, which is scheduled to vote Wednesday on appeals filed against the Gehry project.

Ryu said he will only vote for the project if a number of demands are met. The height of the tallest building would need to be reduced by at least 20 percent, more units would have to be designated as affordable, the sidewalks on Sunset Boulevard would need to be widened to 15 feet, the number of parking spaces would need to be increased and the committee would have to consider preserving the 1960s-built Chase Bank building  on the site.

The project currently calls for buildings between three and 15 stories, with a total 249 residential units, including about 37 reserved for lower-income tenants. There would also be a public plaza, market, restaurant, bank, retail stores and about 800 parking spaces. [Curbed] Cathaleen Chen