Westwood Neighborhood Council approves design for new fraternity house

The Westwood Neighborhood Council approved a possible design Wednesday for a new fraternity house on Gayley Avenue, the latest step in the multiple-year project to develop the empty lot.

The house will be built at the site of the old Zeta Psi fraternity house, 611 Gayley Ave., which has been uninhabited since 2005.

In the designs an architect presented to the council Wednesday, the original modern design was changed to a more traditional, Mediterranean style in response to concerns from the council’s land-use committee, said Constance Boukidis, a councilmember and civil litigation attorney. The council approved the new design with a 13-0-2 vote.

The property was initially slated for new apartment buildings aimed at attracting professionals, but because of community concerns of the financial success of the apartment complex, owner Dr. Stephen Copen decided to enter into a conditional-use agreement for a fraternity instead, said Kevin McDonnell, Copen’s lawyer.

The project is expected to cost about $6 million, though no official projections have been made, said Los Angeles-based architect Dale Yonkin.

The fraternity design includes two levels of subterranean parking for convenience, traditional architectural elements to match the neighborhood and a rooftop terrace for communal gatherings, he said.

Many members of the council said they worry a rooftop terrace would put students’ safety at risk.

Yonkin responded by saying the terrace would include a six-foot-tall fence.

“To have a building in this area and not have a gathering area up there would be a missed opportunity from a social standpoint,” he added.

Once the owner gets the entitlement, construction drawings and the permit process are expected to take eight or nine months. Construction for the building could take 14 more months, Yonkin said.