Hyperion Horror and Tokio Florist Terror?
Image courtesy LADBS application.
A 5-story apartment building is planned to replace the Hyperion building that housed Tenants of the Trees, a notorious bar known for its’ spiked drinks and various community problems. The proposed mixed use project at 2810 Hyperion Avenue will have commercial space for a restaurant at the ground floor and 28 residential units – 23 market-rate units and 5 affordable units. The project is designed by BIG, a well-regarded Danish firm that has a local office in Santa Monica.
Located in the dense Hyperion commercial district, the project will have no parking spaces. Within half a mile of Metro bus route 182, the site is utilizing the State Density Bonus Program as prescribed by the Los Angeles Municipal Code.
2810 Hyperion is a by-right project, which means it fully complies with local and zoning codes. No neighborhood review is required. Yet, this project is of concern due to its’ location in a dense, parking- and traffic-challenged area.
The developer also recently purchased the Tokio Florist site several hundred feet away. Tokio Florist is Los Angeles Historic Cultural Monument #1198 and an icon of Silver Lake’s history. The Craftsman and Tudor-style house was built in 1911, and moved to the current
site in 1929. Historic gardens surround the house. Previous restoration efforts noted in 2022 have been abandoned (link).
As Hyperion would have no parking on site, 14 spaces would be located at Tokio Florist. Two new spaces would be constructed for a total of 16 parking spots. The parking plan includes the removal of some mature trees and partial preservation of the historic Japanese garden. The developer is not proposing any plan for renovation or maintenance of the historic house, which has been vacant and is at risk of further deterioration.
Silver Lake Together is concerned about the 2810 Hyperion project as well as its’ potential effect on the historic Tokio Florist site and our community. We encourage readers concerned about the potential destruction of Silver Lake’s history and 2810 Hyperion’s lack of parking to note their concerns to the entities listed below. We recommend some points be made:
Urge preservation of the historic Tokio Florist site befitting a Los Angeles Historic Cultural Monument and beloved part of our community
Urge restaurant and commercial parking be provided at the 2810 Hyperion project itself, not in a lot several hundred feet away
Urge a neighborhood meeting be held to discuss our neighborhood's concerns
Council District 4 – Nithya Raman
Miles Orr
Planning and Community Development Director
Armida Reyes, Planning Deputy
Mashael Majid, Deputy Chief of Staff, Planning, Community Development
Office of Historic Resources
Ken Bernstein, OHR Manager
Maritza Przekop, Senior City Planner
Lambert Giessinger, Senior Architect
Comments