Santa Monica : Planners OK Hotel Complex
The Planning Commission has approved plans for a seven-story, 255-room hotel and retail office complex at the site now occupied by the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District’s administrative headquarters at 1723 4th St.
The proposed hotel is a joint venture of the district and Westlake developers Midis Properties Ltd. and City Developers Inc. The developers, in exchange for a long-term lease arrangement, have agreed to pay the district nearly $1 million a year in rent on three surplus school properties.
The developers also have agreed to build a new $2-million school headquarters as part of an office complex at 1651 16th St. Another office complex is being constructed at the site of the former school maintenance yard at 900 Colorado Ave.
Commissioners Mehrdad Farivar, Edward Kirshner, Derek Shearer and Margo Heybald-Heymann voted in favor of the hotel project. Commissioner Eileen Hecht voted against it and Commission Chairwoman Penny Perlman abstained. Commissioner Larry Israel was absent.
After Monday’s vote, City Councilman Herb Katz, who opposes the development, said he would appeal the commission’s decision to the City Council. Katz is the council’s liaison on the commission.
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