22-Unit Project Planned For Just South Of Melrose Hill

The city of Los Angeles has received plans for a five-story, 22-unit residential project to rise at 608 N. Serrano Ave., just south of the Melrose Hill neighborhood, according to plans filed with the city’s planning department this week. The project applicant and property owner, Damh Serrano LLC, is registered to the Playa Vista office of private equity firm Innova Capital Group, state business filings show.

Dubbed Serrano Apartments and seeking Tier-2 incentives under the city’s transit-oriented communities program, the development would rise 56 feet following the demolition of the project site’s two single-family residences at 608-612 N. Serrano Ave.

In addition to an 11-foot height increase, project plans call for a 60-percent, 9-unit density bonus above the 13 units allowed otherwise. The project would contain one four-bedroom unit and 21 three-bedrooms ranging in size from 896 square feet to 1,118 square feet and including three extremely low-income units.

The project site’s two existing properties – one three-bedroom residence and one four-bedroom residence – were purchased in separate transactions occurring in the last 14 months of $950,000 and $1.07 million, respectively, according to county property records.

Plans also include one subterranean level of car parking with 23 stalls, as well as 25 bicycle parking spots. Amenities included in the 25,255-square-foot project include a ground-floor recreation room with gym, a ground-floor dog run in the community’s backyard, a fifth-floor dog-washing station, a second-floor courtyard with a gathering space, a rooftop community vegetable garden, a rooftop BBQ and table tennis area, and a rooftop lounge area.