INITIAL ROUND - DESIGN EXCELLENCE SCREENING (CLOSED)
Beginning on October 14 and concluding on November 4, 2019, hopeful applicants were allowed to submit screening applications to the City. In total 43 applications were received. Following training and site visits to the Sunset Strip, the Design Excellence Review Committee began its review on the submissions in December 2019. After review of each of the projects, committee discussions, and individual site visits, and independent member scoring, the review concluded in May 2020.
Each screening application was independently reviewed and scored based on 33 specific criteria related to design quality, economic development, public benefit, sustainability, and adaptable design. These were formulated based on the policy’s adopted design principles. Once the Design Excellence Committee members finished scoring, the seven committee member scores for each application were averaged and then sorted from highest to lowest. Final scoring sheets were independently reviewed, averaged, and rankings were certified by the auditing firm White Nelson Diehl Evans LLP.
Round 1 Top-Scoring Report
New Development & Alternative Submission Scores
Submission Types
Cultural Resource Projects (4 - 6 Top Scoring Projects): Designated or eligible West Hollywood Cultural Resource sites (https://www.wehopreservation.org/) with existing off-site advertising signs may create, modify, or improve a sign that is no larger than the existing sign area found in the 2019 Sign Inventory.
New Development/Significant Upgrade Project (4 Top-Scoring Projects): New development projects, façade improvement projects, interior remodel projects, and/or seismic upgrade projects (as defined in Sunset Specific Plan Section 8 Subsection 4.c.i) that also are developed to at least 75% of the base FAR allowed for the parcel as prescribed by the Sunset Specific Plan may add new sign(s) up to the maximum area allowed (1,500 square feet of total advertising sign area and no greater than 1,000 of digital).
Alternative Projects: Projects of exceptional design that further the vision, goals, and policies of the Sunset Specific Plan that do not qualify as either a Cultural Resources or New Development/Significant Upgrade project type. Submissions may be submitted for the following subcategories:
Digital (4 Top-Scoring Projects): Projects that incorporate digital sign technology including large-format LED, LCD, and similar projection systems to display programmable advertising content.
Creative New (Non-Digital) (4 Top-Scoring Projects) / Reallocation (2 Top-Scoring Projects): Creative New - Projects that include static off-site advertising signage in a creative format with non-programmable content (lighting and kinetic elements may be programmable). Reallocation - Creation of a creative new non-digital sign through reallocation and removal of existing non-billboard or non-tall wall sign off-site advertising signage area as found in the 2019 Off-Site Sign Survey, expanded by up to 33% of the reallocated sign area.
Advertising Conversion (Non-Digital) (2 Top-Scoring Projects): Projects for existing large format signs (with dimensions of at least 15’ x 15’) that are approved for on-site advertising to convert existing signs and expand by up to 33% to off-site, non-digital advertising content.
Other Materials
Submission Guide
Cultural Resources Score Sheet
Project Score Sheet
