Santa Monica continues to evolve with new housing, mixed-use projects, and commercial activity that reflect both the city’s growth ambitions and commitment to community vibrancy. From rising structures on Pico Boulevard to planning activity around transit hubs, here’s your weekly look at what’s shaping our city’s landscape and lifestyle.
Project Highlights
🌆 234 Pico Boulevard — Mixed‑Use Residence Rising
Construction is underway at 234 Pico Boulevard, transforming the former Pico Bowl site into an active mixed‑use development with 186 apartments and about 11,000 sq ft of ground‑floor retail space. The design includes 19 deed‑restricted affordable units and preserves the iconic “BOWL” sign as a nod to the site’s mid‑century past. This project adds much‑needed homes and retail fronts near the civic center, strengthening neighborhood connectivity.
🏡 2800 28th Street — Large Mixed‑Use Vision
Plans for The 2800 Project are progressing: this major development would replace an existing office building with around 385 residences, including income‑restricted units, as well as community‑serving retail space. Strategically placed near the Santa Monica Airport, it’s one of the larger mixed‑use proposals in the pipeline.
🏢 1723 Cloverfield Boulevard — Mid‑Rise Living
An eight‑story mixed‑income building is proposed at 1723 Cloverfield Boulevard, offering nearly 330 units with publicly accessible open space and pedestrian connections. Developments like this aim to balance housing demand with community needs.
🏘️ Design Updates on Lincoln Boulevard
Design refinements are underway for a new seven‑story building at 2307 Lincoln Boulevard, which would bring 69 apartments and ground‑floor commercial space to an underutilized corridor — another sign of thoughtful infill development in Santa Monica.
🏙️ Market & Community Insight
Santa Monica continues wrestling with the balance between growth and affordability. Homes here are in high demand, and while some large projects advance, the city is actively leasing city‑owned sites to developers focused on affordable housing, helping meet state goals and expand housing stock for diverse income levels.
Across the city, discussions remain active about how to streamline development processes and how future zoning decisions will shape housing capacity — particularly near transit like Metro’s Bergamot Station and along key corridors like Wilshire and Lincoln.
🛍️ Around Town — Retail & Lifestyle
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New Retail Moves: Trader Joe’s recently made a major acquisition in Santa Monica, a significant vote of confidence in the local retail environment.
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Retail Evolution at Santa Monica Place: The downtown shopping hub continues changeovers in tenant mix and public spaces, part of broader efforts to revitalize the area and attract visitors.
These retail and amenity updates help boost foot traffic near development zones and enhance community life beyond construction sites.
📣 Your Santa Monica Snapshot
Santa Monica’s development landscape is active and thoughtful — balancing mixed‑use living, retail activation, and long‑term neighborhood planning. Every project tells a story about how our city adapts to new aspirations while preserving character and quality of life.
If you’d like personal insights on how these developments could impact property values or neighborhood dynamics, I’d love to help you interpret the trends and what they mean for residents and investors alike.
Stay tuned for next week’s update! 🏡🌴
