An enterprising developer and experimental architect are pushing the boundaries between L.A.'s suburban style of single-family housing and its need for dense infill development on a site in the city's Echo Park neighborhood.
Carren Jao examines developer LocalConstruct and architect Barbara Bestor's plans to "turn a one-acre hillside parcel in Echo Park into a prime example of smart growth." Dubbed "Blackbirds," the scheme to build 18 small-lot homes around "an internal living street designed after the Dutch
Woonerf concept, where pedestrians and cyclists have priority," is seen by LocalConstruct co-founder Casey Lynch as, "a needed step in the evolution of LA typologies."
"I am curious as to why larger scale housing projects so often have a
lower level of finish and stultifying repetitiveness given their
prices," commented Bestor. "We are attempting to add quality and
individuality to each of these units as well as a structure engendering
community and neighborliness in the way they are grouped together."
FULL STORY: Stealth Density
Cluster Homes Invade L.A.'s Hip Hillsides
Small-lot homes are popping up in the hillsides north of downtown L.A. While the new occupants, often young buyers who can't afford or aren't interested in traditional single-family homes and high-rise condos, are pleased, some neighbors are not.
Skyline-Shifting Development Approved in Los Angeles
The Downtown Los Angeles-adjacent neighborhood of Echo Park is set to get its first towers—including one new building reaching 49 stories.
Pre-Fab Tiny Home Village Takes Shape in L.A.
Along with communal showers and bathrooms, the village will also include laundry, storage facilities, and offices for social service providers.
Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?
As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?
Washington State’s Parking Reform Law Could Unlock ‘Countless’ Acres for New Housing
A law that limits how much parking cities can require for residential amd commercial developments could lead to a construction boom.
Wildlife Rebounds After the Eaton Fire
Following the devastation of the Eaton Fire, the return of wildlife and the regrowth of native plants are offering powerful signs of resilience and renewal.
LA to Replace Inglewood Light Rail Project With Bus Shuttles
LA Metro says the change is in response to community engagement and that the new design will be ready before the 2028 Olympic Games.
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