Maxxam gets OK for “Puppydog” apartments in LA’s Arts District

A local developer may soon break ground on a 185-unit apartment complex in the Los Angeles Arts District with a sculpture-like building called the “puppydog.”

Maxxam Enterprises, based in Beverly Hills, won City Council approval to build the eight-story complex at 676 South Mateo Street, Urbanize Los Angeles reported. It would replace a 1970s-era warehouse west of the Los Angeles River.

Plans call for redeveloping the industrial building between Mateo and Imperial Streets with 185 live/work apartments, of which 21 would be set aside as affordable for very low-income households.

The 197,000-square-foot complex would include 23,000 square feet of ground-floor shops and restaurants and art production studios. A three-level underground garage would serve 221 cars.

Alternate plans call for 159 apartments and 46,000 square feet of retail and art production space, within the same project envelope.

The project, designed by HansonLA, has a sculptural free standing building called the “puppydog,” according to the Marina Del Rey-based architect. The white, hourglass-shaped building with Hobbit-like windows floats above the main first floor.

The two other sections of the building will be clad in brown or charcoal-colored brick, and feature rectangular windows.Pedestrian paseos would flank the north and south ends of the building, providing access to an interior courtyard.

The building will have a rooftop pool deck, fitness room and art production space.

The 676 Mateo development is one of two live/work projects planned by Maxxam in the Arts District, both in the pipeline since 2016. The firm’s second project, also designed by HansonLA, would be a 218-unit complex at 1100 East Fifth Street.

— Dana Bartholomew

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