A city-owned parking lot along South Avenue 24 is being reshaped into new income-restricted housing, marking another shift in how Lincoln Heights is reclaiming underused parcels for community-serving development. The project, called Grace Villas, is under construction a short walk from North Broadway, where several civic reinvestment efforts have taken root over the past decade.
Grace Villas is being developed by W.O.R.K.S, with Linc Housing and GTM Holdings as partners. KFA Architecture is responsible for the design.
Plans call for a six-story building with 48 apartments serving families, transitional-aged youth, and residents with developmental disabilities. All units are reserved for households earning between 30 and 60 percent of the area median income. A semi-subterranean parking garage will accommodate 50 vehicles, a portion of which replaces spaces formerly provided on the site.
Renderings show a Spanish Colonial Revival structure shaped around small terraces, recessed openings, and stepped rooflines. The architecture mirrors the surrounding neighborhood, where early twentieth century homes and civic buildings still define the streetscape. The massing maintains a modest profile on Avenue 24, using articulated walls and planted edges to soften the transition from the sidewalk to the upper floors.
Supportive services will be delivered through the Downtown Women’s Center and the East Los Angeles Regional Center. Together, the development teams are assembling a program tailored to residents who benefit from stable housing alongside onsite assistance. Funding includes contributions from the ULA Accelerator Program.
Grace Villas occupies a strategic position near North Broadway’s retail and transit connections. Recent investments in small parks, upgraded sidewalks, and nearby affordable developments have created a stronger foundation for additional housing. As construction progresses toward an expected 2026 completion, the project illustrates how individual infill sites can advance long-term housing goals when paired with coordinated public and nonprofit investment.
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A thoughtful building design for LA for a change – and, acknowledging the architecture of the neighborhood is refreshing.