Fairmont Miramar Hotel redevelopment gets green light

Athens Group’s long-planned redevelopment of the Fairmont Miramar Hotel in Santa Monica has gotten the green light.

The Santa Monica City Council approved the project that would bring 312 hotel rooms and 60 condominiums, 18,000 square feet of commercial space and a 428-vehicle garage, according to the Urbanize. The condos could be also rented as hotel rooms.

As part of the approval, Athens Group must fund the development of at least 42 affordable housing units at a neighboring property on 2nd Street, Urbanize reported. Athens Group also must provide $4.2 million for community benefits including senior programs, transportation improvements, and early childhood programs.

The redevelopment was first proposed in 2013, but in 2018 Athens Group did scuttled a 320-foot tower that proved unpopular with locals. The height was reduced to 130 feet — the upper limit on downtown projects that Santa Monica officials had recently adopted.

Pelli Clarke Pelli designed the project, which includes two new buildings and a restoration of the Palisades Building. The larger of the two new properties wraps around the landmarked Moreton Bay Fig Tree and steps down in height toward the beachfront side of the lot on Ocean Avenue.

The 4-2 approval from the City Council puts Athens Group on track to complete the project by 2026. [Urbanize] — Dennis Lynch