Built in 1942, Rose Hill Courts is one of Los Angeles’ oldest public housing complexes. And led by a team that includes the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA), the developer Related California, and the general contractor R.D. Olson Construction, the first phase of Rose Hill Courts’ redevelopment and expansion is underway to construct two Type V-A four-story wood-frame buildings with 51 and 38 units, respectively, and ground-level surface parking spaces.
Upon completion, this project will nearly double Rose Hill Courts to 185 affordable housing units for low, very low, and extremely low income families, and replace its existing 100 units set on five acres.
The two new buildings in phase one are designed to achieve LEED certification, and their construction is scheduled for completion at the end of next year. Totalling 103,000 sf, the two buildings will offer 51 one-bedroom, 26 two-bedroom, eight three-bedroom, and four four-bedroom apartments. One building will also have a 3,000-sf underground basement that makes use of an adjacent hill.
A GC COMMITTED TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING
R.D. Olson partnered with Withee Malcolm Architects on this project. Resource Environmental Inc., a hazardous material abatement and demolition contractor, performed abatement and demolition work that was completed prior to the financial closing and construction that started in June.
The Rose Hill Courts redevelopment is R.D. Olson’s fourth affordable housing project within a 10-mile radius of Los Angeles. “We bring the right experience along with well-established relationships in the community, and are successfully navigating the challenges of keeping the remaining 70-year-old residences operational during phase one of construction,” says Bill Wilhelm, R.D. Olson’s president.
Also see: L.A.’s component-based interim housing
According to HACLA’s website, phase two of the redevelopment will include 95 affordable apartment homes that target very low and extremely low income residents. Once both phases are completed, the redevelopment will include a 6,300-sf community building with and on-site property management office and social services, and a “Central Park” green space with shaded seating, barbeque grills, courtyards, and children’s play areas with “tot lots” for resident use.
Both phases will feature surface parking, a secured interior bike room, bike racks, entirely new landscaping, lighting, fencing, signage, security features, storm-drain and utility improvements. The new sustainably designed buildings will utilize solar power and the landscaping will include water-efficient irrigation and storm water reuse.
A HOMELESS PROBLEM THAT’S GETTING WORSE
Phase 1 of the redevelopment is financed with $31.8 million in tax-exempt bonds and $13.9 million in private equity raised through the sale of federal low-income housing tax credits. HACLA will provide up to $8.35 million during construction. This phase of redevelopment will also be supported by $15.5 million in funding from the State of California department of Housing and Community Development through the Affordable Housing & Sustainable Communities and Infill Infrastructure Grant programs.
In addition, $8 million in AHSC grant funds were awarded to the City of Los Angeles to provide pedestrian safety upgrades in the immediate neighborhood and improvements in public transportation including six new bus shelters and eight battery electric buses.
The Rose Hill Courts redevelopment is occurring at a time when homelessness in southern California has been rising. On any given night there are more than 66,000 people homeless in Los Angeles County, and 739 homeless died in the county in the first six months of 2021, 20% more than during the same period in 2020. In July, L.A. County approved $527.1 million in funding to battle homelessness in fiscal 2012-22.
Related Stories
| Jul 7, 2014
7 emerging design trends in brick buildings
From wild architectural shapes to unique color blends and pattern arrangements, these projects demonstrate the design possibilities of brick.
| Jul 7, 2014
A climate-controlled city is Dubai's newest colossal project
To add to Dubai's already impressive portfolio of world's tallest tower and world's largest natural flower garden, Dubai Holding has plans to build the world's largest climate-controlled city.
| Jul 3, 2014
Gehry edits Canadian skyscraper plan to be 'more Toronto'
After being criticized for the original tower complex, architect Frank Gehry unveils a new design that is more subtle, and "more Toronto."
| Jul 2, 2014
SHoP designs what would be Brooklyn's tallest building
JDS Development partners with SHoP to construct a 70-story building at 775-feet tall, unprecedented for downtown Brooklyn.
| Jun 30, 2014
Research finds continued growth of design-build throughout United States
New research findings indicate that for the first time more than half of projects above $10 million are being completed through design-build project delivery.
| Jun 30, 2014
Narrow San Francisco lots to be developed into micro-units
As a solution to San Francisco’s density and low housing supply compared to demand, local firms Build Inc. and Macy Architecture each are to build micro-unit housing in a small parcel of land in Hayes Valley.
| Jun 30, 2014
Harvard releases the State of the Nation’s Housing 2014
Although the housing industry saw notable increases in construction, home prices, and sales in 2013, household growth has yet to fully recover from the effects of the recession, according to a new Harvard University report.
| Jun 30, 2014
OMA's The Interlace honored as one of the world's most 'community-friendly' high-rises
The 1,040-unit apartment complex in Singapore has won the inaugural Urban Habitat award from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, which highlights projects that demonstrate a positive contribution to the surrounding environment.
| Jun 30, 2014
Gen X, not Baby Boomers, spending the most money on homes [infographic]
It turns out that Generation X, who have the highest incomes of the three generations surveyed, are paying the highest home payments and tend to have the largest households.
| Jun 25, 2014
The best tall buildings of 2014
Four high-rise buildings from multiple continents have been selected as the best of their region. The best worldwide tall building will be announced November 6.
