EYRC Architects is designing a new affordable housing project at 11029 Washington Boulevard in Culver City, responding to the city’s need for well-designed housing along a crucial east-west corridor.
Recent figures show that Los Angeles County faces a shortfall of nearly 500,000 affordable homes for lower-income households, underscoring the importance of adding new housing in cities like Culver City. Sites along Washington Boulevard offer an opportunity to introduce housing near transit, jobs, and community amenities while remaining attentive to neighborhood scale and character.
View of lobby and community art space
The proposal was submitted by West Hollywood Community Housing Corporation, a nonprofit developer recognized for delivering high-quality, service-oriented affordable housing throughout Los Angeles County. The project calls for a seven-story building with 67 affordable housing units, along with ground-level artist lofts and a community art center. The project team was selected through a competitive, city-led Request for Proposals process.
The building’s form responds directly to the site’s distinctive wedge-shaped geometry. Two single-loaded residential wings organize the plan, with a shift in height that allows the building to transition toward the adjacent residential neighborhood. Along Washington Boulevard, the ground level is designed to be active and porous, with arts-related uses that engage the sidewalk. The residences include a mix of one-bedroom apartments and two-bedroom lofts, reserved for households earning between 30 and 80 percent of the Area Median Income.
Elevation along Washington Blvd.
For EYRC Architects, this work takes place in familiar territory. With its office just down the street, EYRC has maintained a long-standing presence in Culver City and contributed to the city’s civic fabric through past work, including The Culver Steps. That familiarity informs how the team approaches questions of scale, density, and other neighborhood characteristics.
Originally built in 1953 and long occupied by the Martin B. Retting gun store, the site has recently taken on a different role through temporary murals and community art installations. The proposed housing project represents the next step in that evolution, moving from interim activation toward a permanent place for housing, culture, and public life.
“It’s exciting to be actively participating in housing solutions for our Culver City community, which we are proud to be a part of,” says Patricia Rhee, Partner and Design Lead for the project. “This work reflects a shared commitment to creating homes that support community, creativity, and long-term affordability.”