In an attempt to preserve the Mosaic church and stop the Horizon Hollywood development at the northwest corner of La Brea Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard, a nonprofit has started a petition to block the project, and submitted an application to make the existing building a historic-cultural monument.

The Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission is considering the Mosaic church on the northwest corner of La Brea Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard for historic-cultural monument status. (photo by Gregory Cornfield)

The Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission will hold a hearing this morning to review the historic-cultural monument application submitted by Save Residential Hollywood and determine whether to further consider the designation.

Fifth Church of Christ, Scientist, owned the property at 7107 Hollywood Blvd. until 2008 when it was sold to real estate developer LeFrak.The original church was built in 1916 and renovated in the 1950s. It is now leased to a Christian church called the Mosaic.

To take its place, developers LeFrak and Kennedy Wilson are proposing to demolish the building, rezone the plot and build the Horizon Hollywood project. It includes three buildings ranging from six to 26 stories. The LaBrea Building, Boulevard Building and Courtyard Building are planned to be 275, 88 and 65 feet tall, respectively. The plans contain 410 residential units and a 940-vehicle commercial parking facility.

The plans also include 10,000 square feet of ground floor retail space and eateries, and 9,300 square feet of pedestrian plaza space with recreational amenities, outdoor dining, public art and gathering places, according to the project’s website. Additionally, an outdoor pool, a roof deck and gym are planned. The project’s website indicates it will provide parking in excess of city code requirements to ensure no spillover parking impacts the surrounding streets and neighborhoods.

Developers hope to start construction in 2016, and they anticipate it will take approximately two years to complete.

But Helen Berman, president of Save Residential Hollywood, said she is trying to stop overdevelopment of Hollywood. She started a petition that has approximately 500 signatures so far to stop the Horizon Hollywood development.

“[L.A. City] Council is permitting overdevelopment and the destruction of historic structures with no thought given to improve infrastructure,” Berman said.

Save Residential Hollywood is concerned the development will set a precedent that the group doesn’t want for the area.

“The rezoning will have a domino impact as developers along Hollywood Boulevard will use the rezoning of this plot as precedent to rezone their land for increased height and density,” the petition read.

The petition states the development will have “profound negative impacts on quality of life” in Hollywood. The group is concerned more congestion at the La Brea Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard intersection that already has a high volume of traffic and closures, will create public safety issues because it would increase emergency response times for the neighborhood.

The project’s website claims the development will promote the use of alternative transportation like mass-transit, bicycle riding and sharing, and walking.

“We support the designation of the historic Fifth Christ Church location … as an important historic-cultural monument because it is an outstanding example of mid-century modern architecture which is especially integral to the iconic architecture of historic Hollywood,” the petition read.

The petition also states the increased noise from the commercial establishments and pedestrian plaza will alter the character of the neighborhood. It will increase pollution and crime, draw more tourists, and “deprive the neighborhood” of a “culturally significant building.”

“The current structure frames the views of the neighborhood,” Berman said. “It signals the change from the bustle of La Brea Avenue to the quiet residential nature of Hollywood Boulevard west of La Brea.”

Hollywood Heritage and Los Angeles Conservancy will join Save Residential Hollywood to deliver the petition to the Cultural Heritage Commission at the meeting at 10 a.m. today in Los Angeles City Hall room 1010 at 200 N. Spring St.

To be approved by the city, the project will require a change in zoning from the current medium residential designation to a regional center designation that will permit unlimited height, increased density and commercial development.

“We oppose rezoning the land on which [the Mosaic] is located from its current [medium residential] zoning to [regional center] and the development of a mixed commercial use 26-story skyscraper at the site,” the petition read.

The development plans have been submitted to the Los Angeles City Planning Department and are awaiting a draft environmental impact report.

Representatives of the Horizon Hollywood project were not available for comment.