Unusual $80-Mil Retail Project Wins City's Blessing

LOS ANGELES-A local developer hopes to begin construction soon on an $80-million Westside retail project, now that the Planning Commission has approved the builder’s highly unusual–and equally controversial–development idea.

The developer, locally based LCOR Public/Private Inc., wants to build a 440,000-sf project anchored by both retailer Costco and home-improvement giant Home Depot near the busy intersection of Pico and San Vicente boulevards. But unlike most retail centers, LCOR’s project would be “stacked”: Costco would occupy the ground floor, while Home Depot would literally sit on top of it.

The LA Planning Commission approved the project after hearing four hours of complaints from some nearby residents and praise from others. Opponents cited several concerns, ranging from the possibility of increased traffic to how the project itself will look.