The Los Angeles City Council’s Planning and Land Use (PLUM) Committee last week approved a development that will convert the former Fairfax Theatre at the corner of Beverly Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue into housing and retail space.

A housing and retail project has been proposed for the site that houses the former Fairfax Theatre. Developers plan to retain the theatre’s façade. (rendering courtesy of Howard Laks Architects)

The approval marks the last hurdle for the project before it goes before the full city council. The building that housed the former theatre and some small shops will be converted into 71 condominium units and 11,000 square feet of ground level retail space. The six-story building will have four levels of subterranean parking and a rooftop pool, gym and spa. The project will also retain the Fairfax Theatre’s façade, and elements of the building’s art deco architecture.

“We are very pleased,” said Ira Handelman, who represents the developer and longtime property owner Alex Gorby. “It will still go to the council, but we are happy to have the unanimous support of the planning commission and the PLUM Committee.”

City Councilman Paul Koretz, 5th District, supports the project. It initially generated some controversy when it was proposed four years ago after a group sought to preserve the theatre, but the city ultimately ruled that the building did not qualify for historic status. The theatre, which was built in the 1930s, has been closed since 2009 after a ceiling collapsed. The project was also previously approved by the Mid-City West Community Council.

“They did effectively address the issues,” Koretz said. “With the current condition of the theatre, I think it is probably the best way to maintain the character of the building, and hopefully the building will look, from the exterior, the way it did decades ago. I think all around, it’s a good project.”

Handelman said the developer is optimistic the project will receive full city council approval, and the meeting to consider it will likely be scheduled within the next couple of months. He added that there is no timeline yet for construction.

“We are pleased by the city’s support and the community’s support,” he said. “We worked very hard.”