Meta Housing Finishes Art-Oriented SoCal Affordable Housing
Constructed on a 54,000-square-foot YMCA-owned site, the five-story ACE/121 includes an 800-square-foot, professional-caliber art gallery, a visual arts room, a makerspace, two music rooms and a dance studio.
By Dees Stribling, Contributing Editor
Meta Housing Corp. has completed ACE/121, a 70-unit affordable apartment community for artists and their families in Glendale, Calif. The property was developed partnership with the City of Glendale, the YMCA of Glendale and Western Community Housing Inc.
Constructed on a 54,000-square-foot YMCA-owned site, the five-story ACE/121 fittingly incorporates a variety of art-oriented amenities. These include an 800-square-foot, professional-caliber art gallery, a visual arts room, a makerspace, two music rooms and a dance studio.
The development is at 121 N. Kenwood St., and marks the 18th affordable housing project the City of Glendale has sponsored in the last 12 years. It is comprised of affordable one-, two-, and three-bedroom units. In addition to its arts amenities, the community also features a computer lab, tutoring area, and a tot lot.
“This project will support the ongoing revitalization of the region and serve as a catalyst for a designated Art & Entertainment district in Glendale,” said Kasey Burke, president of Meta Housing. “Defining an arts district can lead to gentrification and rent increases that drive artists out. The City of Glendale sought out a partner that could deliver an artistic experience while preserving affordability, which is what we provided.”
ACE/121 is Meta Housing’s fifth Arts Colony project in Los Angeles, and its second to be open to non-senior residents. “We first began integrating the arts into our senior apartment communities,” noted Burke. “The concept has since expanded into our other projects, and serves as a catalyst for community development, connecting residents and the surrounding communities through art.”
The community was designed by Studio One Eleven of Long Beach, and the nonprofit EngAGE will serve as arts and programming service coordinator for the project. Financing for the project was provided by the City of Glendale Housing Authority, which provided $6.1 million, as well as Greystone & Co. and Bank of America, which served as the tax credit equity investor.
