106-Unit Apartment to Replace 3 Motels

Three motels in south Oxnard are scheduled to be replaced with a three-story, Mediterranean-style apartment building.

Bialosky/Peikert Architects of Santa Barbara has received Planning Commission approval to replace the Villa, Shadows and E-Z motels, totaling 94 units, with a 106-unit apartment building on Oxnard Boulevard.

The Planning Commission was concerned about parking problems and is requiring the firm to implement a permit system.

The proposed studio apartment units, ranging from 400 to 480 square feet, will have kitchens and bathrooms. The building will include laundry facilities, storage areas and a space for a police storefront. Rents are expected to average $500 per month.

Frank Thompson, a principal at Bialosky/Peikert, said the location was chosen to appeal to young, single people ages 22 to 35 living there and because of its proximity to employment.

The firm purchased the property in December, notified tenants of plans to tear down the motels and helped them find new places to live, he said.

There is a 15-day appeal period for the project, after which the applicants can submit a request for a building permit. Thompson said the Villa Motel will be the first to go, with a target demolition date of July 15.