The 105,214 square-foot project was designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry. (rendering courtesy of Gehry Partners LLP/Gruen Associates)

The Beverly Hills Planning Commission on Sept. 25 unanimously approved the Frank Gehry-designed Louis Vuitton development on Rodeo and Beverly drives.

The project, titled the Louis Vuitton Rodeo Drive Experiential Flagship store, includes 105,214 square feet of retail, museum, exhibition and rooftop dining space across four land parcels – 456 N. Rodeo Drive, 468 N. Rodeo Drive, 449-453 N. Beverly Drive and 461-465 N. Beverly Drive.

The separate parcels will be connected with an underground service tunnel and two pedestrian bridges above the public alley. The structure will be three stories tall at approximately 45 feet, with additional rooftop elements extending an additional 15 feet for a total of 60 feet tall.

John Mulliken, senior vice president of store planning for Louis Vuitton Americas, presented the project to the Planning Commission.

“Our experiential flagships are a combination of a retail experience, a culinary experience and a cultural experience. All of these are brought together in one location for the 468 [N. Rodeo Drive] project,” Mullikan said. “We combined the experiential flagship of Louis Vuitton with the dynamic architecture of Frank Gehry on the world-famous Rodeo Drive, and we feel as though we’re able to create a culturally vibrant destination in the northern approach of the Golden Triangle.”

The project features Gehry’s signature contemporary architectural style, and parallels the Walt Disney Concert Hall in its swooping, reflective structures that make up the building.

The Rodeo Drive portion of the project will contain 45,433 square feet of retail space in addition to a rooftop terrace. The store includes 6,217 square feet reserved for “very important client” salons on the second and third floors and rooftop. According to city staff, the rooftop will host “invitation-only special events and product launches” approximately 12 times per year.

The 54,723-square-foot portion of the project on Beverly Drive will include a museum and exhibition space, gift shop, bookstore and related retail. A 150-seat fine dining restaurant with indoor and outdoor space will be included on the rooftop of the Beverly Drive section of the project.

The 4,327-square-foot basement level will contain back-of-house support spaces including employee lockers and changing rooms. An underground parking garage will provide 29 parking spaces. The parking spaces will be operated by valet only and will be exclusively available to restaurant guests and “very important client” salon visitors. The restaurant and the very important client salons will require reservations. The museum will also operate on a reservation-only basis.

The project received only one public comment in the form of a written letter from Bruce Meyer and his son Evan Meyer. The Meyers own several properties in the Golden Triangle and listed concerns over the Beverly Drive portion of the project, including the loss of street parking spaces and potential disruption to pedestrian traffic due to a vehicle entrance on Beverly Drive.

“Beverly Drive has long served as our city’s main street and it is critical that this side of the project receive equal attention and care,” the letter read. “We have worked hard to attract a thoughtful mix of tenants directly next door to the site, and we want to ensure the street continues to be a pleasant destination for shopping and outdoor dining.”

Project representative Deborah Quick responded by stating that the vehicle entrance on Beverly Drive was created to allow valet services and loading and delivery to be handled on private property instead of the public right-of-way in the alley, which is currently used by several other businesses.

To address the Meyers’ concerns, the Planning Commission added a condition that vehicles will be prohibited from making a left turn onto Beverly Drive upon exiting the property. Additionally, they added that a parabolic mirror, light system and stop sign must be installed at the exit on Beverly Drive.

The Planning Commission unanimously approved the Louis Vuitton project, expressing support for the development.

“I think it’s a beautiful project. It’s within the scope and scale of our zoning laws and will activate that part of our city,” Commissioner Gary Ross said.

The development is located at the site of the planned Cheval Blanc Hotel, a luxury hotel project by Louis Vuitton that was approved by City Council but ultimately overturned by Beverly Hills residents in a narrow vote in May 2023. Compared to Cheval Blanc, the new project is less than half the square footage and maximum height, and does not contain a hotel.