Beverly Hills Approves Rodeo Drive Builder’s Remedy Project

The City of Beverly Hills is greenlighting builder’s remedy projects after a bruising legal defeat from developers like Leo Pustilnikov.

The Beverly Hills Planning Commission approved a 19-story development for 145 Rodeo Drive proposed by Wilshire Rodeo Company, Urbanize Los Angeles reported. The project applicant is tied to Max Netty of Soundview Investment Partners.

The firm plans just 30 units with one-, two- and three-bedroom residences above about 5,400 square feet of ground-floor retail. Six of the units would be set aside as deed-restricted affordable housing. The structure would rise about 237 feet above Rodeo Drive with designs by CARA Architecture.

Beverly Hills’ approval of the project comes after the city faced legal tension from Netty, whose lawyer threatened to sue over the proposed development.

In addition to the Rodeo Drive development, commissioners also signed off on a builder’s remedy project from Wilshire Skyline at 9229 Wilshire Boulevard.

That project involves a 14-story building with 116 studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom units including 24 affordable residences, a 60-key hotel, 7,300 square feet of ground-floor retail and subterranean parking for 140 vehicles.

The Planning Commission also voted to continue discussion of a proposed tower from Crescent Heights at 8844 Burton Way. That builder’s remedy project calls for a 26-story, 200-unit building.

Last month, prolific developer Leo Pustilnikov received approval for a builder’s remedy project at 125-129 South Linden Drive. That victory came after an August court order forced the city to allow Pustilnikov to proceed.

“Beverly Hills is doing it to themselves,” Pustilnikov said at The Real Deal’s Building Back L.A. roundtable in September of the city’s reluctance to greenlight builder’s remedy projects. “They had an opportunity to just have Linden. And they refused to cooperate, and now they have [at least] 12 projects.”

— Chris Malone Méndez