Frequently Asked Questions
The Ocean Avenue Project
What is an opportunity site?
A limited number of locations and sites have been specifically listed as a “key investment site” in the Land Use and Circulation Element (LUCE) and as “opportunity sites” in the City staff recommendations for the Downtown Specific Plan. Both designate a limited number of sites in the downtown area that could be considered for more density and height, if the design and program of the project, incorporates significant community benefits.
How many jobs will the Ocean Avenue Project create?
The Ocean Avenue Project underwent a thorough independent third party economic analysis and will have far-reaching impacts within the local community, putting people to work and creating jobs. According to the analysis, the project is expected to create 1,349 jobs during operation. Additional jobs will be created during the period of construction.
Will the hotel employ union labor?
Yes, preliminary discussions are underway with senior representatives from UNITE HERE Local 11 and our intention is that an agreement will be reached and the hotel will employ union labor.
How does the project address traffic?
We understand that traffic is a real concern in Santa Monica and we are committed to addressing our traffic impacts. As part of the process, the Ocean Avenue Project will undergo a full environmental impact report that will consider traffic and potential mitigations. In addition, we are committed to implementing a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) program that will promote and encourage the use of alternative modes of transportation, including routing hotel guests and employees off main roadways, and creating employee transit incentives along with other mitigations that will be defined and outlined through the process.
What are LUCE and the City Staff recommendations to the Downtown Specific Plan?
The City of Santa Monica, its community and stakeholders have a very specific vision for the future of Santa Monica and its downtown, both of which are addressed in the Land Use and Circulation Element, or LUCE, and ultimately in the Downtown Specific Plan (DSP), which is still in development. The LUCE envisions downtown will be a mixed-use, pedestrian-oriented, multi-modal district where creative and innovative design is infused into the streetscape, architecture, landscape, art, and transportation network.
The LUCE guidelines:
- Encourage a diversity of retail, dining, entertainment and housing opportunities
- Encourage new or expanded hotel and other visitor-serving uses
- Create convenient and comfortable linkages to the Expo Light Rail Station
- Create convenient and comfortable pedestrian and bicycle linkages
- Design and manage streets to be an integral part of the urban open space
- Ensure pedestrian orientation of ground floor uses in new projects
With a long history in Santa Monica, the design and development team has seriously considered key aspects of the LUCE and the City staff recommendations for the DSP when designing the Ocean Avenue Project, and we look forward to working with the community as we move forward to realize these important community designed benefits.