The City Council’s Planning and Land Use Committee has unanimously approved the construction of a controversial high-rise near the Beverly Center planned by developer Rick Caruso, but at a reduced height than was originally proposed.
Councilman Paul Koretz, who represents the area near the Beverly Center, announced at the meeting that he had asked Caruso to reduce the size of the building to 185 feet and to contribute $500,000 to an affordable housing trust fund the city will set up.
The committee Wednesday ultimately approved the amended plan after several hours of guest speakers who voiced support and opposition regarding the project, which will now go to the full council for consideration.
Caruso told the committee he was in agreement with Koretz to bring the project down to 185 feet and that he is “happy to provide the $500,000. I have been leading and supporting the efforts on homelessness for 20 years on Skid Row and have donated millions of dollars to support those efforts.”
Koretz had supported the original project, located at 333 S. La Cienega Blvd., but pulled his support in December following vocal opposition by the Beverly Wilshire Homes Association.
The high-rise was approved by the Planning Commission in November at 240 feet and has the support of residents of an adjacent condominium building, the Burton Way Homeowners Association, and the Mid-City West Community Council.
A recent Los Angeles Times investigation found that Caruso and his affiliates have donated a total of $476,000 to all but one of the city’s 17 elected officials and their initiatives over the past five years.
Koretz has received $2,200 in donations from Caruso since 2011, according to The Times.
“This project is the newest poster child for what’s wrong with planning in Los Angeles. It’s pay to play in the purest form,” said Steve Luffman of the Mid-City West Community Council to the committee, who said he was only speaking for himself.
Before the vote, Councilman Mitch Englander said he felt the project had been over-politicized in the media and by some people in the community.
“It’s very easy to over-politicize the process and say, `Somebody made a contribution,’ or somebody did something else. But we actually have a project where somebody actually went out into the community,” Englander said.
–City News Service