Sometimes Reality Requires Redesign

The entitled Arlington project had to be redesigned around active oil wells to deliver 84 affordable housing units.

  • Fully abandoning the wells proved too costly and time-consuming
  • The redesign maintains oil well access by wrapping the building around the no-build zone
  • This solution preserves financial feasibility and the entitled architectural character

Affordable housing success is often measured in unit count and density. At The Arlington in Los Angeles, CA, arriving at those numbers was only possible after navigating a unique and unexpected obstacle. The entitled design included a plan for mitigating active oil wells on the property that proved to be much more expensive and time-consuming than the team originally expected. On a compact 1.13-acre site, that discovery changed nearly everything, and the project was at risk of being scrapped. Before pulling the plug, the team explored a complete site and building redesign. By reorganizing spaces and getting creative with access, amenities and unit layouts, the new design enabled affordable housing and the existing wells to coexist. But it wasn’t easy.

Fully abandoning the wells would have required extensive drilling and concrete work, requiring the developer to accept years of added time and cost. That approach threatened the project’s funding and financial feasibility. So during the redesign process, the team found a better solution: Wrap the building around the wells, preserving required access while keeping the residential program intact to save the project without losing the approved unit count.

A New Take on Accessibility

The challenge was not simply leaving a few manhole covers exposed. Regulations mandate that oil wells include required access pads and clear routes for service trucks and equipment. The building could not be constructed over the wells, so the entitled podium design was out. Also, residential units require minimum clearance from the wells, which meant a large portion of the property became a no-build zone. Accordingly, the redesign shifted parking, reworked vehicular circulation and altered the building footprint so access could be maintained. In the end, the drive aisles became a key organizing element.

The decision to work around the oil wells instead of over them triggered a full planning reset. The original building shape changed substantially behind the street frontage. Parking that had once been more centralized was reorganized. Portions of the building were pushed and pulled as needed to manage setbacks, access and egress. Unit counts lost to the oil wells were recovered elsewhere in the new design. Some amenities moved to the ground floor. The courtyard became more compact and enclosed, encircled by the building to increase density. Within that tighter footprint, the design still includes gathering space, outdoor seating, barbecue areas and a play area.

Delivering on the Promise

Unit layouts were also reconsidered. Profitability in affordable housing often relies on tested unit dimensions, repeated plans and predictable structural logic to manage cost. At The Arlington, those standards had to flex. Some units became slimmer. Others were reconfigured around nonstandard conditions. The bedroom mix was adjusted while preserving the requirements tied to the project’s affordable housing financing, including the need to maintain a meaningful share of two and three-bedroom homes. Studios helped recover count where needed, but the goal remained unchanged: Protect the number of homes promised.

Financial feasibility was also supported by the move away from a more expensive podium approach. The project evolved into an on-grade building, reducing construction cost while allowing parking to respect the oil well access zones. Affordable housing regulations meant parking demand could be managed differently than a market-rate development. That made the on-grade strategy practical, with a positive impact on cost, schedule and deliverability.

Honoring Approved Character

At the same time, the redesign could not look like a completely different project. The City wanted the entitled architectural character to remain, so the team worked carefully to maintain the building’s street presence, rhythm and material palette. At ground level, the building presents a strong urban edge, with warm stucco planes framed by darker brick volumes. The massing is broken into vertical segments rather than a traditional base-middle-top expression. Brick and stucco connect down to the sidewalk, reading as separate, distinct volumes when viewed from Washington Boulevard and 3rd Avenue.

The architectural character integrates well within the commercial corridor while still offering human-scale detail. Corner volume is anchored by darker brick and storefront-style ground-floor glazing. Recessed entries and balcony openings add depth without relying on expensive articulation. Juliet balconies with sliding doors give many units a connection to fresh air without the cost and maintenance exposure of full decks. Some larger units do include inset decks, but the majority of units use the simpler railing detail to balance livability and affordability.

Challenge Accepted – and Overcome

The Arlington is a building that belies its own complexity. Behind the straightforward, composed exterior is an elegant design response to a complicated site condition. It preserved access to active oil wells, protected existing approvals, maintained the required density and kept the project financially viable.

The developer was dedicated to making this project work, and the design team delivered despite significant obstacles. Today, The Arlington provides 84 affordable homes within a compact urban infill setting, expanding access to dignified living for many of the community’s most vulnerable households.