By Daily Press staff
Construction has started on twin six-story apartment buildings providing 100 units at 1244 Sixth St. in downtown Santa Monica.
Developed by JSM Construction Inc., the urban multi-family project will extend the developer’s presence in the area bounded by Wilshire Boulevard and Colorado Avenue on Fifth, Sixth and Seventh streets, where it has built some 500 units. Designed by Killefer Flammang Architects, the San Marco and Rappalo buildings will each include 2,500 square feet of retail space on the ground floor, said JSM’s Tim Ball. Both buildings will be served by a common gym.
“The thrust of the design concept,” explained architect Wade Killefer, “is to provide urban housing in a casual environment.”
Ranging in size from 640 to 950 square feet, the units include 18 one-bedroom/one-bath and 32 two-bedroom/two-bath apartments — all with private balconies.
The landscaping concept calls for using plants that address water conservation concerns, said KFA’s Bob Timmerman, project manager.
Planned for completion within a year, the two buildings will add to JSM’s downtown Santa Monica collection, which currently includes 10 buildings.
The new project is the latest of more than 7,000 market-rate, low-income and special needs multi-family units designed by KFA in downtown Los Angeles and the Westside. The 45-member firm was named “City Rebuilder of the Year” last year by the Los Angeles chapter of the American Institute of Architects.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on September 14, 2006. Read the original PDF.