Owners of The Mayer Building (formerly known as The Hollywood Western Building) ABS Properties, Inc., have officially begun work on converting the 1920s structure on the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Western Avenue into affordable housing. The 48,000-square-foot upper floors of the four-story landmark will become 79 deed-restricted apartments, making it an accessible residential space. The remaining lower-level space will be reserved for retail. If building permits are signed off in due time, the construction could begin later this month, according to Urbanize.
These plans seem like a timely response to the current surplus of office space in the city and the low supply of apartments. The group has also announced plans to convert a neighboring building into a seven-story building with 95 units. It will be divided up similarly, with residential apartments in the upper levels and retail space below.
The Mayer Building, or The Hollywood Western Building, gained its name from one of Metro-Goldwyn Mayer co-founders Louis Mayer and was designed by acclaimed architect S. Charles Lee. Lee also designed the Downtown Tower Theatre, which has undergone significant restoration and has been transformed into a flagship Apple Store.
The property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2015 and is also a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Landmark. ABS’ Samir Srivastava said the preservation group Hollywood Heritage will oversee the preservation of the building, including the stunning stone and granite exterior with ornate carvings of Greco-Roman deities.
It will be great to see a stunning city building return to its former glory while solving addressing the housing crisis.