Construction continues on The Rise Hollywood at 1311 N. Cahuenga Blvd. and the Academy on Vine at 1341 Vine St., two dueling projects that are expected to add more traffic to the heart of Hollywood.

The Rise Hollywood (left) and the Academy on Vine (right) are expected to bring more than 8,000 new car trips per day to the Hollywood area. (photo by Edwin Folven)

Environmental impact reports for both sites found the impacts on traffic would be “significant and unavoidable” to the area just south of Amoeba Music and the ArcLight Hollywood. Studies estimated that The Rise Hollywood, which will feature a seven-story mixed-use building with retail, restaurants, offices and apartment units, would add over 2,000 new trips per day, in addition to the over 6,000 new trips per day brought by the Academy on Vine, which will have close to 500,000 square feet of space for offices, retail, apartment units and restaurants.

“The most frightening sight is that of a fire truck or ambulance at a full stop because they can’t get through traffic. We’ve seen it happen more and more,” said Veronica Lebron, a representative for Save Cahuenga, a group of Hollywood residents concerned about the developments along the Cahuenga corridor. “How many lives have been lost or further harmed because emergency services couldn’t get to them sooner due to heavier than normal traffic?”

The Save Cahuenga group has voiced alarm against The Rise Hollywood to the Central Hollywood Neighborhood Council and Councilman Mitch O’Farrell’s 13th District office, and Lebron stated the group similarly objects to the Academy on Vine, although it learned of the project only after construction began.

Both project developers did not respond to requests for comment. O’Farrell, who believes these projects will ultimately benefit the community, acknowledged that traffic may increase in the area, but assured such issues would be “temporary” and will eventually smooth out.

“Hollywood is evolving and there are signs of that everywhere. New construction means economic development, more jobs and additional housing, including hundreds of affordable units that I have negotiated since taking office,” O’Farrell said. “This unprecedented investment in Hollywood requires us to continually strike the balance to make the neighborhood safer and more livable.”

Developed by Rescore Hollywood and designed by Nadel Architects, The Rise Hollywood began construction in mid-2017 and is expected to be completed in 2019. Once finished, the project will feature a modern, angular design rising to 110 feet at its highest point and offer 2,570 square feet of commercial space on the ground floor for retail, restaurants and offices, according to Los Angeles Department of City Planning spokesperson Lauren Alba.

The site will also offer 369 residential units, which include 12 live/work spaces, 30 micro units and 20 moderate-income housing units. Moderate income, as defined by the California Department of Housing and Community Development is 80 to 120 percent of the area median income. Low income, on the other hand, can refer to zero to 80 percent of the AMI.

Additionally, the building will have an estimated 40,900 square feet of open space, including a public plaza, a spa and pool on the second floor, and a recreation and gym room. The site will also have a two-level subterranean garage with 567 parking spaces.

A single-family residence, three-unit apartment building, two office buildings, an auto repair shop and three parking lots were previously located at the site of The Rise Hollywood project.

Despite the arguments against the project from Save Cahuenga, a public hearing in 2016 garnered only positive reviews from the surrounding community, with many praising the fact that the coming restaurants, retail and workspace at The Rise would help make the neighborhood more walkable, and that the development addressed housing issues in the area.

“This project is exactly what we need,” said Hollywood resident Ruth Myers. “It will ensure that we have, in addition to a beautiful high rise, condos and apartments – market-rate apartments – being built as well, which is something like I can afford, or other people like myself.”

The Academy on Vine, further up the street, was developed by Kilroy Realty and designed by House & Robertson Architects. It began construction in late 2017. With an estimated completion by 2020, the complex will feature a modern design, public plaza area and walkways, and a collection of three mixed-use buildings up to five stories tall with 282,800 square feet of space for offices, restaurants and retail.

The site will also include a 23-story tower with 196 residential units, a gym, pool and private open space. However, unlike The Rise Hollywood project, the Academy on Vine does not designate any units for moderate- or low-income rent.

The Academy on Vine spans the full city block, bound by Wesr De Longpre Avenue to the north, North Ivar Street to the west, West Homewood Avenue to the south, and North Vine Street to the east. For parking, the site will have 1,349 subterranean vehicle spaces and 398 bike parking spaces. Prior to construction, three single-story commercial buildings, surface parking areas and a lawn formerly occupied the site.

A public hearing on the project in early 2017 featured only one comment. Leron Gubler, president and CEO of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, said that he had no concerns with the plans for the Academy on Vine as a result of the success of another Kilroy Realty project in the area, Columbia Square.