North Hollywood building expands from 4 units to 25 via transit incentives

Overview

Updated 1 hour ago

A four-unit apartment walk-up on a North Hollywood side street is now NoHo Moderno, a five-story building with 25 studio, one-, and two-bedroom homes. Construction finished this fall at 11013 Hartsook St., just off Lankershim Boulevard, and leasing has begun.

The jump from four to 25 units wasn't allowed under the site's normal zoning. Developer Pyramid Development Group used Los Angeles' Transit Oriented Communities program, which grants height increases and parking cuts near transit in exchange for affordable units. Three apartments are set aside for extremely low-income households.

Why it matters

If TOC projects like this keep getting approved, LA's transit corridors absorb new housing — and neighborhood tolerance for the trade-offs is the open question.

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Key Indicators

Apartments completed

Replaces a 4-unit building, a net gain of 21 homes

Extremely low-income units

Set aside for ELI households in exchange for zoning incentives

Parking spaces

Roughly half a space per unit, below standard minimums

67 ft

Allowed building height

Up from the 45-foot zoning limit under the TOC program

Voices

Curated perspectives — historical figures and your fellow readers.

People Involved

Sam Aslanian

Architect, NoHo Moderno

Designed the building; announced completion in September 2026

Shahar Kalev

Principal, SMJ Development LLC

Filed the original planning case for the project

Organizations Involved

Pyramid Development Group

Real estate developer

Developer and manager of NoHo Moderno

Agoura Hills-based firm that built and now manages the 25-unit building.

SMJ Development LLC

Real estate developer

Original planning applicant for the project

Company that filed the initial planning case for NoHo Moderno under the TOC program.

City of Los Angeles

Municipal government

Granted TOC incentives for the project

Its Transit Oriented Communities program allows height and parking relief near transit in exchange for affordable units.

Timeline

September 2026 October 2026

2 events Latest: Today

October 2026
Urbanize documents completed building and leasing launch
Today Report

The 25-unit project, with three extremely low-income units, replaces a 4-unit building and begins leasing.
Today
September 2026
Architect announces NoHo Moderno complete
Construction

Sam Aslanian confirms the 25-unit building at 11013 Hartsook St. is finished.
September 2026

Scenarios

NoHo Moderno leases up within months

Likely Resolves by Apr 30, 2027

Discussed by: LA multifamily brokers and housing analysts

The building sits steps from the North Hollywood Metro station, a draw for commuters heading to Hollywood and downtown LA. If rents hold near neighborhood averages, studios and one-beds should fill fast. The three ELI units will pull from income-qualified waitlists, which are typically oversubscribed.

LA tightens or suspends TOC parking reductions

Possible Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: Neighborhood groups and city planning observers

Residents near NoHo Moderno may complain about cars spilling onto side streets given 13 spaces for 25 units. A wave of similar complaints could push the LA City Council to revisit parking reductions. Supporters argue the program is essential to meeting state housing mandates.

Pyramid sells the stabilized building

Possible Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: Multifamily investment analysts

Freshly completed small buildings near transit are common targets for institutional buyers. If the building leases up cleanly, Pyramid may sell it to a REIT or private investor within a year or two of stabilization, a well-worn playbook for small infill projects.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

June 2000

North Hollywood Red Line station opens (2000)

The B Line subway (then the Red Line) extended to North Hollywood in 2000, putting the neighborhood on the LA Metro network and a fast ride from Hollywood and downtown LA.

Then

The area around the station began drawing theaters, restaurants, and new housing, reviving the NoHo Arts District.

Now

Two decades later the station anchors a designated transit hub with rail and rapid bus connections.

Why this matters now

NoHo Moderno's zoning incentives rest on being near this station; the TOC program rewards exactly this kind of transit-adjacent location.

2008-2012