Los Angeles, CA – August 9, 2025) – This week brought big developments in L.A.’s real estate, architecture, and urban planning scene — from high-profile property sales and preservation milestones to infrastructure decisions and creative reuse of retail spaces.

$24M Beverlywood Development Site Sale

A 1.73-acre site at 9700 W. Pico Boulevard in Beverlywood sold for $24 million, CBRE’s Melinda Russell and Josh Samuels confirmed.

“This coveted West L.A. site represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to develop over 200 units in a prime Beverlywood location,” said Russell. “We ran a highly targeted, confidential marketing process that generated 11 offers in just 45 days. Through strategic outreach and deep market knowledge, we were able to secure the best possible outcome for both the buyer and the seller.”

The property’s location — near Century City and Beverly Hills’ Beverly Drive corridor — makes it ideal for high-density residential use. The buyer, BW Brody Affiliated, is expected to explore multi-family development options in response to L.A.’s ongoing housing shortage.

Rancho Palos Verdes Halts Construction in Landslide Zone

In a move that reaffirms long-standing geotechnical concerns, Rancho Palos Verdes city leaders voted to ban new construction in active landslide zones.

“The city had enacted a similar ban on development in the landslide zone decades ago, but it was repeatedly weakened by lawsuits and exceptions,” the LA Times reported. “City leaders on Tuesday said that some of the homes damaged in the recent movement were among a group that fought the initial construction ban, and won approval to build in the landslide zone through a lawsuit in the early 2000s. At least five recently applied for federal buyouts.”

From Macy’s to Pickleball: DTLA’s Retail Reinvention

With Macy’s closing in downtown L.A., a new chapter begins: a high-end social club featuring pickleball courts, wellness amenities, and cold plunge pools. This transformation reflects a national trend of replacing struggling big-box retail with “experiential” spaces.

Housing Policy & Legal Challenges

A new lawsuit targets California’s inclusionary zoning policies, which require or incentivize developers to include affordable units in market-rate projects. According to LAist, “A 2017 report estimated that 149 cities and counties across California have some form of inclusionary zoning rule, though the specific terms vary.”

Other Notable Developments

South Bay Freeway Project Pause

The South Bay Cities Council of Governments declined to take on potential cost overruns for a planned 405 Freeway widening project (Streetsblog LA).

Landmark Status for Six Black Heritage Sites

‍In partnership with the Getty Museum, L.A. designated six properties significant to the city’s African American history as landmarks (NBC4).

EV Carpool Lane Privileges at Risk

‍California EV drivers could lose access to carpool lanes without congressional action (LA Times).

LADOT Restores On-Street Parking

‍A reversal of decades-long peak-hour parking removal policies aims to support multimodal transportation (Streetsblog LA).

DIY Crosswalks Become Permanent

‍In Koreatown, residents painted a crosswalk after a child’s death; the city later made it official (LA Times).

Marina del Rey Bike Path Blocked

‍Cyclists lost access to a long-used route due to a sudden wall, reigniting public space debates (Westside Current).

This weekly roundup shows L.A.’s ongoing tug-of-war between development pressures, community activism, and urban reinvention. From pickleball replacing department stores to landmark protections preserving Black heritage, the city’s landscape is in constant flux — shaped as much by policy decisions as by the residents themselves.

Originally reported by Steven Sharp in Urbanize.