The Los Angeles City Council Friday approved an agreement for public benefits, including digital signage, as part of a mixed-use development that will bring more than 1,500 residential units to North Hollywood.
Council members voted 12-0 in favor of a 15-year development agreement between the city and NoHo Development Associates, as well as a sign district that will allow digital advertising on and in the vicinity of the project. Sign districts are generally approved in “high traffic” areas, and serve to generate revenue for the city.
Council members Kevin de Leon, Marqueece Harris-Dawson and Monica Rodriguez were absent during the vote.
District NoHo is a multi-phased, mixed-use development that would bring online a total of 1,572 housing units, of which 311 will be affordable units. The project will allow 105,125 square feet of retail and restaurant space, and 580,374 square feet of office space — for a total of 2,209,027 square feet of new floor area.
Council members previously approved construction plans for the project in December 2023.
The development agreement details public benefits in exchange for planning entitlements. Developers will ensure affordable units are built, along with an art gallery, an off-site bicycle facility, public art, community events and programming, historical plaques and implement a “first look” leasing policy.
The project also includes plans to create an open space to the public from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week. While plans are still being developed, the space may look like park space, plazas, walkways or bicycle ways.
Officially, the project would be built on Metro’s North Hollywood station as one of Metro’s joint development projects. These joint projects are real estate partnerships between the transit agency and private developers to build on Metro-owned property to create more housing and increase access to transit options.
Metro previously announced a commitment to build 10,000 housing units in Los Angeles County by 2031.
Additionally, Metro will require some transit improvements be completed before construction can begin.
Metro secured improvements to the NoHo station, such as a new entrance to the B (Red) Line subway on the west side of Lankershim Boulevard, and improvements to the G (Orange) Line’s busway terminus. New internal streets and walkways will be added to break up the 15-acre project site.
These specific improvements to the station can happen at any time at Metro’s discretion, using funding through the transit agency and developer’s joint development agreement.
As for the sign district that City Council members approved Friday, digital advertising will be allowed in and around the development at Metro’s NoHo station, G (Orange) busway terminus and the greater NoHo Arts District area, including properties located at 1163-11374 and 11264-11280 W. Chandler Boulevard; 11204-11270 W. Cumpston St.; 5300-5320 N. Bakman Ave.; and 5311-5373 and 5356-5430 N. Lankershim Blvd.