A townhouse project that’s been in planning limbo since 2006 finally received recommended design approval from the Santa Monica Architectural Review Board last week. 2020 Virginia Avenue is a proposed 19-unit townhouse development situated on the southwest corner of Virginia Avenue and 21st Street. The new development would replace two courtyard apartment buildings and a detached garage.
2020 Virginia Avenue would consist of two, two-story buildings centered around a landscaped courtyard with a barbecue, built-in benches, and a variety of trees and shrubs. The townhomes, which would be individually owned, would range from 1,105 to 1,512 square feet and include two-bedrooms, two-and-a-half-bathrooms and private outdoor space.
The two levels of living spaces would be located above grade and each unit would have direct access to a two-car private enclosed garage located within a subterranean parking level. There would also be five visitor parking spaces and 20 long-term bicycle spaces in a storage room.
The contemporary-style structures would be clad in a mix of finishes such as wood siding, stucco and metal panels. The scale of the project would blend in seamlessly with the surrounding neighborhood, which is dotted with two-story and multi-family buildings.
The Santa Monica Architectural Review Board recommended the approval of the application. Because the development will not include affordable housing units, the developer is required to pay the in-lieu fee, priced at $42.62 per square foot for condominiums.
