The historic Saks building on Wilshire Boulevard will undergo renovations during construction of four new buildings. (photo by Tabor Brewster)

The Beverly Hills Planning Commission on Aug. 14 voted to approve plans for Saks Fifth Avenue project at 9600 Wilshire Blvd. The project will now move to the Beverly Hills City Council, which will vote on its approval.

“We’re grateful to the Planning Commission for their thorough and thoughtful review.  Their vote of support is a result of our team’s work to significantly refine our project to reduce intensity, enhance on-site circulation and respond to feedback from our closest neighbors,” said Douglas Adams, senior vice president of development for Saks Global. “We now look forward to continued dialogue with the community and our next steps at City Council.”

The specific plan and environmental impact report were approved in a 4-0 vote. Commissioner Myra Demeter recused herself.

The project encompasses two blocks of Wilshire Boulevard between Camden and Bedford drives. The mixed-use development includes the rehabilitation of the historic Saks Women’s building at 9600 Wilshire Blvd. and the construction of four new buildings. The project was submitted by Hudson’s Bay Company – the parent of Saks Fifth Avenue.

A new building immediately to the west of the Saks Women’s store – the former Barney’s New York building – will be six stories tall with four levels of office space and two levels of retail and restaurant space. The historic rehabilitation of the 9600 Wilshire Blvd. building will transform it into a 42-room boutique hotel with a private social club and spa open to the public. Immediately to the west, a new residential building will contain one level of ground-floor retail and six levels of apartments.

At the south end of the project, plans include two new apartment buildings on sites currently occupied by parking lots. The “Residential West” building between Bedford and Peck drives will contain 28 apartments and over 7,500 square feet of “small neighborhood shops.” A similar building, “Residential East” between Peck and Camden drives, will also contain 28 apartments and 7,500 square feet of retail.

The apartment buildings to the south are separated from the retail, office and hotel buildings on Wilshire Boulevard by a pedestrian and car-accessible “via” between Bedford and Peck drives and a pedestrian-only terrace between Peck and Camden drives.

The project will also include an underground parking structure located beneath the east and west residential buildings, with 744 parking spaces.

The project has received mixed feedback from the community. Proponents supported the project for revitalizing a “sleepy” section of Wilshire Boulevard, promoting economic growth and boosting public safety through increased foot traffic. However, critics of the project said it is too large, and will have adverse effects on traffic in the surrounding neighborhood. Residents have expressed many concerns over the construction impacts of the project. Construction is currently expected to last approximately 50 months.

At the meeting on Aug. 14, the fourth thus far on the Saks Fifth Avenue development, the project was opposed by many residents in the area.

“Please consider all these factors on the everyday lives of the residents, of 440 homes and numerous apartments in the Southwest,” said Ken Goldman, president of the Southwest Beverly Hils Homeowners Association. “Please reduce the size of this project. Please require changes that won’t shut down our streets for years. Please require changes to be paid for by the applicant, such as traffic circles and increased police presence in the neighborhood that will reduce the environmental impact of all this additional traffic next to our homes.”

The Planning Commission spent hours deliberating on the project following public comment. The final approval by the commission included conditions on the project such as limiting restaurant space to 15,088 square feet and ensuring that sound is mitigated during construction.

A public hearing on the project will be held by the City Council at a date not yet determined.