This is the second phase. It was in talks 3 days ago to get approved. Any updates?


http://www.sunsetmillennium.com/images/180x144_pic7.jpg
http://www.sunsetmillennium.com/images/180x144_pic8.jpg
http://www.sunsetmillennium.com/images/180x144_pic9.jpg
http://www.sunsetmillennium.com/images/180x144_pic10.jpg

im not sure what happened but i hope it gets uilt. sunset needs some new developments and energy. i know house of blues is building something as well and ther are a couple of other projects as well. they need to repave the street too.

The traffic is always horrible around there.

And they really love big posters

Project update

Millennium Project Gets City's Blessing
By ROSANNA MAH, The Independent Staff Writer 20.APR.05

After a contentious debate that lasted close to six hours, the West Hollywood City Council voted 3-1 to approve amendments to what could be the one of the largest and most controversial developments in city history — a $400 million mixed use project that will add two hotels, retail and luxury condominiums to the Sunset Strip.

“I think it’s about time we get this project and get it going as soon as possible,” said Councilman Sal Guarriello, who together with Mayor John Duran and Councilman Jeffrey Prang voted in favor of the amended project.

Mayor Pro Tem Abbe Land, who criticized the size of the 4-acre development and called for a 30 percent reduction across the board in size, cast the sole dissenting vote.

“At the end of the day, I just think it’s too big,” she said.

Councilman John Heilman recused himself from the proceedings as he lived within 500 feet of the proposed development.

In 1999, the City Council had initially approved plans to build office towers, retail and a 371-room hotel.

However, developer Apollo Real Estates Advisors bought out its partner Maefield Development’s share in the Millennium in March 2002 and later offered a scaled-down version of its original plans that would replace office towers with luxury condominiums and retail space.

Current plans for the development call for a parcel southeast of Sunset and La Cienega boulevards, which was slated to be the site of a new seven-story office building, to house two hotels — a W hotel and J.W. Marriott — with 296 rooms.

The project would include two nine-story residential buildings with 190 condominiums, instead of a 371-room hotel, to be built in on the southwest corner of Sunset and La Cienega boulevards.

Millennium supporters said the mixed use project would not only provide $2.8 million in city tax revenues but create 400 jobs, increase affordable housing and add 435 extra parking spaces for use by Sunset Strip businesses.

However, opponents argued that the new proposal would significantly worsen traffic, noise and air pollution along the Strip and potentially risk the safety of area residents.

“This project is going to destroy us,” warned resident Jean Mathison at the Wednesday night meeting.

Other residents claimed that the city had not adequately addressed concerns over what they believed was an active seismic fault that ran under the proposed project.

A fault is considered inactive if there has been no seismic movement in 11,000 years.

Ed Sabins, the city’s geologist, reported that borings done to determine the age of the fault through radiometric carbon dating yielded too little charcoal for a successful test.

But city officials believed they had collected enough expert testimony and evidence to irrefutably conclude that the fault in question was inactive.

“I think that this proposal meets and far exceeds the expectations for seismic safety and probably exceeds what any other city in the state would apply to such a project,” said Prang.

Duran, who had earlier expressed fears that Apollo would revert to its original entitled project, said he was impressed with the new “significant” changes.

“This project is better ... I think it’s a lot better,” Duran said.

According to Duran, the project’s main setback resulted from the potential loss in city tax revenues. According to officials, West Hollywood would receive $2.8 million annually in tax revenues, nearly half of an estimated $5 million.

In response to mitigation concerns, Apollo and city officials both agreed to set aside $500,000 each for improvements and mitigation to neighboring businesses.

The council also nixed plans for a pedestrian bridge (covered with signage) across La Cienega Boulevard, citing its potential public safety dangers and lack of a functional value.

Construction is expected to begin early next year and be completed within 26 months.

Nice!! finally. its been so long damn it. So thats two new W hotels in LA, Hollywood actually. One on Hollywood blvd and Vine starting Construction in a few months and this one. Hollywood is looking good. Now if they could only repave the street, add some lanscaping and get the subway down there.

Yes this is area is very congested at certain times. I remember when West Hollywood became a city, the first city council had a member who was near the top seat, he was an advocate of large projects, and wanted to see this new city come into being with landmark buildings, and urban density. I don't know if he still is in the council, but the forefathers of the city of West Hollywood were setting there sights on big things. this project is not all that large, but it will impact the infrastructure of the area, the next stage of the urbanization of this section of the city is to begin planning for heavy/LRT service into the area, there are plenty of boulevard corridors that are good candidates for this, (If I were in charge I would push for an underground system, connected to existing systems). I am currently on a small project on Sunset and anytime after 3 p.m. the traffic is bad, taking me about 20 to 30 minutes to reach the Santa Monica fwy. on La Cienega Blvd. this area is dire need of mass transit. I also believe that about 20% of the drivers in this city, drive in complete fear of i don't know what? (esp. out of state drivers) and putz around at 20 MPH with there head up there ass !!!!

There is something wrong with the traffic in WeHo. It's amazing, that the minute you cross over the border, traffic is at a standstill. Santa Monica Blvd. is the worst. Part of the reason why I refuse to ever drive west of La Brea. :)

I believe that could be caused by the signal timing of Los Angeles being set at a different flow pattern (or the reverse) with West Hollywood. not to mention the close proximity of Beverly Hills, its a fact that signals there, are out of sync. with LA, and the other contributing factor, these "traffic islands" for flow and beutification, in my opinion do nothing but remove valuble sq. footage from the highway median, and finaly not to mention the streets in many locations are over-capacitated in the first place.

Yeah, as pretty as the taffic islands are, they aren't working.

LA needs to attempt a hostile annexation of WeHo. WeHo has a monopoly on much of the westside's nightlife, but also, a monopoly on development potential for so many joints. With nimbyists in order, WeHo is a literal party pooper. It's the Bev Hills of LA's nightlife district, though not as bad

Millenium project is gonna make the traffic problem worse. But the development of the strip is worth some downsides, especially if they build hotels: hotels are always interesting buildings

Yeah, as pretty as the taffic islands are, they aren't working.
Agreed. They re-did St M Blvd. a few years back (how can we forget that nightmare?) and it just got worse. Total gridlock 4-7 pm. And the side streets don't go through so you're pretty much screwed.

still dead? ?? = )

http://la.curbed.com/2006-10-sunsetmill.jpg

I think it may be revived.

hotels are always interesting buildings

Not this one

Not this oneWhat is the latest with this project gentleman?
Should I book a flight to check it out?

Since no one else is commenting, I am going to guess this is on permanent hold while the economy recovers.

The House of Blues and Eric Owen Moss hotel project seems to be making slow progress through the committees and boards. And Sunset street improvements are underway.

Since no one else is commenting, I am going to guess this is on permanent hold while the economy recovers.
The House of Blues and Eric Owen Moss hotel project seems to be making slow progress through the committees and boards. And Sunset street improvements are underway.thanks for the response, love to hear about any groundbreaking or developments. I'll stay tuned...

what did this project look like?

Here's some news, albeit, from 2007!

WEST HOLLYWOOD: The Petersen Building on Sunset, which will die for the long-delayed Millennium project--hotels, condos, retail, and entertainment-- is waiting on the courts. And as a reader reminds us: "The Project includes several phases, the first phase being Equinox/Ketchup/H & M/etc. The whole project was a cluster f**k and is still being developed." We get more information via a conversation with Ryan Gierach, editor of WeHo News: "A group of homeowners [who are actually Los Angeles residents] up in the hills above the project brought a civil suit to stop the Millenium," says Gierach. "The suit is currently going through the courts, and that's the only thing that is holding it back. It needed the entitlements updated and that passed with little controversy some months ago." Once it gets started, construction is supposed to take 26 months. UPDATE: Well, now comes totally conflicting information. A representative for one of the developers writes in: "The suit in question has been resolved, with the Court of Appeals rejecting the hillside residents’ arguments that the EIR was flawed. That ruling was issued in July 2007, by the way."

from LACurbed (http://la.curbed.com/tags/sunset-millenium)

I vaguely remember since then someone from WeHo complaining that the project was approved and no progress had occurred for years. But given my memory that is more a rumor than a fact. Again, I assume the economy is the main culprit.