Developer Guild GC Plans Apartment Project on Edge of WeHo

Developer Guild GC has filed plans for a midsize apartment complex in the L.A. neighborhood of Beverly Grove, on the edge of central West Hollywood.

The application, which was registered with the Los Angeles City Planning Department on Monday, calls for a seven-story 59-unit project at 951-971 North La Cienega Boulevard, just south of a section of Santa Monica Boulevard that serves as one of WeHo’s main commercial strips.

It’s “a highly urbanized area,” the application notes, with neighbors that include a cannabis store, music club, Mediterranean restaurant and jewelry designer. The neighborhood also ranks as one of Central L.A. County’s most desired residential areas. A 2022 study found that the median rent for a one-bedroom apartment in WeHo was $2,890, second only to Santa Monica among L.A. County cities.

The La Cienega project applicant is Eric Fishburn, co-founder and president of the firm Guild GC. He has built more than 100 residential projects, according to a web description, including multifamily projects, a ski resort and luxury estates. The project team also includes the development planning firm Burns & Bouchard and the land use law firm Rand Paster Nelson.

Records show that entities tied to Fishburn paid $15.7 million in a three-parcel deal for the property in 2020.

The developers’ plan calls for a near 70,000 square foot total footprint, with 8,800 square feet of ground floor commercial space and three underground parking levels. Guild GC is requesting density bonuses and a CEQA exemption, and plans to allocate seven units for affordable housing.