Biden floats national rent cap, Waters heads to Inglewood and more

The Carson Planning Commission signed off on a proposal to build a $350 million battery energy storage system.

Avocet Energy Storage’s project, described as a 200 megawatt/800 megawatt hour facility, is expected to power up to 45,000 homes for four hours daily.

Construction is expected to begin in early 2025, with the facility scheduled to become operational in the second quarter of 2026.

A century-old store-turned-office building in downtown Los Angeles has sold for $16 million, Cushman & Wakefield announced this week.

The six-story, 80,000-square-foot building at 612 S. Broadway, originally Desmond’s Department Store, was renovated as offices and expanded two stories before the pandemic began. The property was later fully leased as co-working space on its upper levels and a Skecher shoe store below.

The buyers of the property are identified as a local family office that intends to move into the building.

At a ceremony this week, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and local officials broke ground on “America’s Green Gate,” otherwise known as the Pier B Rail Support Facility. The $1.5 billion project dollars will connect the existing rail system at the Port of Long Beach to the regional and national rail system, allowing for faster movement of goods.

Billed as one of the largest infrastructure projects now underway in the county, the project received funding from the bipartisan infrastructure bill signed by President Biden in 2021.

Buttigieg was also in town to promote investment in LA’s transit system ahead of the 2028 Summer Olympics.

Here’s what we’re reading this week:

Rep. Maxine Waters tries to stop ‘ridiculous’ $2 billion SoFi transit project before Olympics The opposition is a major break for Waters, who three years ago wrote in support of a $20 million grant for the line . Waters said she changed her mind when she learned that dozens of businesses would be forced to relocate and that the cost per station was more than double that of the nearby K line.” (LA Times)

Transit stations along freeways expose riders to pollution and limit development opportunities “Placing stations along freeways has allowed cities to build two modes of transportation at the same time, giving drivers an alternative for part of their trips . But the location of such a station also has negative consequences.” (Urban Institute)

Boyle Heights bus stops will soon get new and improved shelters “Transit structures will provide shade, lighting and real-time bus arrival information” (Boyle Heights Beat)

Blocked mixed-use development turns into West Hollywood’s newest lake ‘Melrose Triangle mixed-use development project – featuring 80 residential units, home office space, a two-level cafe and retail – should transform a highly visible intersection. in West Hollywood….Instead, with pending construction, the site has become a large, swampy pool that neighbors have nicknamed ‘Lake WeHo’ because of the build-up of green-tinged water, likely colored by algae.” (LA Times)

Biden to unveil rent cap plan at start of GOP convention “The White House effort comes amid widespread voter frustration over high housing prices.” (Washington Post)

Eyes on the Street: Hollywood Boulevard Bike Lanes Open “Hollywood’s already-in-use bike lane project is already being slammed by commenters on Nextdoor and other social media” (Streetsblog LA)

Can the intersection of Hollywood and Sunset be fixed? “East Hollywood/Los Feliz — The intersection of Sunset and Hollywood boulevards near the Vista Theater is a big, confusing, six-way intersection. And boy, does it take a while to walk or drive across?” (Eastsider)

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