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Council Meeting September 23, 1997
9A
SEP 2 3 1997
Santa Monica, California
To
Mayor and City CouncIl
From
City Staff
Subject
Recommendation to Negotiate With the County of Los Angeles for AcquIsition by
the City for the Northern Half of the County-Owned Site at 1525 Euclid Street for
Open Space Use
INTRODUCTION
This report transmits information concerning the recommended acquIsition by the City of the
northern half of the County of Los Angeles owned property at 1525 Euclid Avenue City staff
recommends that City CounCil authorize staff to negotiate a purchase agreement wIth the County.
including a contingency allowing for the reqUIred environmental review. and to meet rn closed
sessIOn to discuss the terms of the acquIsition and uses of the site
BACKGROUND
The County-owned site consists of approximately 30,000 square feet of land that Includes a
parking lot on northern two lots and an eXisting 12,500 square foot bUilding on the adJomlng
southern two lots Part of the property IS zoned BCD and part of the property IS zoned R3 Lot
sizes are 50' X 150' There IS a 12.500 square foot one and two story structure bUilt on two of the
four lots Parking totaling 15,000 square feet for the County offices was prOVided on the two
adjacent lots The bUilding was the location of LA County's Santa MOnica West Mental Health
Services which recently relocated to West Los Angeles
The bUilding, bUilt In 1928 In the Spanish Colonial ReVIval Style. IS currently listed In the City's
Histonc Resources Inventory as appeanng to meet the crltena for IndIVidual listing In the National
Register of Hlstonc Places It IS also a potential local landmark as one of the oldest govern-
mental bUlldmgs In Santa MOnica
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SEP 2 3 1997
In August of 1996. the City was made aware of the County's Intent to vacate the subject property
and to sell It as surplus Shortly thereafter. the County entered Into negotiations with two non-
profit housing providers, Community Corporation of Santa Monica and United Cerebral Palsy,
for the acquIsition of the site
In June of 1997, Community Corporation of Santa Monica. after exploring the feasibIlity of a
family housmg project on the site. abandoned their effort to develop a project on this site
Concurrently, staff began explormg the feasibility of a mixed use open space/housing project
United Cerebral Palsy IS mterested In uSing the eXisting bUilding as the site for their proposed 13
unit special needs housmg project and IS supportive of a mixed used concept including
neighborhood-serving open space and community access to meeting rooms located In the current
bUilding
DISCUSSION
City staff, after analyzmg the Site, Its location and the histone Significance of the bUlldmg, and
meeting with the surroundmg neighborhood groups. has determined that a small neighborhood
park IS feaSible on the two County owned lots currently used as parkmg and that, with appropriate
renovation, the histone bUilding could be adapted for special needs housing and general
commumty meeting space Proceeding with the recommended open space and housing uses
on the site would address program elements stated In the City'S Open Space Element, Parks and
Recreation Master Plan, and HOUSing Element
Public Purpose
Further. staff believes that there would be a synergy of the recommended uses (open space,
community meeting space, and speCial needs hOUSing) that present a unique opportUnity to
benefit the Immediate neighborhood and a priority population. disabled adults. mentioned m the
City'S Consolidated Plan The recommended park use would proVide open space In a neighbor-
hood defiCient In parks as Indicated In the Draft Open Space Element The housmg developer
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and City staff belIeve that the Integration of disabled adults. a community meeting space, and
open space on a contiguous site would benefit both populations and will provide an excellent
opportunIty for "communIty bUilding" within the neighborhood
In order to preserve community access to one of the City'S hlstonc public bUildings, community
meeting space Will be prOVided In the bUilding at 1525 Euclid The communrty meeting space IS
anticipated to be approximately 1,000 square feet The remainder of the bUIldmg Will house 13
unIts of affordable housing for persons with disabilities The community space Will be located In
the front of the bUilding on Euclid and Will allow public access to the interior courtyard Public
entries to the communIty space Will be from both Euclid Street and from the planned park to the
North Use of the community space Will Include small meetmgs and events held by communrty
organrzatlons and neighbors ActiVities may Include events such as SOCial events. birthday
partIes or more formal meetings by neighborhood groups or other groups
Staff Will also work With United Cerebral Palsy to ensure that the surrounding neighbors Will be
Included In the design and development review Issues relating to the housing project, the open
space use, and the communrty meeting space Within the bUilding
FINANCIAUBUDGETARY IMPACTS
Financing for acquIsition of the open space and community room portion of the site would be
supported from park acqUisitIOn set-a-slde funds, which were approved by the Council In the FY
1997-98 City Budget to support parkland acquIsitions $35 million was appropriated In account
01-710-202-20098-8900-99990 In addition, funds are available from the City'S settlement With
National Medical Enterprises In account 01-000-000-000-9870-04799 These funds are to
support park acquIsItion and development In both the PICO and Mid-City Neighborhoods PICO
Neighborhood Association supports the use of up to $396,455 (50% of available funds) for thIS
project, which IS located In the PICO Neighborhood
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RECOMM ENDA TION
Staff recommends that the City Council authorize staff to negotiate wIth the County of Los
Angeles for acquIsition by the City of the northern half of the County-owned site at 1525 Euclid
Street for open space use
Prepared by
Jeff Mathieu. Director, Resource Management Department
Barbara Stinchfield, Acting Director, Community and Cultural Services
Bob Moncrref, Housing Manager
Johanna Gullick, Housmg Coordinator
Mike Strader. Senior Housing Analyst
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