ALCHEMY
PLANNING + LAND USE
PARTIAL CLIENT LIST
Prior project approvals include:
- 254-unit mixed-use residential and retail project in West Adams, involving Transit Oriented Communities (TOC) Affordable Housing Incentives and Site Plan Review (SPR).
- 189-unit affordable housing project in Echo Park, utilizing Executive Directive 1 streamlining of Off-Menu Density Bonus (DB) requests.
- 146-unit TOC-SPR mixed-use project in the Hollywood Boulevard National Register Historic District, requiring historic compatibility review.
- 114-unit mixed-use project in Jefferson Park, involving City Planning Commission approval of Off-Menu DB requests.
- 100-unit mixed-use co-living project in Hyde Park, requiring Design Review Board, TOC, and Specific Plan compliance approvals.
- 30,000 square-foot creative office development in Hollywood, requiring City Planning Commission and City Council General Plan Amendment, Zone Change, and Building Line Removal approvals.
- Live music venue and bar in San Pedro, involving Conditional Use Permit, City Council Public Convenience and Necessity, ABC licensing, and Police Commission entertainment permit approvals.
Gary Benjamin is the founder and Principal of Alchemy Planning + Land Use, a premier Los Angeles-based land-use consulting firm, specializing in multifamily, mixed-use, and affordable housing development. Since founding the firm in 2017, he has advised on the development and acquisition of over 800 properties throughout the Greater Los Angeles area and obtained over 130 complex entitlement approvals with a 100% approval rate, including entitlements for more than 80 mixed-use and multifamily projects, comprising over 5,100 housing units, in developments ranging in size from four units to 254 units.
Benjamin is recognized as an expert in the land use and housing development field, advising project teams early in the planning stage on how to utilize the nuances of the zoning code, recent land use legislation, and the discretionary approval process to maximize project value and achieve the highest and best use for a site. He is also a skilled problem-solver with strong relationships within city government, frequently brought in to assist project teams that have run into significant permitting and entitlement challenges, and working with them to achieve a successful resolution.
Benjamin holds a Master’s Degree in Urban and Regional Planning from UCLA and previously worked within the Los Angeles City Planning Department and as the land use and planning advisor to the former City Councilmember for Los Angeles City Council District 13, overseeing and guiding development in Hollywood, Silver Lake, and surrounding communities. He is passionate about finding solutions to bureaucratic challenges, growing the supply of housing, and contributing to the economic, social, and cultural development of the LA region.
RESIDENTIAL, MIXED USE & COMMERCIAL
- Allliant Communities
- Axiom Real Estate Investments
- Bolour Associates
- CIM Group
- Cohaus
- DIICO Properties
- ELK Development
- Etco Homes
- Indra & Co.
- Jamison Properties
- LINC Housing Corporation
- LVN Investments
- Markwood
- Passo
- Pax Urban Partners
- Responsive Homes
- Rogg Partners
- ROM Investments
- Sharp Capital
- SuperLA
- The HQ Group
- Toledo Capital Development
- Treehouse
- Tripalink
- Visionary Development Group
- Yorkwood LLC
ARCHITECTS
- AFCO Development
- AO Architects
- Kevin Tsai Architecture
- OFFICEUNTITLED
HOSPITALITY & RETAIL
- Angeleno Wine Co.
- Bar Sinizki
- Benny Boy Brewing
- Bub and Grandma's
- Café Triste
- Elf Café
- Hard Rock Café
- Jay's Bar
- L&E Oyster Bar
- The Sardine
- Triple Beam Pizza
- Vinovore
Professional BIO
Alchemy is a premier, boutique land use and development consulting firm specializing in entitlement approvals and zoning analysis for mixed-use and multifamily residential projects in Los Angeles.