Architectural Board Delays Vote on Prominent Religious Headquarters

By Jorge Casuso

Noting that building a large glass lobby on a prominent downtown intersection would result in an important "cultural civic place," the Architectural Review Board on Monday night requested several changes before the project can be approved.

The proposed project would tear down the front portion of a four-story office/church building at 522 Wilshire Boulevard and replace it with a two-story glass-enclosed lobby for an existing auditorium tucked away in the back of the building.

The renovated site will serve as a church and cultural center for Soka Gakkai International, a wealthy and powerful international Buddhist organization.

"This is a public street, a cultural civic place," said Rick Abelson, who chairs the commission. "The way the walls will interact with the public needs to happen."

"I think the project is headed in the right direction, but it's an ambitious project that is going to affect" a prominent corner, said boardmember Howard Laks.

Boardmembers were concerned the proposed 12,125 square-foot curved lobby facing Wilshire was not pedestrian friendly and did not extend to the 6th Street side, which will serve as an entrance and exit to an existing two-level underground parking garage.

Architects said the church feared making the facade too pedestrian friendly because it would encourage loitering. Abelson, however, said that the "loitering issue will have to be handled by police."

The proposed project will add a green and blue glass facade that emulates the ocean, and that will serve as "a lantern in the night," according to the architects.

Planning staff had recommended approval of the project, but was concerned with the 6th street wall.

"Staff is supportive of the proposed remodel," the report said. "The reduction in height from the existing 4-story building to a 2-story building will reduce the building's mass and will create a scale more compatible with the rear building on the site and the adjacent commercial buildings along Wilshire Boulevard.

But the report added that "the design is lacking pedestrian orientation in terms of transparency along the Sixth Street elevation."