3.0 GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING

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1 3.0 GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING Section of the State CEQA Guidelines requires that an EIR include a description of the existing environment. This chapter provides a general overview of the environmental setting for the Project, however, detailed information on existing conditions is provided for each environmental topic studied in Chapter 4.0, Environmental Impact Analysis. This chapter also provides an overview of related projects that are considered as part of the future conditions in evaluating cumulative impacts. A. OVERVIEW OF ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING 1. On Site Conditions The Project Site is located within the mid City area, on the Miracle Mile corridor along Wilshire Boulevard. Specifically, the Project Site is within the LACMA Campus on an approximately 2.2 acre site at 6067 Wilshire Boulevard at the northeast corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue. The majority of the Project Site is currently developed with the approximately 265,900 square foot, five level May Company Building. The remainder of the Project Site includes a loading dock, service driveways, and a gravel area north of the May Company Building, and pedestrian walkways that provide access from the Pritzker Garage and LACMA. Vehicular access to the LACMA Campus and Project Site is provided via Wilshire Boulevard, Fairfax Avenue, and Sixth Street. Sixth Street provides access to the underground Pritzker Garage that serves LACMA. Access to LACMA s Spaulding Lot is provided on Spaulding Avenue south of the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Spaulding Avenue. Regional access is provided by the Santa Monica freeway (I 10) and Hollywood freeway (US 101). Public transit service is provided along Wilshire Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue. Pedestrian and bicycle access to the Project Site is provided from Wilshire Boulevard, Fairfax Avenue, and Sixth Street. The building is currently used by LACMA for art storage and is also temporarily housing some Academy staff during renovation of the Academy s existing Beverly Hills headquarters. 2. Surrounding Uses The Project Site is located at the western edge of the LACMA Campus. LACMA serves as the anchor and western edge of Museum Row, a stretch of Wilshire Boulevard between Fairfax Avenue and La Brea Avenue. Museum Row includes five museums: LACMA, Page Museum, the Petersen Automotive Museum, the A+D Architecture and Design Museum, and the Craft and Folk Art Museum. The LACMA Campus is comprised of LACMA West and LACMA East, generally west and east of the vacated Ogden Drive. LACMA West encompasses approximately 8 acres and includes the May Company Building, Broad Contemporary Art Museum, and the Resnick Exhibition Pavilion. LACMA East is located within the approximately 23 acre Hancock Park, along with the Page Museum/La Brea Tar Pits, on land owned by the County. LACMA East includes five buildings: the Ahmanson, Hammer, Art of the Americas, Bing Center, and the Pavilion for Japanese Art. Surrounding off site land uses include the 160 acre Park La Brea residential neighborhood to the north across Sixth Street; a mix of museums, galleries, cultural institutions, and commercial business along Wilshire Boulevard to the south including the Petersen Automotive Museum and A+D Architecture and Design Museum; commercial uses to the west across Fairfax Avenue; and commercial uses to the east across Curson Avenue. The future Metro Westside Subway Extension (anticipated to be operational in 2023) will be located beneath the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue and the Wilshire/Fairfax Station entrance will be located on the southeast corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Orange Grove Avenue. 3 1

2 3.0 General Description of Environmental Setting August 2014 Specifically, the Project Site is bordered on the north by the Resnick North Lawn, which contains the Levitated Mass outdoor installation; on the northeast by the Resnick Exhibition Pavilion; and on the east by the Broad Contemporary Art Museum and stairs to the Pritzker Garage. 3. Existing Conditions For more detailed descriptions of existing conditions that are specific to each of the environmental issues analyzed in this Draft EIR, see Chapter 4, Sections 4.A through 4.J. B. RELATED PROJECTS CEQA requires that EIRs analyze cumulative impacts. As defined in the State CEQA Guidelines Section 15355, a cumulative impact consists of an impact which is created as a result of the combination of the project evaluated in the EIR together with other projects causing related impacts. State CEQA Guidelines Section 15130(a) states that an EIR must discuss cumulative impacts of a project when the project's incremental effect is cumulatively considerable, as defined in Section 15065(a)(3). Where a lead agency is examining a project with an incremental effect that is not cumulatively considerable, a lead agency need not consider that effect significant, but must briefly describe its basis for concluding that the incremental effect is not cumulatively considerable (Section 15130(a)). However, an EIR should not discuss impacts which do not result in part from the project evaluated in the EIR. Furthermore, when the combined cumulative impact associated with the project's incremental effect and the effects of other projects is not significant, the EIR must briefly indicate why the cumulative impact is not significant and is not discussed in further detail in the EIR. A lead agency must identify facts and analysis supporting the lead agency s conclusion that the cumulative impact is less than significant. In addition, State CEQA Guidelines Section 15130(b) indicates that the analysis of cumulative impacts shall reflect the severity of the impacts and the likelihood of occurrence, but the discussion need not provide as great of detail as provided for the effects attributable to the project alone. Instead, the discussion should be guided by the standards of practicality and reasonableness, and should focus on the cumulative impact to which the identified other projects contribute rather than the attributes of the other projects which do not contribute to the cumulative impact. A project has cumulatively considerable or significant cumulative impacts, when its incremental effects are considerable when viewed in connection with the effects of past projects, the effects of other current projects, and the effects of probable future projects. For an adequate discussion of significant cumulative impacts, the State CEQA Guidelines (Section 15130(b)(1)(A) and (B)) allow an EIR to determine cumulative impacts and reasonably foreseeable growth based on either of the following methods: A list of past, present, and probable future projects producing related or cumulative impacts; or A summary of projections contained in an adopted general plan or related planning document, or in a prior environmental planning document which has been adopted or certified, which described or evaluated regional or area wide conditions contributing to the cumulative impact. 3 2

3 August General Description of Environmental Setting For the purposes of the cumulative impacts analysis for the Project, the City has opted to use the list approach for evaluating cumulative effects. Based on information provided by the cities of Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, and West Hollywood, the City developed a list of past, present and probable future projects. The list of identified related projects is provided in Table 3 1, Related Projects List, with the locations of each of the related projects listed in Figure 3 1, Related Projects Map. Although the projects listed in Table 3 1 serve as the primary bases for evaluation of cumulative impacts, the approach to these analyses vary for certain environmental issues. The cumulative analyses for each environmental issue are provided in their applicable sections in Chapter 4.0, Environmental Impact Analysis, of this Draft EIR. In addition to the above list of related projects, the Metro Westside Subway Extension is planned beneath Wilshire Boulevard south of the Project Site, and the station entrance will be located on the south side of Wilshire Boulevard between Orange Grove Avenue and Ogden Drive (see Figure 2 2, Aerial Photograph of Project Site and Vicinity, of this Draft EIR). Service to this future station is anticipated to begin in Accordingly, the Metro Westside Subway Extension project is also considered in the analysis for certain topics where there is potential for cumulative impacts in association with the Project. 3 3

4 August General Description of Environmental Setting Table Wilshire Skyline 6411 W Wilshire Blvd Los Angeles Apartments (Remove ) 2 Desmond's Tower 2005 CEN du 32,000 sf (9,600 sf) 5500 W Wilshire Blvd Los Angeles Multi Family Residential 175 du a 3 LA Holocaust Museum 7600 W Beverly Blvd Los Angeles Museum 8,375 sf 4 La Brea Mixed Use 101 S La Brea Ave Los Angeles 5 Third Street Mixed Use 5863 W 3rd St Los Angeles Apartments 6 and 725 S Curson Ave Los Angeles 7 Existing Add s and Expand Lobby 5900 Wilshire Blvd Los Angeles Expansion High Turnover Rest. 118 du 26,400 sf 3,000 sf 60 du 5,250 sf 28,800 sf 800 sf 7,000 sf 3,500 sf 15,613 sf S Wetherly Dr Los Angeles 140 du 9 Mixed Use 915 La Brea Ave Los Angeles Apartments Market Studio 10 Pico Community Center 9001 W Pico Blvd Los Angeles Private School Apartments 11 Cedars Sinai Medical Center West Tower 8723 W Alden Dr Los Angeles Hospital Medical Building with New Parking Facility 219 du 35,000 sf 14,530 sf 42,136 sf 425 students 9,000 sf 31 du 100 beds 3 4

5 August General Description of Environmental Setting 12 Wilshire and Crescent Heights Mixed Use 13 and Mixed Use 14 South La Cienega Blvd Eldercare Facility 6245 W Wilshire Blvd Los Angeles Bank Apartments Coffee Shop 936 N La Brea Ave Los Angeles 4,200 sf 133 du 4 du 1,570 sf 88,750 sf 12,000 sf 1022 S La Cienega Blvd Los Angeles Elderly Care Facility 205 beds 15 Mixed Use 6535 Wilshire Blvd Los Angeles Apartment 16 Wilshire La Brea High Rise Mixed Use 5200 W Wilshire Blvd Los Angeles High Turnover High Quality 17 and 5410 W Wilshire Blvd Los Angeles Expansion 21 du 57,000 sf 6,000 sf 482 du 30,000 sf 3,500 sf 6,500 sf 6,760 sf 590 sf 18 CVS Drugstore 303 S La Brea Ave Los Angeles Drugstore 10,729 sf 19 Residential 6298 W 3rd St Los Angeles 300 du 20 Apartments 1417 S Hi Point St Los Angeles Apartments 77 du 21 Mid City Vons 1430 S Fairfax Ave Los Angeles Construct New Supermarket (Demolish Existing Supermarket) 55,920 sf ( ) 22 Gilmore Project 3rd and Fairfax 7929 W 3rd St Los Angeles / 43,250 sf 23 Mixed Use 7901 W Beverly Blvd Los Angeles Apartments 71 du 11,454 sf 3 5

6 3.0 General Description of Environmental Setting August La Brea Gateway 915 N La Brea Ave Los Angeles Supermarket Apartments Luxe 375 S La Cienega Blvd Los Angeles Apartments 26 Mixed Use 316 N La Cienega Blvd Los Angeles Apartments / 33,500 sf 179 du 125 du 7,900 sf 39 du 5,100 sf 27 Museum Square 5757 Wilshire Blvd Los Angeles Building 265,000 sf 28 LACMA Redevelopment Plans 5905 Wilshire Blvd Los Angeles b Museum 29 Petersen Automotive Museum 30 Shalhevet School and Alliance Residential Project 6060 Wilshire Blvd Los Angeles New Display Space and Façade Fairfax Ave, Orange Grove Drive, 6059 San Vicente Blvd Los Angeles High School New High School Demo High School Net Residential Commercial 31 Burger King 4177 Washington Blvd Los Angeles Fast Food with Drive Through 32 and 2003 CEN S Crenshaw Blvd Los Angeles 33 Fairfax Mixed Use 801 N Fairfax Ave Los Angeles Apartments 34 and Apartments 3323 W Olympic Blvd Los Angeles Apartments 35 Gaju Market/ New California Market 15,000 sf 36,863 sf (55,717 sf) (18,854 sf) 149 du 4,280 sf 1,720 sf 39,449 sf 10,832 sf 93 du 15,826 sf 21 du 27,720 sf 450 S Western Ave Los Angeles 130,500 sf N Seward St Los Angeles 240,000 sf 3 6

7 August General Description of Environmental Setting 37 and Building 3060 S Crenshaw Blvd Los Angeles Bank 38 Archstone Hollywood Mixed Use 6911 W Santa Monica Blvd Los Angeles 13,969 sf 25,015 sf 6,000 sf 374 du 15,000 sf 39 Project 6516 W Selma Ave Los Angeles 85,000 sf 40 The Lexington 6677 W Santa Monica Blvd 41 Highland Center Mixed Use Apartments and/or c 1600 N Highland Ave Los Angeles Hotel 787 du 9,500 sf 12,700 sf 496 du 300 rooms 186,200 sf 45,400 sf 42 Lanewood Apartments 7045 W Lanewood Ave Los Angeles Apartments 43 du 43 Seward St Project 956 N Seward St Los Angeles 130,000 sf W Hollywood Blvd Los Angeles 17,717 sf 45 Washington Square Mixed Use Development 4040 W Washington Blvd Los Angeles Option A d Apartments Option B Apartments Option A d 328 du 219 du 82,539 sf 24,330 sf Option B 125 du 217 du 176,125 sf 25,100 sf 35,900 sf 3 7

8 3.0 General Description of Environmental Setting August Television Center (TVC Expansion) 6311 N Romaine St Los Angeles Expansion of Gym and Dance Studio 47 Western Galleria Market 100 N Western Ave Los Angeles Apartment 48 Century Plaza Mixed Use Development (Hyatt Regency Hotel) 2025 S Ave of the Stars Los Angeles Renovation and Rehabilitation of Existing Century Plaza Proposed Housekeeping Hotel High Quality High Turnover Demolish Existing (Hotel) (Manager) (Hotel Meeting Room) (Spa/Fitness Center) 98 du 30,000 sf 309 du 10 du 394 rooms 7,711 sf 3,856 sf 85,175 sf (726 rooms) (1 du) (84,275 sf) (32,615 sf) 49 Selma Community Housing 1603 N Cherokee Ave Los Angeles Affordable Apartments 66 du 50 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences 1313 N Vine Street Los Angeles Museum Storage 51 Mixed Use 940 S Western Ave Los Angeles Residential Commercial Community Center 44,000 sf 35,231 sf 88 du 12,400 sf 2,400 sf 52 Residential 712 N Wilcox Ave Los Angeles Apartments 100 du 53 Mixed Use 1610 N Highland Ave Los Angeles Apartments 248 du 14,710 sf 54 Apartments 3869 W Wilshire Blvd Los Angeles Apartments 84 du 3 8

9 August General Description of Environmental Setting 55 Apartments 1411 N Highland Ave Los Angeles Apartments 90 du 56 Century City (Westfield) Shopping Center W Santa Monica Blvd Los Angeles Add and Renovation of Existing Shopping Center 57 Medical 2789 W Olympic Blvd Los Angeles Medical Health Spa 58 Shopping Center 2004 CEN Hollywood/Garfield Mixed Use Development 2004 CEN Constellation High Rise 61 Mixed Use 5651 W Santa Monica Blvd 71,700 sf 45,264 sf 10,600 sf 4,960 sf 1133 S Western Ave Los Angeles Shopping Center 21,648 sf 5555 W Hollywood Blvd Los Angeles Apartments 108 du 9,937 sf Constellation Blvd Los Angeles 483 du Los Angeles Apartments 62 Mixed Use 3154 W Wilshire Blvd Los Angeles 437 du 378,000 sf 464 du 25,000 sf 14,000 sf 63 Shopping Center 3060 W Olympic Blvd Los Angeles 109,000 sf 64 Mixed Use 694 S Hobart Blvd Los Angeles Health Club/ s/night Club s 65 Mixed Use 3417 S Motor Ave Los Angeles Apartments 242 du 66,254 sf 4,392 sf 13,559 sf 85 du 2,000 sf 3 9

10 3.0 General Description of Environmental Setting August Sunset and Gordon Mixed Use 5935 W Sunset Blvd Los Angeles 67 Yucca Street Condos 6230 W Yucca St Los Angeles 68 New Century Plan (Westfield Century City) W Santa Monica Blvd Los Angeles Expansion of Existing e Shopping Center Apartments and/or 69 Mixed Use 805 S Catalina St Los Angeles 70 Hollywood Passage 5550 W Hollywood Blvd Los Angeles S Berendo Street Residential 8,500 sf 5,000 40,000 sf 311 du 85 du 13,890 sf 358,881 sf e 106,523 sf 262 du 224 du 7,000 sf 216 du 18,353 sf 670 S Berendo St Los Angeles Apartments 150 du 72 Shopping Center 3650 S Crenshaw Blvd Los Angeles Shopping Center 425,682 sf 73 Selma Hotel 6417 W Selma Ave Los Angeles Hotel /Club 85 rooms 12,840 sf 74 Bellwood Bellwood Ave Los Angeles 131 du 75 Hanover Gower Mixed Use 6100 W Hollywood Blvd Los Angeles Apartments 151 du 6,200 sf 76 Pantages Theater 6225 W Hollywood Blvd Los Angeles 214,000 sf 77 Gramercy Place Private Middle/High School 1717 N Gramercy Pl Los Angeles School 350 students 3 10

11 August General Description of Environmental Setting 78 Columbia Square (CBS Studio) Mixed Use 6121 W Sunset Blvd Los Angeles Apartments Hotel /Bar 200 du 200 du 380,000 sf 125 rooms 20,000 sf 79 Argyle Hotel 1800 N Argyle Ave Los Angeles Hotel 225 rooms S Western Ave Los Angeles 66 du 81 Hotel and 6381 W Hollywood Blvd Los Angeles Hotel 82 Commercial Mixed Use W National Blvd Los Angeles 83 Mixed Use 2401 W Jefferson Blvd Los Angeles Apartments 84 Condo Hotel Mixed Use 85 Emerson College Student Housing 86 Condo Hotel Mixed Use 3240 Wilshire Blvd Los Angeles High Turnover Hotel 1460 N Gordon St Los Angeles Student Housing Faculty/Staff Housing 635 Catalina St Los Angeles 80 rooms 15,290 sf 2,500 sf 3,500 sf 52 du 20,900 sf 117 du 13,707 sf 287 rooms 4,418 sf 224 du 16 du 6,400 sf 136 du 10,998 sf 87 Shopping Center 3650 Crenshaw Blvd Los Angeles Shopping Center 298,800 sf 88 Wilshire Temple Master Plan 3663 W Wilshire Blvd Los Angeles Renovation and Expansion of Temple and School School 55,350 sf 636 students 3 11

12 3.0 General Description of Environmental Setting August South LA Redevelopment 4B 90 South LA Redevelopment 1C 91 Bellwood Avenue Senior Care and Medical 1982 W Adams Blvd Los Angeles 3900 W Martin Luther King Jr Blvd Los Angeles College W Bellwood Ave Los Angeles Medical Senior Assisted Living 92 Hudson Building 6523 W Hollywood Blvd Los Angeles 93 Target Shopping Center 5520 W Sunset Blvd Los Angeles Target Shopping Center (Demolish Existing Building) Motor 3425 S Motor Ave Los Angeles Apartments 10,000 sf 22,000 sf 50,000 sf 200 du 3,600 students 24,000 sf 30 du 10,402 sf 4,074 sf 163,862 sf 30,887 sf ( ) 95 West Adams 1999 W Adams Blvd Los Angeles 75,000 sf 96 and Deli 5500 W Hollywood Blvd Los Angeles Deli 97 Berendo (688) Apartments 98 Highland Avenue Indigo Hotel 99 Millennium Hollywood (Capitol Records) Mixed Use 115 du 975 sf 4,648 sf 1,000 sf 688 S Berendo St Los Angeles Apartments 136 du 1841 N Highland Ave Los Angeles Business Hotel 100 rooms 1740 N Vine St Los Angeles Multi Family Residential f Hotel Commercial Food and Beverage Fitness Center 492 du f 200 rooms 115,802 sf 15,000 sf 34,000 sf 35,100 sf 3 12

13 August General Description of Environmental Setting 100 United Oil W National Blvd Los Angeles Traffic Impact of Existing Gas Station with Convenience Market Add 6 fueling positions 101 Century City Center 1950 S Ave of the Stars Los Angeles 725,830 sf 102 Apartment Project 1824 N Highland Ave Los Angeles Apartments 118 du Berendo Apartments 680 S Berendo St Los Angeles Apartments 174 du 104 Medical Building 121 N San Vicente Blvd Beverly Hills Medical / Space 40,342 sf 105 Residential and Commercial Mixed Use 106 Residences at Saks Fifth Avenue 9200 Wilshire Boulevard Beverly Hills 44 du 19,000 sf 125 S Camden Drive Beverly Hills 44 du Durant Drive Beverly Hills 14 du 108 Robinson May Building 9900 Wilshire Blvd Beverly Hills Condominium 235 du 16,441 sf 109 Jim Falk Lexus 9230 Wilshire Blvd Beverly Hills Automobile Sales 150,300 sf 110 Mixed Use 8767 Wilshire Blvd Beverly Hills High Turnover 111 Mixed Use 8600 Wilshire Blvd Beverly Hills Condominium 112 Convenience Market 401 S Robertson Blvd Beverly Hills 24 Hour Convenience Market 113 SMB20 Project 8120 Santa Monica Blvd West Hollywood Drugstore Specialty Multi Family Residential 60,856 sf 11,260 sf 3,000 sf 21 du 2,300 sf 2,496 sf 13,276 sf 2,138 sf 18 du 3 13

14 3.0 General Description of Environmental Setting August Sunset Boulevard 8801 Sunset Blvd West Hollywood Commercial/ 52,031 sf 115 Sunset/Doheny Hotel Sunset Blvd West Hollywood Hotel Fractional Ownership Conference Uses Spa Uses 116 Mixed Use Project 8497 Sunset Blvd West Hollywood Quality 117 Melrose Triangle Santa Monica Blvd San Vicente Blvd West Hollywood and 102 rooms 46 du 20 du 18,080 sf 5,175 sf 5,785 sf 8,000 sf 4,524 sf 11 du 6,712 sf 82,021 sf 76 du West Hollywood 5 du 119 Hotel Residential 8950 Sunset Blvd West Hollywood Hotel Apartment 196 rooms 4 du Sunset Blvd West Hollywood 9,995 sf 121 Sunset Millennium 8490 Sunset Blvd West Hollywood 122 Sunset Time 8418 Sunset Blvd West Hollywood 123 / 8305 Sunset Blvd West Hollywood 124 Mixed Use 9001 Santa Monica Blvd West Hollywood 125 / 8550 Santa Monica Blvd West Hollywood 126 Mixed Use 8555 Santa Monica Blvd West Hollywood 127 La Peer Hotel 623 La Peer Drive West Hollywood Hotel 3 14

15 August General Description of Environmental Setting Melrose Ave West Hollywood 400,000 sf Melrose Ave West Hollywood 9,998 sf a Larchmont Buzz, Associated Estates Purchases Historic Desmond s Towers, May 9, 2012, village news/associated estates purchaseshistoric desmonds tower/. Accessed August 16, b Although LACMA is located in the, the land is owned by Los Angeles County. c The Lexington Project, Recirculated Portions of the Draft EIR, July 2013, Accessed August 20, d Washington Square Mixed Use Development Draft EIR, January 2010, Accessed August 20, e New Century Plan Final Environmental Impact Report, July 2008, Accessed August 20, f Millennium Hollywood Project Draft Environmental Impact Report, October 2012, DEIR/DEIR%20Millennium%20Hollywood%20Project.html. Accessed August 20, Note: du = dwelling units; sf = square feet * Related project data was provided by the and other jurisdictions. For a limited number of projects this information is incomplete (e.g., lacking information regarding square footage to be demolished or constructed, unit counts, or other detailed land use information). Related project data summarized herein represents the most accurate, complete, and current information available at this time. Source: Gibson Transportation Consulting, Inc., Traffic Study for the, July The Traffic Study is provided in Appendix M 1 of this Draft EIR. 3 15

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17 N Not to scale PCR Related Projects Map FIGURE Academy Museum of MoƟon Pictures Project 3-1 Source: Gibson TransportaƟon Consultants, Inc., 2014.

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