Master Sign Program Hearing Continued to Future Date
By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief
During its most recent meeting on February 28, Pacific Palisades Commercial Village and Neighborhoods Design Review Board had two public hearings, first voting unanimously to support amended proposed plans to renovate the interior and exterior building of a forthcoming Equinox and then to continue an item related to a Master Sign Program for a Sunset boulevard building.
Equinox, a “luxury fitness club,” confirmed to the Palisadian-Post in September 2023 it was slated to open at 17383 Sunset Boulevard in summer 2024, in a space previously occupied by Bay Club, which closed in May 2021.
The Equinox item, which was originally heard by the Design Review Board on January 10, was continued, pending requests from board members to change a portion of the design of two outdoor walls.
The area of work for the project includes approximately 24,700 square feet of space. The project includes “tenant improvement/interior remodel of existing health club/gym” on three floors of Building C and the third floor of Building B, according to a planning package.
“The proposed project includes the installation of new storefronts, solid walls and landscaping,” according to Los Angeles City Planning Department. “The proposed project also includes the demolition of 248 square feet of floor area at Building B (third floor) and addition of 192 square feet of floor area at Building B (third floor) and 43 square feet of floor area at Building C (second floor), resulting in a 24,718-square-foot health club/gym.”
As proposed, the locker room would be on the ground floor, the main entrance on the second floor, and the majority of the workout and exercise space on the third floor. The applicant originally proposed to install an “opaque film” on the ground floor of Building C at the locker room—“otherwise, the building finishes are remaining,” according to project architect Lulu Saleh, who spoke at the January meeting.
After a presentation from project representatives, the members of the board posed a series of questions regarding the design, primarily focused on the proposed look of two outdoor facades. At the time, DRB Board Member Tammy McKerrow-Poulos cited concern over a “patchwork” look of the two different types of film (translucent and opaque) that Equinox proposed to have, as well as a “blank white wall” that is “very visible” from Sunset Boulevard, including the Juicy Ladies space.
They voted unanimously January 10 to continue the hearing until the applicant could return with an updated design, with “a visual activation element at the ground level and to revert the proposed wall on the third floor to the existing glass panels,” Planning Assistant Brenden Lau confirmed.
At the February 28 meeting, Saleh explained that Equinox would now essentially be “restoring the existing storefronts and installing opaque privacy film” on the third floor instead of the originally proposed wall.
When it came to the “visual activation element,” Equinox project representatives returned with five options for the decorative window, including two based on the waves/ocean, two related to landscaping and one that tied into the planned indoor elements of the project.
The members of the DRB then deliberated, touching on the pros and cons of the various options for the window—coming to the consensus that they prefer the first option, which was described by Saleh as an “abstract graphic visualization of ocean waves.” They voted unanimously to support the project as proposed with the amendments in place following its original continuation.
Master Sign Program
The second hearing during the February 28 meeting was regarding a proposed Master Sign Program for 10 potential on-site wall signs for 15130, 15140 and 15150 W Sunset Boulevard, which currently houses Anawalt’s Palisades Hardware and Sotheby’s International Realty, as well as vacant space previously occupied by Pharmaca.
“There’s no sign permit or application before you today,” said Mark Davis of Trifiletti Consulting, who was representing the project on behalf of the applicant/owner, Leland S. Ford, Leland M. Ford & Associates L.P. “We’re just ultimately looking for a plan and program that sets the framework for this so that each of our tenants can successfully file for a permit in the future.”
As proposed, the project includes the demolition of existing signs on site, as well as the installation of six new signs, according to the project description. This would break down to approximately 240 square feet of sign space for Tenant A (15150 W Sunset Blvd.), 91 square feet for Tenant B (15140 W Sunset Blvd.) and 152 square feet for Tenant C (15130 W Sunset Blvd.). No new sign area is being requested, according to a presentation.
The existing building was previously occupied by two commercial tenants until April 2023, when the building was partitioned into three commercial tenant spaces through a Change of Use Permit, read the presentation.
“Under its current condition, Anawalt Hardware store’s available signage is dependent on Sotheby’s street frontage … ,” the presentation continued. “As a result, Anawalt does not have sufficient sign area to support its business. Due to this limitation, the applicant is seeking Master Sign Program … ”
The project’s goals and objectives, as per the presentation, include to “provide creative and tasteful signage that enhances the property and is compliant with the Pacific Palisades Commercial Village Design Guidelines.” It also would “equally distribute signage between three tenants to functionally and effectively serve their identification needs.”
The proposed Master Sign Program would also “establish uniform standards that ensures existing and future tenant signage is harmonious, integrates with the architecture of the building and provides coordinated proportional exposure for all tenants.” In the future, tenants would be provided with an “efficient permitting process.”
Members of the Design Review Board discussed the project as proposed, citing concerns over the building materials/colors included in the project package and one of the signs that would potentially be put in place at the building which is currently occupied by Anawalt.
“We have been with Building and Safety now for two-plus years trying to get this design plan together,” said James Arico, who serves as counsel for the building owner. “We now have two consultants … I don’t believe, unless I’m wrong, you can have a complete strip sign in the area that is of concern, because the square footage is not only length, it’s also height.”
He explained that the project applicants would be back “as soon as possible” to try to get the design plan approved.
“It’s not about colors, it’s not about individual sign permits,” he explained. “It’s about understanding what the parameters are so our tenants can have an easier time with the permitting process, which is very difficult.”
The DRB voted unanimously to continue the hearing to a later date, requesting “uniformity in the signs,” as well as Anawalt’s proposed sign to not be a roof band, but instead broken up into individual signs, Lau confirmed.
“More information was requested about the sign’s size,” Lau continued. “The DRB would also like to see a three-color palette for the proposed signs in the next meeting for review.”