Finally the Commons Begins Construction in NoHo

We've been waiting, watching, and wondering in our NoHo Arts District neighborhood about plans to redevelop sad parcels of land into mixed-use metropolitan sites. The opening of the Metro Red Line in 2001 held the promise of continuing development, but there were stalls and delays, and little progress was seen initially. Recently we've noticed a flurry of construction on nearby streets (high-rise buildings) and now there are signs declaring the impending arrival of the NoHo Commons. This $43 million-dollar project includes a 15 story tower that will hold 191 residential units, making the building the tallest residential high-rise in the San Fernando Valley. Fourteen of those units are set aside for low-income tenants, which will surely make them hot commodities, considering the proximity to transit and what will most likely be a burgeoning retail corridor.

Retail is sorely lacking in the quirky NoHo Arts District, which is for the most part a huge plus for the mom-and-pop boutique and cafe feel of the 'hood, but, ultimately the lack of retail options seems to be a bit of an unbalanced act in light of steadily rising rents. We aren't sure a movie mega-plex is needed, and we have the requisite Starbucks, but there are times when it seems like a bit of schlepp to shop in nearby Burbank or Studio City (we all know CityWalk doesn't count unless you're wearing a fanny pack and enjoy being taken advantage of). Ideally, NoHo needs a moderate shot in the arm of revitalization; right now they talk the talk, but don't walk the walk. The NoHo Commons construction seems promising in this vein, and we hope that this urbanization will be the right thing for our neighborhood.