City Planning Commission approves 670 Mesquite mixed‑use development in Arts District

The City Planning Commission voted to adopt staff recommendations for the 670 Mesquite mixed‑use development, approving general plan and zoning changes, a Mesquite sign district and multiple discretionary permits after presentations by planning staff and the applicant and more than an hour of public testimony largely in support.

Planning staff described the proposal as four interconnected buildings on about 5 acres in the Arts District totaling approximately 1,800,000 square feet. The project would include about 675,000 square feet of office space, 271 hotel rooms, 895 residential units (including 45 extremely low‑income units and 99 very low‑income units), 14,500 square feet of retail, 27,000 square feet of restaurant space, 35,500 square feet of studio/event/gallery/museum uses, 34,000 square feet of gym space and roughly 30,000 square feet reserved for school uses. Staff said the site is currently zoned M3‑1‑RIO with a Heavy Industrial general plan land‑use designation and that the applicant seeks a regional commercial land use designation, a change to a TQC2‑2‑RIO zone and related incentives including an FAR of 8:1 in lieu of 6:1 and a 0‑foot rear yard setback.

"The 670 Mesquite project is for the…