III. ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING
A. OVERVIEW OF ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING
i) Regional Setting
The Reef Project Site is located in Los Angeles County, within greater downtown Los Angeles (see Section II [Project Description], Figure II-1 [Regional and Project Vicinity Map]). The Project Site is located in the Southeast Los Angeles Community Plan Area of the City of Los Angeles. The Project Site is located within the Council District 9 Redevelopment Project area, the Central City Parking area, the Downtown Housing Incentive area, the Central City Revitalization Zone, the Los Angeles State Enterprise Zone, and the Conditional use Approval for Sale of Alcoholic Beverages Specific Plan area.
The northern section of the Southeast Los Angeles Community Plan Area was within the original Los Angeles city boundary (incorporated in 1850). The remainder of the Community Plan Area was consolidated or annexed into the City of Los Angeles between 1859 and 1944. The Community Plan Area includes the neighborhoods of Historic South Central, West Adams, University Park, South Park, Central Alameda, Florence, Green Meadows, Broadway‐Manchester, and Watts.
The Southeast Los Angeles Community Plan area is surrounded by the City of Los Angeles community plan areas of Central City to the north; Central City North to the northeast; and South Los Angeles to the west. The Cities of Vernon and Huntington Park and the Florence community in unincorporated Los Angeles County border the Southeast Los Angeles Community Plan area on the east. The Willowbrook community in unincorporated Los Angeles County borders the Southeast Los Angeles Community Plan area on the south.
Southeast Los Angeles largely comprises single‐family neighborhoods, which followed a typical development pattern with commercial corridors along larger streets and single‐family residential development along smaller, gridded streets in between. Multi‐family duplex and fourplex property types are scattered throughout these early developments. Commercial development along major thoroughfares typically includes historic theaters, restaurants, one‐to‐three story mixed use commercial and residential buildings, gas stations, and banks. Residential lots were generally long and narrow and were laid out along a regular grid pattern of streets. Commercial development was laid out to accommodate the streetcar and, later, the automobile. Even though the Community Plan Area was largely built out by the 1930s, some redevelopment and infill resulted in construction of buildings in the post- World War II era, largely including commercial and industrial buildings and public housing complexes. There is a significant amount of industrial development in the Community Plan Area, and there are large portions zoned for industrial use.
The Project Site is situated near numerous freeways that provide regional access. The Project Site is located approximately 0.6 miles from the intersection of the Harbor Freeway (I-110) and the Santa Monica Freeway (I-10). Other freeways providing regional access into the area containing the Project Site include the Pasadena Freeway (SR-110), approximately 2.5 miles to the north; the Pomona Freeway (SR-60), approximately 2.75 miles to the east; and the Hollywood Freeway (US-101), approximately 2.2 miles to the northeast.
Additional regional access to the Project Site is provided by the Metro Rail Blue Line and Expo Line, running along portions of Washington Boulevard and Flower Street, respectively. The closest Blue Line station to
The Reef Project III. Environmental Setting Page III-1 City of Los Angeles September 2015
the Project Site is the Grand station, located one block west of the Project Site. The closest Expo Line station to the Project Site is the 23rd Street station, located approximately one-third mile southwest of the Project Site. These rail lines provide further access to the rail transit and commuter rail systems serving the region.
ii) Local Setting and Surrounding Land Uses
The Project Site consists of two full city blocks comprising approximately 9.7 acres bounded by Washington Boulevard on the north, Hill Street to the west, 21st Street to the south, and Main Street to the east, in downtown Los Angeles (see Figure II-1, Regional Vicinity and Project Location). Broadway bisects the Project Site into the East Block and the West Block (see Figure II-2, Aerial View of Project Site). The Project Site is occupied by the existing 861,162 square foot, 12-story plus basement Reef building (formerly known as the L.A. Mart, hereinafter referred to as The Reef), surface parking lots with approximately 1,100 parking spaces, and an approximately 11,150 square foot warehouse building. Views of the Project Site and existing uses are shown in Figures II-3 and II-4 in Section II, Project Description, of this EIR. Vehicular access to the area of the Project Site is provided from Washington Boulevard, Hill Street, Main Street and Broadway, with entrances to the Site provided from Broadway. Public transit service is provided adjacent to the Project Site, including multiple Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) bus routes, as well as the rail transit lines described above.
The physical setting of the Project area consists of a flat portion of the Los Angeles basin, where development in the area has occurred continuously over the last century. Thus, the Project area consists of buildings of varying age and architectural style, and there is a lack of uniformity in design among nearby development, ranging from more contemporary structures to buildings that were constructed from the 1920’s. Over time, development in the area of the Project Site has resulted in buildings ranging in height from one to 14 stories.
More specifically, on the northwest corner of Washington Boulevard and Hill Street, is a one-story McDonald’s restaurant with associated surface parking. To the north of the West Block of the Project Site, on the northeast corner of Washington Boulevard and Hill Street, is a 14-story art deco designed office building built in 1927, which currently contains creative office uses, with a Subway restaurant and Chinese fast food located on the ground floor, and an attached one-story urban strip mall with assorted retail uses.1 Additionally, to the north of the East Block of the Project, on the northeast corner of Washington Boulevard and Broadway, is a two-story Ashley Home Furniture store. Directly adjacent is a four-story art deco designed building, the Da Capo, with three stories of residential uses (the Rutland Apartments), and ground floor commercial uses, which was built in 1912.2 On the northeast corner of Washington Boulevard and Main Street, is a two-story contemporary style commercial structure, which houses a 24- hour medical clinic.
The area east of the Project Site contains low-rise industrial and commercial buildings. On the southeast corner of Washington Boulevard and Main Street, is a one- to two-story, suburban-style commercial complex with associated surface parking. Approximately one-half of this building is occupied by the L.A. Sports Museum (the “Sports Museum”), and the remainder is vacant. The Sports Museum houses a private collection of sports memorabilia that, at present, is not generally open to the public. To the east
1 SkyscraperPage.com, Los Angeles, website: http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=42750, accessed October 7, 2014. 2 SOLA Village Historic Resources Technical Report, prepared by Historic Resources Group, dated July 15, 2014, provided as Appendix IV.E-1.
The Reef Project III. Environmental Setting Page III-2 City of Los Angeles September 2015
of the East Block, across Main Street, is a three-story art deco designed building with ground floor commercial uses, and an adjacent two-story silk screening commercial use with associated surface parking. Additionally, the Santee Education Complex and Frida Kahlo Continuation High School are located one block east of the Project Site, east of Los Angeles Street and south of Washington Boulevard.
The area to the south of the Project Site contains a mix of older commercial and industrial buildings, with a few mixed-use buildings interspersed, and surface parking lots. A two-story contemporary utilitarian building, housing ABC Sewing Machine Company, is located on the southeast corner of Main Street and 21st Street. A three-story apartment building (the Southland Apartments) is located to the south of this building on the east side of Main Street. On the southwest corner of Main Street and 21st Street, is a partially vacant two-story warehouse use. Directly adjacent, is an additional warehouse use housing a janitorial business. South of the West Block, across East 21st Street, and on the southeast corner of 21st and Hill Streets, are low rise commercial/industrial buildings, including Shinhwa, a manufacturer of custom jewelry. Minimal amounts of associated surface parking are associated with these uses.
To the west of the West Block, across Hill Street, is the eight-story Los Angeles County Superior Courthouse (the “Courthouse”). A privately owned parking lot serving the courthouse is located on the southwest corner of Hill and 21st Streets. The Los Angeles Trade Technical College (the “LATTC”) campus is located one block further west, and it extends from Olive Street to Flower Street, south of Washington Boulevard. Views of the surrounding uses to the west are shown in Figure IV.B-4 (Views of Surrounding Land Uses, Views 8 and 9).
Beyond the immediate area of the Project Site, to the north, is a mixed commercial and residential area that is part of greater downtown Los Angeles. Many new developments have either recently been built, are currently under construction, or are proposed in this area, as well as in the remainder of downtown Los Angeles. The L.A. Live entertainment complex, Staples Center, and the Los Angeles Convention Center are located approximately one mile northwest of the Project Site. The South Park residential community of downtown Los Angeles is located approximately one-half mile north and northwest of the Project Site. The University of Southern California (USC) is located approximately two miles southwest of the Property. Mount St. Mary’s University is located approximately one-half mile west of the Project Site. The downtown Financial District is located approximately two miles north of the Project Site.
Views of the surrounding development are shown in Figures III-1 through III-3.
B. RELATED PROJECTS
Sections 15126 and 15130 of the State CEQA Guidelines provide that EIRs consider the significant environmental effects of a project as well as “cumulative impacts.” Cumulative impacts refer to two or more individual effects which, when considered together, are considerable or which compound or increase other environmental impacts (CEQA Guidelines Section 15355). Cumulative impacts may be analyzed by considering a list of past, present, and probable future projects producing related or cumulative impacts (CEQA Guidelines Section 15130 [b][1][A]).
A list of proposed development projects (the “related projects”) that could affect traffic conditions in the Project Area by adding traffic volumes to study area intersections was prepared based on information obtained from the City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation, the Department of City Planning, various other studies, reports, and websites, and field observations. A total of 82 potential related projects were identified for inclusion in this study based on these standards identified above. The locations of the related projects are shown in Figure III-4. These related projects are listed in Table III-1, which identifies the name and location of each project, along with the types of land uses. It should be
The Reef Project III. Environmental Setting Page III-3 City of Los Angeles September 2015
noted that some of the related projects may never be built, or may be approved and built at reduced densities. To provide a conservative (worst case) forecast, all related projects are included in the analyses of cumulative impacts provided under each individual environmental impact category in Section IV (Environmental Impact Analysis) of this EIR.
The Reef Project III. Environmental Setting Page III-4 View 1: LA Superior Courthouse to west of Project View 2: Fast food restaurant to north of Project Site. Site.
2 W Washington Blvd
1 3
S Hill St
S Broadway
View 3: Rutland Apartments to north of Project Site. 21st St
S Main St 22nd St
W 7th Street PROJECT SITE PHOTO LOCATION MAP Source: EcoTierra Consulting, October 2014.
Figure III-1 Surrounding Land Uses Views 1, 2, and 3 View 4: Mixed Use Development on Main Street to View 5: LA Sports Museum to east of Project Site. north of Project Site.
W Washington Blvd
4 6
5
S Hill St
S Broadway
View 6: Development along Washington Boulevard to northeast of Project Site. 21st St
S Main St 22nd St
W 7th Street PROJECT SITE PHOTO LOCATION MAP Source: EcoTierra Consulting, October 2014.
Figure III-2 Surrounding Land Uses Views 4, 5, and 6 View 7: Santee Education Complex to east of View 8: Light industrial development to southeast of Project Site. Project Site.
W Washington Blvd
S Hill St
9
S Broadway
8 S Main St 21st St 22nd St 7
View 9: Light industrial development to south of Project Site.
Los Angeles St
W 7th Street PROJECT SITE PHOTO LOCATION MAP Source: EcoTierra Consulting, October 2014.
Figure III-3 Surrounding Land Uses Views 7, 8, and 9 City of Los Angeles September 2015
Table III-1 Related Projects
Project Name – No. EAF#/DOT Case # Location/Address Land Use Size
Mixed-Use Project 662 S Lucas Ave Condominiums 130 units 1 Retail 7,037 sf
400 S Broadway Mixed 400-4167 Broadway Apartments 450 units 2 Use Project Retail 7,500 sf
133 South Hope 1133 Hope Street Condominiums 208 units 3 Project Restaurant 5,029 sf
Restaurant & Bar EAF2010-2899;2011- 220 W 9th Street 4 CEN-5626 Restaurant/Bar 23,000 sf
Condominiums 700 units 8th & Grand Mixed 5 Use Project 2005-CEN- 710 S Grand Retail 27,000 sf 2528 Restaurant 5,000 sf
LA Trade Tech College 400 Washington Blvd – 5-year Master Plan College 5-year (Washington Blvd/Flower St) 6 2003-CEN-0179 Master Plan 6,300 students
Mixed Use 1148 S Broadway Apartments 94 units 7 Retail 2,500 sf
Apartments 391 units Mixed-Use (Herald 146 W 11th (11th 8 Examiner) 2005-CEN- Office 39,720 sf St/Broadway) 1907; CEN-13-41710 Retail 40,000 sf
USC All Sports Building 1010 W Jefferson Blvd USC Athletic 9 2010-CEN-5175 McClintock Theater Building 91,130 sf
The Reef Project III. Environmental Setting Page III-8 City of Los Angeles September 2015
Table III-1 Related Projects
Project Name – No. EAF#/DOT Case # Location/Address Land Use Size
Shopping USC Master Plan Center 202,000 sf W Jefferson Blvd/Figueroa St 2009-CEN-5110 High-Turnover Restaurant 45,000 sf
Movie Theater 2,000 seats
10 Supermarket 40,000 sf
Health Club 20,000 sf
Hotel 150 rooms
Apartment 250 units
High School 540 students
Residential 1,620 units LASED Entertainment District (excluding Figueroa St/11th St Educational 95,706 sf development to date) Retail 174,769 sf
Restaurants 70,052 sf
Health Club 15,760 sf
Sport Bar 1,980 sf 11 Hotel 222 rooms
Office 367,300 sf
Production
Studio 298,500 sf
Convention Center Expansion 250,000 sf
Hotel 480 rooms Metropolis Mixed-Use 851 S Francisco St (8th Condominiums 836 units 12 2005-CEN-2260 St/Francisco St) Office 988,225 sf
Retail 46,000 sf
The Reef Project III. Environmental Setting Page III-9 City of Los Angeles September 2015
Table III-1 Related Projects
Project Name – No. EAF#/DOT Case # Location/Address Land Use Size
Mixed-Use Condominiums 247 units 13 Development 745 S Spring (Spring/8th St) 2006-CEN-3596 Retail 10,675 sf
Child Care Child Care 3014 S Royal St 14 Facility 7,997 sf
Mixed-Use Condominiums 374 units Residential, Retail and 15 1150 S Grand Ave Retail 9,844 sf Restaurant 2006-CEN-3912 Restaurant 7,600 sf
Condominiums 128 units Mixed-Use ENV-2008- 1050 S Grand Ave (Grand 16 4679-EA; 2008-CEN- Retail 3,472 sf Ave/11th St) 4802 Restaurant 2,200 sf
Condominiums 225 units Mixed-Use Residential, Retail, 609 W 8th (8th/Grand/Hope Hotel 200 rooms 17 and Restaurant Project) Retail 30,000 sf 2007-CEN-3970 Restaurant 32,000 sf
Mixed-Use Residential Condominiums 172 units 18 and Retail 1115 S Hill St (Hill/11th) 2007-CEN-3969 Retail 6,850 sf
Mixed-Use Restaurants 13,921 sf Development 19 610 S Main St Retail 726 sf ENV-2005-7019; 2005- CEN-2780 Pool/Event 726 sf
Mixed-Use 1329 W 7th St Apartments 94 units 20 Retail 2,000 sf
1212 Flower 1212 Flower Apartments 730 units
Retail/Restaura 21 nt 10,500 sf
Office 70,465 sf
The Reef Project III. Environmental Setting Page III-10 City of Los Angeles September 2015
Table III-1 Related Projects
Project Name – No. EAF#/DOT Case # Location/Address Land Use Size
Park/Fifth Project Apartments 615 units 22 427 W 5th St ENV-2013-3196-EAF Restaurant 16,310 sf
Kawada Tower Condominiums 330 units 23 240 S Hill St (Hill/3rd) 2008-CEN-4803 Retail 12,000 sf
Bunker Hill Design for Office 960,000 sf Block bounded by 3rd St, 24 Development EIR- Olive St, Hill St, 4th St Parcel Y Retail 100,000 sf
Parcel Q and Parcel W – Condominiums 1,648 units Bounded by 1st St, Grand nd Apartments 412 units Grand Avenue Project Ave, Hill St, upper 2 St 2006-CEN-3022 Parcel L/M-2 – Bounded by Office 681,000 sf GTK Way, Hope St, upper 2nd St Supermarket 53,000 sf
25 Restaurant 67,000 sf
Retail 225,250 sf
Event Facility 250 seats
Health Club 50,000 sf
Hotel 275 rooms
Mixed Use 820 S Olive St Apartments 589 units 26 Retail 4,500 sf
CityCorp Plaza Phase 755 S Figueroa St 27 III (7th/Figueroa St) Office 792,000 sf
Mixed-Use Condominiums 407 units 1027 Wilshire (Wilshire/St 28 Development Paul St) 2006-CEN-2870 Retail 7,472 sf
Mixed-Use ENV-2006- Condominiums 130 units 29 1135 W 7th St (7th St/Lucas) 0185; 2006-CEN-3169 Retail 7,000 sf
30 Restaurant 1036 S Grand Ave Restaurant 7,149 sf
1001 S Olive 1001 S Olive St Apartments 225 units 31 Restaurant 5,000 sf
The Reef Project III. Environmental Setting Page III-11 City of Los Angeles September 2015
Table III-1 Related Projects
Project Name – No. EAF#/DOT Case # Location/Address Land Use Size
Apartment 1247 S Grand Ave Apartments 118 units 32 Restaurant 5,125 sf
1500 S Figueroa St Apartments 190 units 33 Residential (Figueroa/Pico) Retail 10,922 sf
Witmer Project Condominiums 186 units 34 ENV-2006-8586; 2006- 1247 W 7th St (7th/Witmer) CEN-3487 Retail 6,200 sf
Apartments 106 units 1400 S Figueroa 35 1400S Figueroa St Residential Project Retail/Restaura nt 4,834 sf
Olive/Olympic Project NE corner of Olive & Olympic Apartments 263 units 36 Restaurant 14,500 sf
Day Care & Health Daycare 6,170 sf 37 Clinic ENV-2008-0598; 1010 E Jefferson Blvd 2008-CEN-4790 Health Clinic 5,310 sf
801 S Olive Project 801 S Olive St Apartments 363 units
38 Retail 2,500 sf
Restaurant 7,500 sf
Condominiums ENV-2007-1545; 2007- 810 E Pico Blv 39 CEN-4168 Retail 181,620 sf
The Reef Project III. Environmental Setting Page III-12 City of Los Angeles September 2015
Table III-1 Related Projects
Project Name – No. EAF#/DOT Case # Location/Address Land Use Size
Variety Arts Project 940 S Figueroa St Office 3,295 sf
Bar/Lounge 2,080 sf
Entertainment/
Performing Arts 1,750 visitors
40 Entertainment/
Performing Arts 30 employees
Event during
Daytime 400 visitors
Event during
Daytime 15 employees
41 Hellman/Banco Bldg 354 S Spring St Apartments 212 units
Mixed Use Apartments 160 units 42 ENV-2008-0386-EA; 233 W Washington Blvd 2008-CEN-4672 Retail 24,000 sf
Good Samaritan Apartments 725 units Hospital Mixed Use 43 1136 W 6th St ENV-2007-5887; 2007- CEN-4520 Retail 39,999 sf
Residential Project 534 S Main St Apartments 160 units
44 Retail 18,000 sf
Restaurant 3,500 sf
Condominiums ENV-2008-0432-EA; 1340 S Olive St 45 2008-CEN-4671 Condominiums 150 units
Hill Mixed 920 S Hill Apartments 216 units 46 Retail 3,900 sf
Broadway Mixed 955 S Broadway Apartments 201 units 47 Retail 6,000 sf
The Reef Project III. Environmental Setting Page III-13 City of Los Angeles September 2015
Table III-1 Related Projects
Project Name – No. EAF#/DOT Case # Location/Address Land Use Size
Office 88,224 sf Office 2008-CEN-4699 1130 Wilshire Blvd Daycare 20 students
High Turnover 48 Restaurant 248 sf
Quality
Restaurant 5,375 sf
Condominiums 420 units 49 Embassy Tower 848 S Grand Ave Market 38,500 sf
Legal Aid Foundation Office 34,000 sf 50 1550 W 8th St of Los Angeles Office (12,000 sf)
Oak Village Residences 902 W Washington Blvd 51 2008-CEN-4888 Condominiums 142 units
Wilshire Grand Hotel 560 rooms Redevelopment Residential Project 900 W Wilshire Blvd Units 100 units ENV-2009-1577-EIR; 52 2009-CEN-5080 Office 1,500,000 sf
Fitness Facility 20,000 sf
Retails/Restaur
ant 50,000 sf
Residential Units 230 units
Washington Blvd Renovate Opportunity MU Residential 53 220 E Washington Blvd (Mercy Housing) Units 32 units 2009-CEN-5050 Specialty Retail/Restaura nt 19,000 sf
Mixed Use Condominium 291 units 54 2100 S Figueroa 2010-CEN-5294 Retail 7,134 sf
The Reef Project III. Environmental Setting Page III-14 City of Los Angeles September 2015
Table III-1 Related Projects
Project Name – No. EAF#/DOT Case # Location/Address Land Use Size
DTLA South Park – Site Apartments 461 units 1120 S Grand Ave 55 1 Hotel 300 rooms
Retail 8,700 sf
DTLA South Park – Site Apartments 362 units 56 1230 S Olive St 4 Retail 4,000 sf
57 Sports Museuma 1900 S Main St Museum 32,000 sf
New Medical Office Bldg (Good Samaritan Wilshire Blvd/Witmer St Hospital) 58 ENV-2009-0884 Medical Office 150,000 sf
Apartments 90 units
Mixed-Use Residential 1901 W 7th St (7th/Bonnie Retail 15,500 sf 59 and Retail VTT-69213; Brae St) 2006-CEN-3839 Apartments 82 units
Retail 17,300 sf
60 1700 W Olympic Hotel 1700 W Olympic Blvd Hotel 160 rooms
Mixed-Use 1111 Wilshire Blvd Condominiums 420 units 61 2006-CEN-2885 (Wilshire/Bixel) Hotel 140 rooms
Restaurant 7,500 sf
Apartments 2007- 2455 S Figueroa St 62 CEN-4553 Apartments 145 units
Flower/23rd Mixed- Apartments 1,500 units 63 2300 S Flower St Use 2006-CEN-3134 Retail 40,000 sf
64 Case Hotel 1106 S Broadway Hotel 151 rooms
Apartments ENV-2005-5551-EAF; 2819 S Griffith Ave 65 2007-CEN-2613 Apartments 458 units
Sparkle Factory 908 S Broadway Office 11,900 sf 66 Retail 11,900 sf
The Reef Project III. Environmental Setting Page III-15 City of Los Angeles September 2015
Table III-1 Related Projects
Project Name – No. EAF#/DOT Case # Location/Address Land Use Size
1000 Grand Project 1000 Grand Ave Apartments 274 units 67 Restaurant 12,000 sf
Northwest corner of Olympic Apartments 300 units Olympic/Hill Project 68 Blvd/Hill St Retail 14,500 sf
Restaurant 8,500 sf
Residential Project 1360 S Figueroa St Apartments 443 units 69 Retail 11,000 sf
Spring Street Garage Spring St south of 5th St 70 & Apartments Apartments 120 units
71 Residential Project 435 S 20th St Apartments 143 units
72 SB Omega 601 S Main St Condo 350 units
Retail 32,000 sf
9th/Olive Project 840/888 S Olive St Apartments 303 units
73 Retail 9,680 sf
Restaurant 1,500 sf
Residential Project 1340 S Figueroa Apartments 252 units 74 Restaurant 11,000 sf
75 Clark Hotel 426 S Hill St Hotel 347 rooms
Student USC Student Housing 505-511 W 31st St 76 Housing 30 units
Pico Blvd between Flower St Apartments 419 units Onyx Apartment and Grand Ave Retail 29,200 sf
Quality 77 Restaurant 6,400 sf
Fast-food
Restaurant 6,400 sf
The Reef Project III. Environmental Setting Page III-16 City of Los Angeles September 2015
Table III-1 Related Projects
Project Name – No. EAF#/DOT Case # Location/Address Land Use Size
Northwest corner of Wilshire Apartments 218 units Valencia Project 78 Blvd and Valencia Retail 6,000 sf
Restaurant 1,500 sf
University 1,400 students San Pedro St between 9th St City Market Project and 12th St Shopping Center 176,733 sf
79 Cinema 744 seats Apartments 945 units
Hotel 210 rooms
Office 294,641 sf
North of Pico Blvd between Apartments 640 units G12 Project 80 Grand Ave and Olive St Retail 30,000 sf
Restaurant 10,000 sf
81 Residential Project 1027 S Olive St Apartments 100 units
Mixed-Use 928 S Broadway Apartments 662 units
Retail 47,000 sf 82 Live/Work 11,000 sf
Office 34,824 sf
The Reef Project III. Environmental Setting Page III-17 Source: Mobility Group, September 2014.
Figure III-4 Related Projects Map