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Location: Santa Monica, California
Developer: Related California, The Resmark Companies and Community Corporation of Santa Monica
Designer: Moore Ruble Yudell, Koning Eizenberg, KTGY Group, Grant Price Architects, Mia Lehrer + Associates, and Clodagh Design International
Site Size: 3 acres
Ocean Avenue South is a residential mixed use, mixed income development which connects Santa Monica’s civic center to its vibrant downtown, beachfront and Main Street retail landmarks. As part of an extensive community planning process for Santa Monica’s Civic Center, Ocean Avenue South is a model for high density urban master planned public-private development focused around public access and connectivity, to create a sense of a real neighborhood. The development includes 20,000 sq. ft. of retail space, 79,714 sq. ft. of open space and landscaping, 348,480 sq. ft. of civic space, 160 affordable apartments, and 158 luxury condominiums.
With 50% affordable units for low income families with children, Ocean Avenue South answered a sever need for affordable housing. The affordable housing component, Belmar Apartments, is the largest single-income restricted affordable rental apartment complex that the City has helped finance. Ocean Avenue South demonstrates that a successful mixed-income development with very low income apartments adjacent to for sale market rate condominiums can thrive and even enhance neighborhoods while achieving substantial returns.
The LEED Silver certified community is bordered by the new 6.2 acre Tongva Park, a 2015 ULI award finalist. Ken Genser Square, directly in front of the on-site City Hall, offers the community additional space for gatherings and events. Public spaces and public art are incorporated in the layout of Ocean Avenue South through the design of a bisecting pedestrian way known as the ‘Living Street’. By creating a fully-functioning neighborhood, Ocean Avenue South transformed a neighborhood that previously shut down at 5pm into a 24/7 civic center connecting the parts of the city.