Costco breaks new ground with mixed-use concept in Los Angeles

If Costco can sell gold bars, there is no telling what the warehouse retailer can do.

It appears the company is expanding its scope even further to include affordable housing, reports SFGate.

A five-acre area that formerly held a hospital was approved in South Los Angeles in the Baldwin Village/Crenshaw area, and the project involves building 800 residential units, including 184 geared for low income, on top of a Costco. Thrive Living and architects AO will be behind the build.

Other features will be a parking area, fitness area, multi-use community space, courtyards, a rooftop pool, gardens, and other amenities.

Building in Los Angeles, however, is no small feat with all the legislative and union hurdles.

Housing activist Joe Cohen told SFGate that the residential portion of the building will consist of small units along long hallways.

According to Cohen, state requirements dictate that housing must comprise two-thirds of the total square footage, and in order to keep union labor costs manageable, Thrive Living will use prefabricated apartment modules that can be easily transported. The modules need to fit under bridges and on the back of trucks, so the dimensions will be small.

As for parking, crews will build a multi-floor underground garage.

Related:Over a half million chargers sold at Costco recalled

The project is currently going through the permitting phase.

Costco did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication of this story.