More development is slated for the freshly rebranded Sawtelle Japantown.
According to an early December case filing from the Department of City Planning, a new residential-retail complex is proposed for the corner lot at 1854 South Sawtelle Boulevard. Plans call for a five-story structure, consisting of 23 apartments, two ground-floor live-work units, four above-grade parking levels and two underground parking levels. The new building would replace a century-old bungalow, one of the few remaining single-family dwellings along the bustling commercial corridor.
With a cumulative six floors of garage space, the proposed development is clearly informed by the parking crunch which frequently envelops the residential neighborhood to the west. Customers of trendy restaurants located on Sawtelle Boulevard often inundate street parking on adjacent blocks, leading some homeowners to call for the creation of a preferential parking district.
