San Fernando Valley | Development News [Archive]

saiholmes

December 11th, 2006, 12:31 AM

From shopping centers to lifestyle centers
Shopping malls are finally fulfilling their original destiny: re-creating the essence of urban life.
By Virginia Postrel, Virginia Postrel (dynamist.com) is a columnist for the Atlantic and the author of "The Substance of Style."
December 10, 2006

I WAS SHOCKED the first time I went to Universal CityWalk, several months after it opened in 1993. I'd read all about the place beforehand. Social critics had proclaimed it the new white-flight fortress against the crime, disorder and diversity of real city life. It exemplified "a Victorian-style separation of classes in our public life," wrote Norman Klein. George Will called CityWalk "a melancholy comment on metropolitan America." Mike Davis said, "It fulfills our worst prophecies." At best, CityWalk was a fake city, built for customers who, in Lewis Lapham's words, "had no intention of going to see the original city four miles to the south."

After that buildup, I expected something at least as visionary and disturbing as Disneyland. What I found was a mall. Yes, it was outdoors and full of tourist traps. The store facades were more exuberant than the typical Banana Republic. But it was still just a shopping center. CityWalk seemed no more revolutionary — and less fortress-like — than the Beverly Center. What a letdown.

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A decade later, I returned to see what had happened to the famous harbinger of Fortress Los Angeles. On a Sunday evening in July, the place was absolutely packed. Families and friends by the hundreds were out enjoying the bustle, the neon lights, the night air, the music blasting from the public stage. A few people carried shopping bags, but most seemed just to be hanging out. Contrary to the prophets of a decade earlier, they were generally locals, and I was about the only pale-faced blond in sight. CityWalk wasn't separate from the real Los Angeles. It was emphatically part of it. It seemed less like a mall this time and more like a city.

That, I now realize, was itself a false dichotomy — a remnant of postwar suburban thinking. Real city living has always been about commerce and security, the two main reasons people gather in close proximity. (A third is finding sexual partners.) Those who condemn malls for offering havens might as well condemn hybrid cars for not burning enough gas; these critics mistake the side effects of urban density for its purposes. Like mall visitors all over the country, CityWalk patrons aren't looking to escape urban life but to experience its pleasures.

In fact, CityWalk says far more about the state of shopping centers than it does about the state of cities. Over the last decade and a half, the once-monolithic mall has become more diversified, more aesthetically appealing and more porous. Outdoor "lifestyle centers," often without department stores, are reinventing the city street, while traditional malls revamp to provide more entertainment, more restaurants, more appealing public spaces and more reasons to linger. After five decades of experiment and evolution, the American shopping center is finally beginning to fulfill its inventor's dream: to re-create the human-scale European city "filled, morning and evening, day and night, weekdays and Sundays, with urban dynamism."

That dreamer's name was Victor Gruen, an architect in exile. In the mid-20th century, he lived in Beverly Hills but longed for Vienna, the city he'd been driven from by the Nazis. Like many emigres, he missed the cafes and conversation that defined Central European cities before the war. "I haven't seen people sit at sidewalk tables on Ventura Boulevard because there is nothing to look at," he lamented. To recover that lost urbanity, Gruen invented the shopping mall, imagining it as a human-scale alternative to the impersonal canyons of industrial downtowns and the drive-by anomie of postwar suburbia. The shopping center of his imagination would include not only stores but "a community center, an auditorium, a children's play area, a large number of public eating places and, in the courts and malls, opportunities for relaxation, exhibits and public events." It would be, as we say now, a "third place," a congenial gathering spot separate from home and work.

Gruen sold his designs to retailers and succeeded as a commercial architect. But the economics of the time left his dreams severely compromised. Instead of centers of sociability, developers built "machines for shopping," designed to move customers efficiently from store to store, stopping only for essential fuel. In their day, malls were pretty exciting. Those of us who grew up in the 1960s and '70s can recall the thrill of having big, climate-controlled spaces where you could walk without fearing the elements (a major selling point in most of the country) or dodging cars. Unfortunately, there was no place to sit comfortably — surely a reason that most of the people socializing at the mall were teenagers walking in groups. Architecturally, malls were monolithic buildings, physically and psychologically separated from their environment. To the road, they presented nothing more inviting than a department store sign. The action was on the inside.

That old model has lost its appeal. For pure shopping efficiency, a big-box discounter is cheaper, a drive-up center is faster and an online retailer doesn't make you leave your desk. To compete, malls have finally realized the rest of Gruen's original vision, adapting it to the contemporary scene. Children's play areas, soft seating to encourage relaxation and lots of those "public eating places" have become de rigueur. Instead of getting shoppers in and out to buy shoes, today's malls encourage them to hang out, working on laptops or chatting with friends. It's the Starbucks strategy: provide an appealing environment so that people will make it a part of their daily life and spend money while they're there. You may come for the Wi-Fi, but you'll pick up a sandwich and maybe a shirt or two.

Hence the Westfield Group's $330-million expansion of its Topanga center in Canoga Park included a children's "Playtown" with a double-decker carousel. The $127-million renovation of the Westfield Century City mall upgraded the AMC theater and replaced the old food court with a large upstairs terrace offering fresher fare, more stylish surroundings and, on occasion, live music. It's a 21st century cafe, a place to talk, work, read or just enjoy the sun. Just off Santa Monica Boulevard, you can sit at a sidewalk table and have plenty to see.

The traditional enclosed mall, even in its retrofitted and reinvigorated form, can't fully represent the new urbanity. For that, you have to turn to large-scale lifestyle centers — the Grove is a midsized local example — that re-create the urban street. Lifestyle centers have grown as the department stores on which traditional malls relied have shrunk. Specialty retailers are still looking for new locations, and Chico's and Build-a-Bear Workshop can't wait for space until Macy's is ready to commit to new malls. Like malls, lifestyle centers segregate their parking from pedestrian areas, making them different from old-fashioned strip centers. With their smaller shops and open-air design, they resemble city streets. Many feature apartments, offices or hotels.

Take SanTan Village, now rising in Gilbert, Ariz., a suburb of Phoenix. Describing itself as "a 500-acre urban village," the development includes 18 buildings laid out along a grid of streets, some of which will allow cars, with parking areas scattered throughout. Like modern enclosed malls, SanTan Village will group similar stores together — teen wares here, luxury goods there, mid-priced fashion over here — to save time and encourage related purchases. But because this shopping center has no central doors to shut at 9 p.m., restaurants and theaters can stay open late even if the children's stores are closed. Here, in exurbia U.S.A., the shopping center has reinvented the pedestrian-oriented city street.

Surprisingly, even in the heat of Phoenix, open-air centers ring up the highest sales per square foot. "The shopper has voted with their dollars by saying they enjoy that outdoor experience," said David Scholl, a senior vice president of development at Westcor, SanTan Village's Phoenix-based developer. (Westcor is owned by Macerich Co., the Santa Monica-based real estate investment trust.) "A husband and wife can go out and spend three or four hours seeing a movie and dinner and strolling the streets of a lifestyle center," Scholl said. "I think that given the choice, people would love to be outside."

As if to prove the point, plans were announced last week for a major new residential and office development adjacent to Universal CityWalk. Shoppers are no longer trying to escape their environment but to enjoy it. Even in suburbia they value the hum of city life.

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-op-postrel10dec10,0,4115289.story?coll=la-home-commentary

Fern~Fern*

February 14th, 2007, 03:30 AM

Do we know what the status is on this massive project?

Any new updates?

saiholmes

February 16th, 2007, 06:47 AM

Posted date: 2/5/2007
Sheraton Universal Sold for $120 Million

By Chris Coates
San Fernando Valley Business Journal Staff

The 436-room Sheraton Universal Hotel has been sold to a Brentwood real estate investment and development firm for $122 million.

Lowe Enterprises will buy the 20-story hotel from Walton Street Capital LLC and SCS Advisors, which paid around $50 million for the property just four years ago.

That quick uptick in price is the result of increased attention on Universal City, where parent company NBC Universal plans to spend $3 billion over the next decade to expand the studio, theme park and office portion of the complex and add a residential element.

Robert T. Patterson, president of the L.A. hotel consulting firm Paradigm Hospitality, said Lowe saw an opportunity and went for it.

“They paid what they thought they needed to pay for it,” he said.

And they may have overpaid – Patterson questioned whether the hotel is worth $122 million, or almost $280,000 a room.

“(The price) implies a room rate of $300 a night, and I doubt the property was achieving that much a night. It seems high,” he said. “But the buyer sees some upside potential and there’s a scarcity of property.”

Lowe officials don’t argue that they wanted to get in on the action at Universal City early.

“With NBC Universal announcing plans to expand its studio operations and build a new business campus, the hotel is uniquely positioned to benefit from future growth in the market,” said Bleecker Seaman, managing director of Lowe Enterprises Investors, in a statement.

The company also plans to invest an additional $20 million to upgrade guest rooms, common areas and the hotel’s 40,000 square feet of meeting space. Plans also call for a new coffee shop in the lobby.

Construction is scheduled to start this spring and finish by 2008.

Sheraton will continue to manage the hotel.

The last major renovation of the 8.5-acre property was in 1978. The hotel was developed in 1968 by Universal Studios to serve the hilltop park’s growing attendance. In June 2003, the theme park’s then-owner, Vivendi Universal, sold the hotel to a group led by Chicago-based Walton Street. An official with the investment company said the owner had no comment about the sale. It was their only property in the Valley.

saiholmes

February 16th, 2007, 06:48 AM

Do we know what the status is on this massive project?

Any new updates?

To speak the truth, I don't like this project.

Fern~Fern*

February 16th, 2007, 08:04 AM

^^ The Sheraton Universal or the massive back lot project?

saiholmes

February 16th, 2007, 08:56 AM

Absolutely massive back lot project.

Robert Stark

February 22nd, 2007, 12:00 AM

NOHO TOD's

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http://www.tndwest.com/northhollywood.html

North Hollywood

Although the automobile still reigns supreme in the Los Angeles basin, the rail and bus systems continue to expand steadily; and along with this expansion, there is considerable progress being made in the creation of transit villages around a number of key METRO stations.

Most of the attention in recent years has been focused on the Gold Line, but in the near future it will likely be the Red and Purple Lines that become the subjects of study by TOD enthusiasts. A half dozen stations in Hollywood and the Wilshire District have become magnets for mixed-use growth, and by 2010, these lines could have a number of functioning transit villages.

What makes these stations an interesting study are the different personalties that they are developing. For example, planners are attempting to expand an arts and theatre district at North Hollywood, while the station at Hollywood and Highland seems destined to remain primarily a tourist destination. Meanwhile, Hollywood and Western has developed as a center for low-income housing. Farther south, the focus at two of the Wilshire Stations (Western and Vermont) seems to be on providing housing, entertainment and cultural venues for wealthy Koreans. Then there is the fabled intersection of Hollywood and Vine which may have the best chance of all to evolve into the sort of well-rounded transit community that most planners would envision.

Metro Gold Line TODs
Del Mar Station (Old Town Pasadena)
Lincoln Heights, Los Angeles (Avenue 26)
Memorial Park (Holly Street Village)
Mission Meridian Village, South Pasadena
Metro Red Line TODs
Hollywood and Highland
Hollywood and Vine
Hollywood and Western
North Hollywood
Metro Purple Line TODs
Wilshire and Vermont
Wilshire and Western

An imaginative early rendering of the proposed transit village at North Hollywood Metro Station

North Hollywood Transit Center

North Hollywood is an up-and-coming TOD that is located at the terminus for both the Orange Line (the 14-mile Rapid Bus Line that runs west to Canoga Park) and the Red Line (the light-rail line that connects Hollywood with downtown LA).

The CRA Project Boundaries (Transit station area outlined)

The area around the Metro station is one of the targets of the City’s Community Redevelopment Agency and consists of 740 acres (a little more than one square mile) centered on Lankershim Blvd—a major thoroughfare that runs diagonally through the heart of North Hollywood. The area is known popularly as “NoHo” and is a burgeoning arts and theatre district that is best known for being the home of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

For more than 20 years, the area has been the subject of intense planning by the City, local developers, neighborhood residents (and more recently, the Urban Land Institute which prepared an extensive study of the community). By the end of 2006, the area surrounding the Metro Station already had more than 2000 new residential units completed or under construction.

In addition, construction had already begun on the first of two commercial projects just south of the METRO station that will add some badly needed shops and restaurants, along with a full-service grocery and a seven-screen theatre. And, beyond that, the City was in the act of circulating an RFQ seeking proposals for mixed-use development of the 16 acres closest to the station (now vacant or the site of surface parking lots). Plans are also in the works to renovate the historic Lankershim Train Depot which sits on the same parcel as the Orange Line Rapid Bus Station.

Some specifics:

The Neighborhood. Located about one mile north of Universal Studios, NoHo is a diverse mix of older residences and apartments, auto dealerships and repair shops, small warehouses, a few retail shops and cafes, and, to the south, a large arts district serving as the home and workplace to many hundreds of aspiring artists, actors, directors and producers. In 2006, the southern half of the CRA territory contained 22 small theatres along with numerous dance studios, art galleries, recording and rehearsal venues, and supporting businesses.

While the ULI Study expressed some doubts about NoHo’s future as an important player in the Hollywood/Los Angeles art, music and drama scene, it concluded that there was a sufficiently well formed community to make it the focus of future development.

One of NoHo's many entertainment venues

The area starts with several nearby assets, including one of the LA Area’s largest green areas (North Hollywood Park) and the arts and retail area south of Magnolia that is within walking distance of the new residential projects. It also has an elementary school and high school within walking distance of most of the new residences. (But how many families with children will opt for this urban life style?) Throw in some office buildings, a post office, a refurbished train depot, a grocery store, and a new movie theatre and it sounds like a legitimate community in the making.
Moreover, NoHo contains hundreds of vacant lots and under-utilized parcels (mostly occupied by warehouses and used car lots). These provide many opportunities for future development, and, while some of the fervor has been dampened by the housing slump, new projects continue to break ground.

North Hollywood Metro entrance

Transit. The city’s transit system is obviously a major factor in the singling out of NoHo for future growth. The acknowledged center of the project is the colorful shell-like structure that sits over the entrance to the underground light rail. This is the final station on the Red Line that generates a train into downtown Los Angeles every 12 minutes. The trip to LA Center takes about 25 minutes, and it is another three minutes to Union Station (where a passenger can connect with heavy rail lines running to all parts of the LA basin). It is almost possible to reach many other METRO destinations (such as Pasadena, Long Beach, Norwalk and Redondo Beach) with a transfer at Metro Center or Union Station.
Just east of the light rail entrance is a large loop for buses that are delivering and picking up light rail passengers to and from various communities surrounding North Hollywood. A half-dozen routes stop at the North Hollywood station, and a rider can reach the nearby Burbank Airport in 20 to 35 minutes (with one transfer).

Orange Line Metroliner loading passengers at North Hollywood station

Across the street from the Metro Light Rail Station is the terminus of the Orange Line—the Rapid Bus system that has vehicles running every five to ten minutes between Warner Center in Canoga Park and North Hollywood. These modernistic buses move quickly through the San Fernando Valley on a combination of dedicated busways and conventional streets (where the signals are synchronized in favor of the buses).

Modeled after the world’s most elaborate rapid bus system in Curitba, Brazil, the Orange Line has attracted national attention since it opened in the fall of 2005. As on most light rail lines, the stations are about one mile apart, and riders purchase their tickets in advance from dispensing machines on the platforms. The Orange Line is supported with park-and-ride lots, bicycle lanes, and bike storage lockers at various stations. While it is too early to determine the extent to which the Orange Line will encourage residency at North Hollywood, it is clearly an attractive option for those traveling east in the San Fernando Valley. The entire east-west journey takes about 44 minutes.

Initial Construction. The prime mover for the first several years has been the J. H. Snyder Company which is in the process of constructing a four-part project to the east and south of the 10-acre Metro Station parking lot. The first two residential complexes were completed in 2006, and the next two phases will add substantial retail elements (along with additional housing units) on Lankershim between Chandler Street and Magnolia Blvd. When the project is completed, Snyder will have put 880 residential units within a block of the transit stations.

The $200 million project has received substantial city and federal subsidies (including $14 million from HUD). In exchange, the developer agreed to participate in a “Community Benefits” plan in which there was agreement to hire and train lower income workers, build a child care center, agree to pay more than minimum wage, and to set aside 20 per cent of the residential units for low-income families.

Architects for the project were the Jerde Partnership (for the Master Plan and the final phase) and Van Tilburg, Banvard & Soderbergh (for NoHo Commons).

The Gallery at NoHo Commons

J. H. Snyder’s largest complex is the Gallery at No Ho Commons, a 438-unit apartment building situated directly east of the Metro parking lot. This development (under separate ownership from the rest of NoHo Commons), has an impressive entrance on Fair Street, but is essentially a gated community with all access from the internal areas and underground parking. The only contribution to the community is in the form of a grass area along the southern edge (on Chandler Blvd), and this may be gated as well.

Gallery rental rates are regarded as high for the area, averaging well over $2.50/ft. The least expensive one-bedroom has 630 square feet for $1770, while the most economical two-bedroom is priced at $2400 for about 1000 square feet. Of the 438 units, 115 are set aside for low-income families.

NoHo Commons fronting on Chandler Blvd.

No Ho Commons sits on a parcel on the south side of Chandler Blvd (directly south of the Metro Parking Lot). This three-story structure contains 278 lofts and one-bedroom units, along with 14 live-work units that front on Waddington Street (on the south side of the building). Unfortunately, the frontage along Chandler Blvd is not nearly as interesting, as it consists of a single non-descript entrance flanked by large openings seemingly intended to provide pedestrians with views of the interior of the street-level garage. Rental rates at the Commons are close to those at the Gallery; the standard unit is a one-bedroom with 930 square feet for $2375/month ($2.55/ft). Twenty-eight of the housing units are reserved for low-income individuals or families.

Live-works on Weddington Street

The live-work units are intended to provide interface with Weddington Street. Some of the early visioning called for Weddington Street to become “a tighter two-lane pedestrian street” that would provide “clusters of seating among the landscape, dappled shade and artistic water features.” The block would be lined with one-story lofts “like retail, gallery, and artist cafes” integrated “into the three-story artist loft residential units…overlooking the street.” It will take several years to determine how close reality will resemble this flowery description.

In the meantime, some of the live-works will be rented to professionals and writers, but many will be used only as residences. The units have 21-foot ceilings, exposed utility pipes, polished concrete floors and other typical loft-like features. Live-works are only slight more expensive than the regular lofts ($2500 for 972 sq ft and $3900 for 1500 sq ft).

The third phase of the No Ho Commons project was launched in 2006 and will put a 32,000 square foot Hows Market on the NE corner of Lankershim and Weddington. Other retail units will be situated on the important Lankershim frontage between Chandler Blvd and Weddington Street.

A large tower at the corner of Chandler Blvd and Lankershim (directly across from the Metro subway entrance) is designed to serve as a symbolic gateway to the transit village. This part of the project will add a total of 30,000 square feet of retail in addition to the market. Other tenants who have contracted for space include Wells Fargo Bank, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, Cingular Cellular and Cold Stone Creamery. Chain restaurants include a California Pizza Kitchen and a Daphne’s Greek Restaurant.

Artist's rendering of Laemmie Theater Complex

The final phase of the project should be launched in the summer of 2007 and will include a seven-screen Laemmie Theater with 1100 stadium-style seats, a five-story office building with 100,000 square feet, and 150 units of additional housing. This part of the project will sit on the SE corner of Lankershim and Weddington (just south of the entrance to Hows Market). The forecasted completion date is the fall of 2009.

The artist's rendering for the intersection occupied by the market, theater and office building suggests a much more sedate setting than the rather dynamic scene displayed in earlier sketches. (Compare color rendering at top of page).

Although JH Snyder has garnered most of the publicity for its NoHo Commons, JSM Construction is responsible for nearly as many residential units. By the end of 2008, it hopes to have completed a total of 789 units in five buildings.

NO Tower at Lankershim and Chandler

JSM’s NoHo Tower at the SW corner of Lankershim and Cumpston Street was expected to be completed sometime in 2007. The 15-story Tower is reputed to be the tallest residential high-rise in the San Fernando Valley and will have 180 condominiums. This building should have 15,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space.

The NO Tower (originally called the Florentine) was constructed as an apartment complex but is intended for conversion to condominiums: 173 at market rate and seven more for low-income families or individuals. A total of 391 parking spaces are planned.

JSM’s largest contribution is a four-building complex being marketed as the No Ho Collection on McCormick Street, about three blocks from the Metro Station. Although it is much less visible and has a smaller retail component, it will contribute a total of 598 rental units and more than 16,000 square feet of retail and office space. The four buildings include:

The four buildings of the NoHo Collection on McCormick Street

(1) the Ticino, completed in 2004, with 103 residential units and 3,000 feet of ground-floor retail.
(2) the Imperia at the NE corner of McCormick and Blakeston with 103 units and 6400’ of retail space. Scheduled for completion in the spring of 2007.
(3) the Milano, directly across the street from the Imperia with frontages on McCormick, Blakeston and Magnolia Blvd. This building has 196 units and will have 10,000 square feet of ground-floor retail. Scheduled for completion in fall of 2007.
(4) a yet-to-be-named building just east of the Ticino that will front on McCormick Street and Vineland Avenue. It is designed to have 196 additional apartments and an undetermined amount of retail space. The JSM Buildings all have six stories and have about eight per cent of their units set aside as affordable housing.

Other complexes in the area include the Academy Village Apartments on Magnolia Boulevard (just west of the Milano) and the Otsego Garden Apartments. Academy Village has 248 units that rent for $2.15 to $2.40 per foot ($1600 for 649 square foot studio and $1995 for 925-square foot one bedroom). The Otsego Garden Apartments were completed in 2006, offering a total of 100 units, with the usual eight per cent set aside for low-income families.

Future Development. While the projects by JH Snyder and JSM Construction have made a major impact on the development of North Hollywood as a full-service TOD, the most critical pieces of the puzzle have yet to be provided. The LA Metro owns the 16.5 acres most proximate to the two transit stations (the Orange Line and the Red Line) and was in the process of soliciting development proposals in the latter half of 2006. The four parcels include the land occupied by the two stations, two bus waiting areas, Metro parking lots with nearly 1000 spaces, and the historic Lankershim Train Depot (which is to be refurbished as part of the project).

The four CRA parcels outlined in red.

The Metro has established various guidelines for the proposals, including the requirement that they “build upon NoHo’s creative arts-orientation”, and that they have “a landmark quality” that creates “a sense of place that reinforces this vision and identity.” The RFQ expressly states that residential development should be a complimentary use and not the dominant use for the site.

The development proposal must replace the existing 906 parking spaces at the principal Metro lot with at least 1500 spaces and include a plan for a future increase to 2500. Parcels fronting on Lankershim should have “a mix of high intensity office and commercial uses,” while the eastern half of the main Metro lot should be heavy to “residential and neighborhood-serving mixed uses.”

As part of the project, the developer must provide an underground connection between the Orange Line station on the east side of Lankershim and the sub-surface light rail station on the west side.

In addition to the residential and commercial construction that will take place on the 16.5 acres that are the site for the RFQ, the City has a number of plans to improve the area’s transportation corridors. The NoHoArts District Streetscape Project is designed to improve sidewalks, crosswalks and streets and to add transit shelters, benches, planters, distinctive street lights, street trees, and ground cover. The major streets targeted for these improvements are Lankershim, Chandler Blvd, and Weddington Street.

Other CRA Projects include the Chandler Bikeway that will parallel Chandler Blvd from the North Hollywood station east to Clybourn Avenue, various programs to improve existing business storefronts, a marquee grant program to upgrade and restore theatre facades, and a program to upgrade substandard housing. January 2007.

godblessbotox

February 22nd, 2007, 02:42 AM

...summarize

klamedia

February 22nd, 2007, 07:14 PM

Read.

godblessbotox

February 23rd, 2007, 09:32 AM

^^arnt you supposed to be finding me a fast bus

Robert Stark

March 24th, 2007, 11:11 PM

Robert Stark

March 24th, 2007, 11:12 PM

Is there a new mixed use project by Rick Curuso at larel plaza near larel and victory?

Fern~Fern*

March 25th, 2007, 04:23 AM

The only thing happening close to the Intersection Of Laurel Canyon Victory is a new High School.Accross the street the famous Bank of America who had a major shoot LAPD vs Russian Mobsters a couple of years ago...

saiholmes

March 29th, 2007, 04:20 AM

Swap of North Hollywood parkland is sought
A firm would build on green space and create a new park and condos nearby. It's called the only such deal in recent memory.
By Sharon Bernstein, Times Staff Writer
March 28, 2007

As part of the city's move toward a denser urban environment, officials are lending support to an unusual land-swap plan that would allow a developer to build on a five-acre park in North Hollywood.

Under the proposal, the developer, J.H. Snyder Co., would replace part of Valley Plaza Park with a parking structure for a new mega-development rivaling The Grove shopping center in square footage. In exchange, the company said it would build a new park a few blocks away, adjacent to a 700-unit condominium and apartment complex that Snyder also plans to build.

The parkland swap, approved in concept by the city's Community Redevelopment Agency, is the only such transfer in recent memory, according to a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks.

It has sparked concern among some local residents, who worry that the developer ultimately will not build a new park as promised.

They point out that city officials talked for years about creating a park just south of City Hall, then decided to build the new Los Angeles Police Department headquarters there.

"I want a thorough airing of how a private developer can acquire public parkland," said Ronald Bitzer, a local resident who serves on the advisory board at Valley Plaza Park. "I don't trust J.H. Snyder to proceed with caution when it comes to tampering with dedicated parkland."

The land swap is a small part of a much larger development project to be built on the site of Valley Plaza shopping center on Laurel Canyon Boulevard, south of Victory Boulevard. The 1955 shopping center, one of the San Fernando Valley's first, has been decaying for years, and has been scheduled for redevelopment since it was damaged in the 1994 Northridge earthquake.

Snyder's project would involve tearing down the center and replacing it with nearly 800,000 square feet of retail, commercial and entertainment businesses, including a Macy's department store and a multiplex movie theater. It would be designed by Massachusetts-based Elkus Manfredi Architects, the firm that designed The Grove.

Immediately to the southeast at Laurel Plaza, the site of a former May Co. building that now is a Macy's store, Snyder hopes to build condominiums, apartments and the new park.

The redevelopment agency, which is helping to build the commercial portion of the project, hopes the renewed Valley Plaza will be a catalyst for development along a stretch of Laurel Canyon that, though once prosperous, has been blighted for decades.

Los Angeles Councilwoman Wendy Greuel sees the commercial project and the nearby residential one as part of the city's push toward so-called smart growth, in which people live in condos and houses that are near shops, offices and entertainment and are along transit lines.

Laurel Canyon, a major north-south street in the Valley, is served by buses that connect to the popular Orange Line busway and such destinations as Ventura Boulevard.

The city needs to look at developing "places where people can get public transportation and where they can walk across the street to go to a grocery store, walk across the street and go to a Macy's or a coffee shop," Greuel said.

Citing neighborhood concerns that the project might be too big, Greuel said that she supported the plan in concept, but that she would continue to review it as the proposal advanced.

Cliff Goldstein, Snyder's project manager for the two developments, said the company's goal was to develop Valley Plaza as a gathering place or town center for the eastern part of the San Fernando Valley.

He was scheduled to present the company's proposed design for the two sites to a nearby homeowners group Tuesday night. It would include a plan for an open-air courtyard in the center "the size of a football field," Goldstein said, with parking for Macy's and other stores in a separate structure on the site of the former park.

Goldstein said it was not yet clear when the company would build the new park, because the logistics of relocating it to the Laurel Plaza property are complicated.

On one hand, he said, the company needs to build on the side of the existing park as part of its overall development of the site. But Macy's does not plan to move out of its property across the street until the new store in Valley Plaza is ready to open, which could make it difficult to build the park early in the process.

He said the company plans to make the new park much nicer than the existing one, which is essentially a five-acre strip of trees and grass next to the 170 Freeway. The existing park was once part of the larger Valley Plaza Park and recreation center. But the wedge-shaped parcel was cut off after the freeway was built through the center of the bigger park acreage.

Under the current proposal, the new five-acre park would include trees and walking paths and possibly a water feature, Goldstein said.

He said the company would not renege on its promise to build the park.

"That has never been an option and that is not an option," Goldstein said.

But Suzanne Stinson, who lives about a block from the proposed residential part of the development, said it is just not right to pave over an existing park — even if new development is desirable at Valley Plaza.

The community recently planted dozens of trees on the site of the old park, and there are many tall, mature trees.

"Although it's not used that much, it is a park; it's an existing green belt," Stinson said. "If it's been dedicated as park, it shouldn't be sold to the highest bidder and then have some crappy little park put somewhere to replace it."

The old park also has a parking lot, Stinson said, but the new one would have only a few spaces. Without a play area for children or other amenities, the new park would not serve the community well, she said.

Stinson said she had "great trepidation" about the development. Like other residents, she worries that despite the developer's promise of a high-end development on par with The Grove, the neighborhood will wind up with a collection of big-box stores.

Already, she and others said, Costco Wholesale Corp. has expressed interest in the development, indicating to some in the neighborhood that instead of a pedestrian-friendly shopping area, Snyder will build a behemoth, suburban-style mall.

"We just don't want something rammed down our throats," Stinson said.

Fern~Fern*

May 17th, 2007, 05:08 AM

I'm shock there's not too much happening in the SFV. I've seen a lot of new midrise apartments popping up everywhere. I would say that 50% are condos for sale and still running in the low 300's....

godblessbotox

May 17th, 2007, 07:04 AM

i dont think its that there is nothing happening. its just we have no fourmers repin the SFV.

and no one seems to want to quote any articles about it ither

Fern~Fern*

May 17th, 2007, 07:10 AM

^^ You... where's your camera?

volsung

May 28th, 2007, 10:18 AM

Does anyone know what do they plan to do with the empty lot across from NoHo Commons? and with the old trolley station and the brick building across from El Portal?

Fern~Fern*

May 28th, 2007, 09:52 PM

Nothing is being planned out yet.

surfnspy

June 6th, 2007, 09:38 PM

fridayinla

June 6th, 2007, 10:46 PM

does anyone have info on the development in Burbank called, The Point, on Alameda and Bob Hope?

It looks to be about a ten story tower.

I haven't heard or seen anything about it on the site here, but there is a deep block long pit already in the ground.

Is it too short for anyone to notice?

It's a 525,000 SF, 14-story Class A Office Building at 2900 West Alameda:

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL144/5090918/10396790/257883444.jpg
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL144/5090918/10396790/257883441.jpg

surfnspy

June 7th, 2007, 04:42 PM

wow, that was fast.

Thanks for the scoop!

Not bad for Burbank!

I am surprised they were allowed a relatively tall tower since most in that specific area are around 6 with the exception of ABC buildind which is 10, but right on the freeway.

Fern~Fern*

June 8th, 2007, 03:53 AM

^ I guess most mid rise structure in the the Tri~Cities usually get built in Glendale.

fridayinla

June 8th, 2007, 04:07 AM

^ I guess most mid rise structure in the the Tri~Cities usually get built in Glendale.

Definitely, but class A office market in Glendale is extremely weak. Vacancy rates are around 17%, compared to 6-8% in Burbank and Pasadena. Burbank and Pasadena are ripe for more office construction.

Fern~Fern*

June 8th, 2007, 04:17 AM

Definitely, but class A office market in Glendale is extremely weak. Vacancy rates are around 17%, compared to 6-8% in Burbank and Pasadena. Burbank and Pasadena are ripe for more office construction.

I don't believe Burbank has that much class A buildings to begin with.

Fern~Fern*

June 8th, 2007, 04:26 AM

If I'm not mistaken this is one of three of the highest towers in burbank...
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e124/fnee1901/MICKEYTOWER.jpg

godblessbotox

June 8th, 2007, 07:35 AM

dont forget the [holliday?] hotels by the 5

Caliguy2005

June 15th, 2007, 04:08 AM

The San Fernando Valley is in a wonderful location and it has such an enormous potential like so many areas of Southern CA.

I hope more Gentrification Projects and other Developments will continue to improve this region :-)

vahebaronian

June 27th, 2007, 08:01 PM

Does anybody know what is going on with the old theatre on the corner of Sherman Way and Reseda blvd in Reseda....

That area needs to be blown up, and new buildings need to go up. It is a mess in that area. (Not a surprise in many Valley communities)

Fern~Fern*

June 27th, 2007, 08:25 PM

There's no immediate plans for the theater at the moment. There's pretty much nothing happening in Little Downtown Reseda as we speak. Ecerything is pretty in tack and preserve as like 40 years ago or so. The only new things are the drive thru banks and gas stations in that area. It seems all development actually was design for Northridge, West Hills, Ventura Blvd. Smaller cities like Canoga, Whitnecka, Balboa, Reseda, Granada, North Hills, Arleta, Sun Valley and a few other are mainly residential areas.

Some of those areas are very expensive hoods so I doubt they would allow anything over 3 floors to ever get built. Unless there built on main streets ex: Sherman Way, Plummer, Laurel Canyon, Fallbrook, Magnolia, Burbank and Saticoy. In which if you drive around most 3 to 5 stories apartments/condos are popping up like crazy.

vahebaronian

June 27th, 2007, 08:51 PM

^^ Thanks for the update...That area in Reseda, has alot of potentional. Unfortunately, there is nothing being done. If they can make into another NOHO arts district type of place it would be great

vahebaronian

July 18th, 2007, 07:04 PM

http://www.dailynews.com/ci_6399729

Southland's largest retail center slated for Valley
BY JULIA M. SCOTT, Staff Writer
Article Last Updated: 07/17/2007 10:57:19 PM PDT

The San Fernando Valley will soon boast one of Southern California's biggest shopping centers with construction of a $750 million outdoor retail complex connecting the Topanga and Promenade malls, The Westfield Group said Tuesday.

The Village in Warner Center will include a 300-room, four-star hotel, 150 condominiums and apartments, offices, and 550,000 square feet of shops and restaurants.

At 3.8 million square feet, the three-mall behemoth - including its hotel and residences - will be larger than South Coast Plaza in Orange County and Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance.

"It will create a heart for this whole district," said Ken Wong, president of Australia-based Westfield's operations in the United States.

Construction is expected to start in two years. When finished, The Village could draw 10 million visitors a year - in addition to the 15 million who visit Topanga each year and the 9 million who stop by the Promenade.

The project is the latest for Westfield, which recently spent $500 million to upgrade its Topanga mall with everything from a new wing and upscale stores to a parking garage.

Its new project also will include 4,100 parking spaces above and below ground, but

how Westfield will connect the three malls - by trolley, tram, bridge or tunnel - has not been decided.
Officials are weighing how to deal with the extra drivers the development will draw, but Wong said it's too early to say how traffic patterns might need to be changed.

Westfield filed an environmental assessment Tuesday with Los Angeles city officials, a precursor to an environmental impact report.

The project has broad support, however, from key local leaders.

Los Angeles City Councilman Dennis Zine, whose district includes the development, said any concerns about traffic and not infringing on community space will be smoothed out.

"All those issues we will resolve," Zine said. "It will work for the benefit of the west San Fernando Valley."

A representative from Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's office said the mayor also supports the plan.

Wong said Westfield officials already have met with many community organizers and said the public will have numerous opportunities to comment on the project.

Shirley Blessing, a longtime Woodland Hills resident and member of the Woodland Hills Homeowners Organization, said she heard details of the plans last week.

Blessing said she would be comfortable with the project as long as lots of trees are provided for shade and Westfield addresses the issue of how to connect its three centers.

"They will develop and, I hope with community input, it will be something the community will be very proud of," said Blessing, who said she would like to see a walkway that would allow shoppers to park their cars once and not use them again until they are ready to leave.

August Steurer, a member of the Citizens Advisory Committee to the Los Angeles City Council, said he thinks Westfield is "headed fairly in the right direction. They have been responsive to suggestions and concerns."

But Steurer cautioned that big-box stores like those at Topanga could attract regional traffic that will be a strain.

Retailers for The Village have not been announced, but Wong said there will be no department stores. He said tenants will include restaurants and national chains that don't depend on department stores for consumer traffic.

The Village could become a central district similar to a community Main Street, said Bob Scott, a planning expert with the Civic Center Group.

"People can spend the day there, not just stop in to buy a few things," Scott said. "The endlessness of the mega-mall begins to make it more of an adventure."

Officials believe the new mall will create 2,500 temporary construction jobs and 7,500 permanent jobs, plus $6 million in sales tax revenue.

Westfield chose an outdoor design - despite the Valley's scorching summer temperatures - to try to create an experience different from the adjoining enclosed malls.

The development will spare about half of the city block, including the 21st Century building, which Westfield does not own.

But managers of at least one restaurant slated to be demolished said Tuesday that they have long-term leases.

"Ownership reassures us we have seven years left on our lease," said Marie Leighton, who has been the manager of Yankee Doodles for 18 months.

At Stuart Anderson's Black Angus, manager Andy Wojciechowski said the owners are "talking about moving" with Westfield.

The Mandarin Wok and Financial Partners Credit Union have already closed.

Fern~Fern*

July 19th, 2007, 03:04 AM

This I have to see to believe.... All three plazas would connect, very interesting. I hope they don't get rid of Yankee Doodles*

klamedia

July 19th, 2007, 05:15 PM

Does the Orange Line figure into any of this? I'm frightened because I saw no mention of outside mass transit I only read of internal "transit".........the Valley can't be that backwards can it?

GilbyDM101

July 19th, 2007, 07:41 PM

If only one good thing comes of this project, it's that they DO get rid of Yankee Doodles. That place is terrible:ohno:

vahebaronian

July 19th, 2007, 11:44 PM

The plaza Yankee Doodles was in was a big waste of land..I glad they will put that to some good use. I have a feeling much like the Black Angus, they will find away to keep the Yankee Doodle's. They will probably remodel to match the motif of the mall

fridayinla

July 20th, 2007, 12:38 AM

I didn't see this posted here.

Developers Looking for a Slice of Orange Line’s Action
By DANIEL MILLER - 7/16/2007
Los Angeles Business Journal Staff

San Fernando Valley’s Orange Line busway is a success, and finally, developers are starting to take notice.

Big names in development circles, such as CIM Group Inc., Lowe Enterprises Inc. and Forest City Enterprises Inc., are seeking to develop projects along the route, which has been a surprising hit among commuters.

The $330 million busway, which opened in October 2005 with about 16,000 boardings daily, saw ridership jump to more than 23,000 in May – the kind of number that would seem to support mixed-use residential projects.

“I think everyone has been so stunned by the unbelievable success of the Orange Line and they are still trying to figure out how that translates into the development of projects,” said Bruce Ackerman, a commissioner for the Community Redevelopment Agency of Los Angeles.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which operates the 14-mile transit way, owns several parcels adjacent to bus line stops, some of which are used as parking lots. The agency is pursuing opportunities with developers at five of them.

“There are a couple of stations that are very attractive for a development project,” said David Sotero, spokesman for the MTA, who plans to offer ground leases to developers. “We want to work with developers to come up with something that meets both of our needs.”

The largest MTA-owned development opportunity is at North Hollywood Station, which connects the busway to MTA’s Red Line subway system at Chandler and Lankersham boulevards.

There are 17 acres of developable land that was formerly used as a holding area during the construction of the Orange Line. That site is larger and more significant than other proposed developments given its importance as a link between the Orange and Red lines.

There are 2 million square feet of entitlements for a mixed-use project, which would be co-developed with the Community Redevelopment Agency, according to Roger Moliere, MTA executive officer of real property management and development.

“It is envisioned as mixed-use with a significant amount of office, retail and commercial,” he said.

Multiple developers

The MTA is in the midst of choosing a developer for the parcel. Three developers, CIM Group, Lowe Enterprises and Forest City Enterprises have been selected as finalists, and the MTA board will pick one later this year.

Forest City declined to comment and Lowe was not available for comment. But CIM Principal John Given said he expects a development there will have a profound impact on the area.

“The significance of what can and will be accomplished there will be transformational, not only for the neighborhood but moreover for the San Fernando Valley,” he said.

There are several stops west of North Hollywood where other development opportunities on MTA land abound. Those include two sites adjacent to the Balboa Station in Encino. The station, which is located at Balboa Boulevard and Victory Boulevard, is at the midpoint of the bus line.

The Moss Group, a real estate investment and development company, is working on building an office project at a 1.7-acre property adjacent to the Balboa Station, according to Moliere.

The lot, which is lacking entitlements, was formerly used for staging during the construction of the bus line and is across the street from a park-and-ride lot. “It is probably a year or more away from breaking ground,” Moliere said.

Moss Group acknowledged owning an adjacent office building, but company head Richard Moss otherwise declined comment. “We aren’t in a position to disclose or make public any of our plans,” he said.

Meanwhile at Sepulveda Boulevard and Erwin Street, the MTA owns a 12-acre park-and-ride lot. Moliere said the MTA board will review design guidelines for the property at a meeting later this month. Once those guidelines are approved, the MTA will begin soliciting proposals from interested developers.

Finally, the MTA is in the preliminary stages of examining development opportunities at a 3.8-acre park-and-ride lot it owns at the Canoga Station in Canoga Park.

If developers have been a slow to embrace development along the busway route, communities are beginning to call for it.

There are proposals for residential development on private land near the westerly terminus of the Orange Line at the Warner Center Station, and in places like Tarzana, neighborhood councils are getting involved.

In June, the Tarzana Neighborhood Council proposed a transit village – complete with residential and commercial components – at Reseda Boulevard and Oxnard Street.

“The Tarzana project would be a perfect example of what we want to see,” said Ackerman. “I’d love to see everything done tomorrow, but obviously in L.A. it goes slower than that.”

Fern~Fern*

July 21st, 2007, 03:23 AM

Does the Orange Line figure into any of this? I'm frightened because I saw no mention of outside mass transit I only read of internal "transit".........the Valley can't be that backwards can it?

Actually the Orange Line does not reach all the way to the mall. Right before it The slinky bus turns off the right of way into regular streets into Warner Center. So you see there's nothing to worry about (K)*

Fern~Fern*

July 21st, 2007, 03:25 AM

If only one good thing comes of this project, it's that they DO get rid of Yankee Doodles. That place is terrible:ohno:

^^ :omg: what are you talking about Man!!!! Yankee's is the shit on Thursday nights. Besides the wings and draft beer are great. Especially the outdoor smoking patio.

Maybe you went on a wrong night or something*

Fern~Fern*

July 21st, 2007, 03:28 AM

Speaking of the successful Orange Line in the (Valley) :pepper: are they ever going to get bigger buses. Those 60 footers are not enough since it's standing room only most of the time. It would be so cool if they made double decker 60 footer buses....

LApride

July 21st, 2007, 08:38 PM

^^ :omg: what are you talking about Man!!!! Yankee's is the shit on Thursday nights. Besides the wings and draft beer are great. Especially the outdoor smoking patio.

Maybe you went on a wrong night or something*

I went to yankee doodles one night and their was a shooting.............but I still go there from time to time

Fern~Fern*

July 21st, 2007, 08:42 PM

I went to yankee doodles one night and their was a shooting.............but I still go there from time to time

Well what you expect when you party with cholos and expect the night to go well. You might re~consider who you hang with dude. So this won't happen to you again*

lan56

July 21st, 2007, 10:47 PM

Fern~Fern*

July 21st, 2007, 11:09 PM

Ferney, rather than bringing bigger busses, which extends on an already inefficient idea, they should convert the whole line to light rail. The entire track is dedicated, yet the busses have to keep stopping at lights and overall lack full speed potential. With light rail, there would be no need to stop at red lights and accelerating and maintaining the speed would be a snap. I sure hate how it takes nearly 45-50 minutes to go cross-valley, when light rail would significantly cut that time in half, mostly due to the lack of a need to stop at lights.

I can go on and on about the benefits and need to convert to light rail, but since this is only a forum post and not an essay, I must stop here.

That's what I've been saying for the longest about the "Orange Line". Eventually it would be converted into Light Rail since that was the original intension. The hardest part was to get everyone (residents along the trail) to be on the same page. MTA knew that Light Rail was not going to be as easy as a designated busway, so they had to go with the right of way.

I was living on Chandler when this was a huge debate. MTA went ahead and built it anyways despite of the community opposition. Now most residents have no choice but to live with it. Which I'm sure they've used to get Downtown one time or another. It would had not been as difficult if the MTA would have re~routed the OL thru Burbank Blvd. Since there's mostly apartment units along the Boulevard. As to Chandler where you have million dollar + homes and snobby residents. Well that's done with and over with so let's move forward to part two of the OL. Sadly deep inside those residents are just waiting for MTA to say, The Orange Line is going Light Rail. Since that was part of the original plan.

Lastly I don't know why the Orange Line has not been extended East of the NO HO Red line Station yet?

klamedia

July 24th, 2007, 02:06 AM

Um....money? Priority list? Just getting through the probation period?

Fern~Fern*

July 24th, 2007, 04:10 AM

Um....money? Priority list? Just getting through the probation period?

What probation period are you referring to? Hasn't the Orange Line surpass and Wow officials already with all those daily riders. What else do they need to extend East of the Red Line into Burbank (Business District)? Money? Burbank should put up half the bill since it's going to benefit it's residents*

saiholmes

July 27th, 2007, 04:18 AM

Affair, NBC project cross paths
A $3-billion Universal City development is getting new scrutiny as Telemundo officials undertake a review of the mayor's girlfriend.
By David Zahniser, Times Staff Writer
July 26, 2007

The extramarital affair between Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and a newscaster for Telemundo has created a new set of complications for the broadcaster's corporate parent, NBC Universal — and possibly the mayor himself.

Even as its Spanish-language subsidiary is poised to decide the future of Mirthala Salinas, the now-suspended reporter who embarked on a romantic relationship with Villaraigosa while she reported on him, NBC Universal is proceeding with a massive $3-billion development plan that city officials must ultimately approve.

Although Telemundo executives hold the key to the career of Salinas, now the subject of an internal investigation into whether she compromised the company's journalistic mission, Villaraigosa holds his own considerable power over NBC Universal. The entertainment conglomerate will very likely need Villaraigosa's help to navigate the city's approval process as it spends the next year pushing its Universal City Vision Plan, a concept the mayor embraced seven months ago.

The first public discussion of the Universal City Vision Plan, a series of projects that would bring 2,900 new homes and 1.6 million square feet of new commercial space, will be held Wednesday, when residents will be asked to describe the environmental issues they want reviewed. But neighbors who live near Universal City have begun arguing that the mayor's relationship with Salinas raises new questions about his ties to the media company — and whether he has his own conflict of interest.

"The only one who knows whether there is a conflict is the mayor, and if there is, the mayor needs to acknowledge it and recuse himself," said Richard Bogy, a Toluca Lake resident who is on a panel reviewing part of Universal City's development plans.

Terry Davis, president of the Greater Toluca Lake Neighborhood Council, suggested that Villaraigosa ask the city's Ethics Commission to determine whether the mayor has any conflict of interest regarding the development plan. "We're talking a huge project, a 20-year project that will irreparably affect a community, and we need to know that it is all above board," she said.

Telemundo could end its review of Salinas by allowing her to keep her job as an anchor, by reassigning her to another program or affiliate, or even by letting her leave with a substantial severance package. Any of those decisions could be greeted positively or negatively by Villaraigosa, who has been publicly promoting NBC Universal's project for seven months.

Villaraigosa's aides would not say if the mayor will handle the Universal City project any differently in the coming months, saying they do not comment on hypothetical situations. But the mayor himself said Wednesday that he sees nothing awkward about the overlapping relationships involving his girlfriend, her bosses and the parent company seeking approval for a huge development project.

"I think that they have to act in accordance with their corporate rules and regulations, and I have to act in a way that is separate and apart from all that," the mayor said at a ribbon-cutting for a new restaurant at Universal CityWalk.

Universal Studios, the NBC Universal unit pushing the development plan, had a sharper response. "These are completely unrelated issues, and obviously one has no bearing on the other," said Cindy Gardner, a spokeswoman, in a statement.

Salinas has been on paid leave since July 5, when Telemundo announced that it would conduct a review of the work she performed while dating the mayor.

But Villaraigosa mentioned NBC Universal as recently as Monday, when he was asked by reporters why Telemundo had not contacted him as part of its internal review of Salinas. The mayor responded by suggesting that reporters put the question to NBC Universal.

Among elected officials in Los Angeles, Villaraigosa is by far the biggest champion of NBC Universal's plan for Universal City, which ranks among the region's largest development projects. The plan, which calls for new homes, production facilities, office buildings and a 500-room hotel, is rivaled only by two projects in downtown Los Angeles — the proposed Grand Avenue development and L.A. Live, a hotel and entertainment complex being built just north of Staples Center.

Villaraigosa spoke vigorously in favor of the Universal City project in December, when NBC Universal executives announced components of the development plan. On Wednesday, Villaraigosa repeated his support, calling it a critical economic development project.

By comparison, City Councilman Tom LaBonge, whose district includes neighborhoods around Universal City, and Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky have both characterized NBC Universal's plan as too large, saying the resulting traffic would threaten to overwhelm the region's roads.

"The councilman is opposed to the project as proposed," said Renee Weitzer, chief of staff to LaBonge, who is out of the country and could not be reached. "We feel it's too dense. It's too big, and the site is too small."

Backers of the Universal City expansion plan have had a relationship with Villaraigosa since he was elected mayor in 2005. Days before he took office, NBC Universal spent $25,000 to attend his inaugural gala, as did KNBC-TV, Channel 4, the company's local affiliate. NBC Universal's Spanish-language stations, Telemundo-52 and KWHY-TV, Channel 22, spent a combined $10,000.

Villaraigosa will have considerable sway over the development project, which will go before his appointees at the citywide Planning Commission and require considerable oversight from Gail Goldberg, the Planning Department general manager whom he hired last year. Villaraigosa has met at least twice with LaBonge to discuss it.

Politicians in California are required to recuse themselves from acting on issues where they or their spouses have a significant financial interest. The situation involving Villaraigosa raises a far less typical question: Should a politician recuse himself from an issue involving a woman who is not his wife?

One government watchdog said such a request would be a stretch, in part because the state's conflict-of-interest law deals mainly with politicians' spouses and children — not people with whom they are having a romantic relationship.

"There aren't any provisions I know about that deal with a girlfriend or a significant other," said Steve Levin, project manager for the Center for Governmental Studies.

Even more difficult is the question of how the mayor could step away from a project that touches so many parts of municipal government.

Universal City's project "is so massive that every aspect of city government is involved in it," Bogy added. "So I don't know how the mayor recuses himself. But if nothing else, he has a duty to acknowledge exactly what happened and not hide behind the veil of privacy."

Fern~Fern*

July 27th, 2007, 04:24 AM

She'll go to Univision...

losangelino

July 28th, 2007, 03:23 AM

LOS ANGELES, July 19 (UPI) -- The planned, massive Westfield shopping complex in Los Angeles' Woodland Hills in the west San Fernando Valley is designed to link three shopping malls.

Plans call for a new, third mall to connect the existing Topanga and Promenade malls, making it one of Southern California's largest projects of its kind.

The $750 million outdoor Village at Westfield Topanga would include a 30-room hotel, 150 condos and apartments, offices and 550,000 feet of shops and restaurants over a combined 3.8 million square feet of retail, office and residential space, developers told The Los Angeles Times.

Westfield officials say no department stores are planned in the new mall.

The village is expected to attract 10 million visitors a year, on top of the 24 million who shop at Topanga and the Promenade annually. Westfield estimated the complex would generate $6 million in sales tax revenue per year and create 7,000 permanent retail jobs.

Copyright 2007 by United Press International

redspork02

August 30th, 2007, 05:26 PM

Audit paints 'troubling picture' of Children's Museum
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The Children's Museum needs a better plan for raising funds, L.A. city controller says.
By Francisco Vara-Orta, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
August 30, 2007
City officials should consider turning down any future funding requests for the Children's Museum of Los Angeles, under construction in the San Fernando Valley, until museum officials come up with a workable financial plan, City Controller Laura Chick said Wednesday.

At a City Hall news conference, Chick released an audit that she said "shows a troubling picture for the museum's future," concluding the museum does not have enough money to finish construction and open.

City officials in 2000 authorized $9.5 million in parks bond measure funds and other taxpayer sources to build a museum to replace the city's original children's museum in the downtown Civic Center. The amount was intended to be seed money to help the museum raise funds to complete the project, the audit said.

But the bulk of the $28.7 million raised to date -- about $19 million -- has come from taxpayers, not private sources, Chick said. Before the city "gives the museum one more taxpayer dollar, the city's leadership must take a look to see if there is a viable fundraising plan and that this is a fiscally sound project," she said.

Museum officials said they need an additional $22 million to complete the $53-million project, under construction near Hansen Dam in Lake View Terrace, by March 2009.

Cecilia Aguilera Glassman, the museum's chief executive officer, said her organization will not ask the city for additional funding but instead is trying get private donations to complete the project.

"Once the city understands our plans and what is happening currently at the museum, I think they will be more comfortable with our situation," Glassman said. "But I welcome their conversation, because, with the amount of public funds that went into the project, all the parties should feel comfortable with our museum's plans."

Chick said that, although Glassman, who came in as director just six months ago, has led "well-intentioned" efforts to move away from public funding, the audit found the city has failed to closely monitor the project's progress and hold it accountable for its spending.

"City managers in charge of the administration of the program indicated that, while they felt uncomfortable about releasing the funds to the museum, the museum had significant political support that made it harder for them to withhold any funding," the audit reported.

The city's relationship with the project dates to at least 2000, when the city approved a 50-year deal leasing an acre of its parkland annually to the museum for $1 a year. The new museum will replace the Civic Center Children's Museum, which closed in 2000 because it had no room for expansion, not enough parking, and its lease was expiring.

Councilman Richard Alarcon called for the audit in June, while helping the museum secure a city loan of more than $1 million. Since its construction began in October 2005, the museum has been plagued with funding shortfalls and has been forced to delay its opening by two years.

"I'm not at the point where I think this project is a disaster," Alarcon, whose district includes the museum site, said Wednesday. "The audit provides a better light as to where we need to go next."

francisco.varaorta

@latimes.com

surfnspy

September 7th, 2007, 06:16 PM

hope this isn't redundant (I know you all will let me know if it is) but I see the sorta tall residential building in North Hollywood near the Lankershim Red Line stop has a website working now.

noho14.com

14 for 14 stories. I guess that's big for the valley floor.

Fern~Fern*

September 8th, 2007, 03:39 AM

surfnspy

September 28th, 2007, 05:34 AM

NOHO News

Looks like Lowe Enterprises gets the nod for the 700 million Dollar development in North Hollywood.

It sounds like it will include several towers as it is about 1.7 million sf of development. The media is saying that it will be twice the size of the HiHo project.

Before today's vote, three firms were competing--losing out are Forest City and CIM.

Here's the article I found From LA Business Journal:

Posted date: 9/27/2007
Lowe Lands NoHo Art Wave Rights

By ALLEN P. ROBERTS Jr.
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority voted Thursday to award exclusive negotiating rights for the development site adjacent to a North Hollywood Metro Red Line station on Lankershim Blvd. to Lowe Enterprises.

The Los Angeles-based developer will now move forward with negotiations with Metro in an effort to submit a proposal for the development – which is called the NoHo Art Wave. Thomas Wulf, with Lowe, said the project is currently estimated to cost around $700 million.

The development will be spread over 15.6-acres, most of it currently a parking lot, and is expected to contain 1 million square feet of office space, 560 apartment units and about 200,000 square feet of retail space – totaling about 1.7 million square feet of mixed use space.

The site is the largest transit-focused, mixed-use development proposed in North Hollywood to date and shows the city’s effort to focus new developments around public-transit accessibility.

The selection process included representatives from Metro and the L.A. Community Redevelopment Agency and will proceed over the next several months.

surfnspy

September 28th, 2007, 05:38 AM

Meanwhile, the EIR is due mid October for the MTA site at the Universal City Redline stop. That site is also to include several towers, up to mid 30 or so stories.

Residents are mobilizing to battle the plan.

klamedia

September 28th, 2007, 07:41 PM

This is more about the big development in Noho

Large transit-oriented development OKd for North Hollywood
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The NoHo Art Wave will have a mix of housing, retail and office space.
By Rong-Gong Lin II and Sharon Bernstein, Los Angeles Times Staff Writers
September 28, 2007
Transportation officials on Thursday gave a green light to the largest "transit-oriented" development in L.A. County history, a $1.3-billion apartment, retail and high-rise office tower complex to be built at the terminus of the Red Line subway and Orange Line busway in North Hollywood.

The NoHo Art Wave, which will be built on mostly vacant land or parking lots, will eclipse even the Hollywood & Highland shopping complex and underscores the efforts of transit officials to turn the once-declining North Hollywood business district into a major transit hub.

The development will feature more than 1.7 million square feet of development on 15.6 acres, which would be the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's largest transit-oriented development.

The MTA has made a priority of developing land the agency owns at its rail and bus stations.

Officials believe that locating shopping and housing next to bus and rail lines will encourage people to get out of their cars and use mass transit. But some critics have questioned whether such projects actually result in fewer car trips.

Similar developments -- but on a smaller scale -- have been rising at MTA subway stations along Wilshire Boulevard and Hollywood Boulevard as well. The MTA is continuing to look at developing land at other Red Line and Orange Line stations, as well as on the Gold Line extension now being built to East Los Angeles.

The North Hollywood project and others, however, have received mixed reactions from residents, some of whom worry about rising density of the neighborhood.

Ron Bitzer, who lives northwest of the Red Line train station in North Hollywood, said that even though his community of single-family homes is not directly affected by development at the station, an influx of people and the addition of tall buildings will affect all of the community, not just the streets adjacent to the Red Line.

Bitzer said that there is so much development going on in North Hollywood -- including in his own neighborhood near Laurel Canyon and Victory boulevards -- that officials should do more to reach out to residents throughout the area.

"I would have liked to have seen a little more discussion about this massive project," Bitzer said. "It doesn't sit well with me that they toss around this term 'smart growth' and then suddenly approve a large development that will obviously change the character of that part of North Hollywood."

More than 1 million square feet of office space will be built in three buildings between 12 and 20 stories tall. Other buildings on the drawing board will house nearly 160,000 square feet of retail and entertainment and about 560 apartment units. About 6,200 parking spaces will be built, with 1,500 reserved for MTA users, an increase from the current 1,000 spots.

Officials with the developer, Brentwood-based Lowe Enterprises, say they want to tap into North Hollywood's arts and theater scene and provide space for groups to rehearse and perform, both outdoors and indoors. The company is also in talks to build a replacement for the YMCA located about five blocks away.

Senior Vice President Thomas Wulf said the project is being called the "NoHo Art Wave" because it's being designed to be "a wave drawing pedestrians, office users and retail customers."

"Our goal is to really build upon the resurgence that's already taken place in North Hollywood, such as the resurgence of live theaters," Wulf said.

Thursday's action by the MTA board permits the agency's staff to enter into negotiations with the developer, and it could take as long as a year to negotiate the terms, Wulf said.

The developer is using private investors to fund the $1.3-billion construction cost, Wulf said.

Roger Moliere, the MTA's chief of real property management and development, said the MTA expects to retain ownership of the land and lease the property to the developer at $11 million per year.

Groundbreaking could begin in about two years, with various parts of the project being completed between 2010 and 2014, Wulf said. The L.A. Department of City Planning and Community Redevelopment Agency also will review the developer's plans, Wulf said.

Transit-oriented developments have been embraced by city leaders as a way of dealing with traffic gridlock and providing needed new housing.

But the effectiveness of the projects in terms of getting people out of their cars remains in question.

Earlier this year, The Times examined driving habits at four apartment and condominium complexes at or near transit stations in South Pasadena, North Hollywood, Pasadena and Hollywood.

Reporters spent two months interviewing residents, counting cars going out of and into the buildings and counting pedestrians walking from the projects to the nearby train stations.

The reporting indicated that only a small fraction of residents shunned their cars during morning rush hour. Most people said that even though they lived close to transit stations, the trains weren't convenient enough, taking too long to arrive at destinations and lacking stops near workplaces.

The MTA's Moliere believes the North Hollywood site makes sense for transit-oriented development because it sits at a key crossroads for both the subway and popular busway.

(The MTA's long-term plans -- if money is available -- call for eventually extending the Red Line north and building another transit line east into Burbank and Glendale.)

"It's a perfect spot for development," he said.

ron.lin@latimes.com

sharon.bernstein@latimes.com

lan56

September 29th, 2007, 12:21 AM

^^ Three towers between 12 and 20 stories huh? Sounds like the Warner Center Towers (the three iconic blue ones). Nothing bad to say, just saying that is the first thing that went through my mind when I read that, I guess since both the Warner Center thing and this new North Hollywood trio are in the valley.

surfnspy

September 29th, 2007, 03:12 AM

here's the link to the MTA EIR complete with drawings and a complete overview.

http://www.mta.net/board/Items/2007/09_September/20070919P&PItem10.pdf

Can someone drag the sketches here? May not work since the above doc is a PDF file.

godblessbotox

September 29th, 2007, 03:50 AM

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a22/godblessbotox/le01.gif
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a22/godblessbotox/le02.gif
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a22/godblessbotox/le03.gif
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a22/godblessbotox/le04.gif

VZN

September 29th, 2007, 11:50 AM

Hmm... so perhaps this can eclipse the HiHo in terms of activity. We'll see though.

milquetoast

September 29th, 2007, 11:56 AM

Just like the valley to vote against this, as I fear they may! First, they want to secede because they feel money is staying in the Cuhuenga basin, then, they fight development when the money comes their way. :bash:

surfnspy

September 29th, 2007, 05:40 PM

I don't think the valley residents will have much say about this.

The land belongs to the MTA and is part of the NOHO redevelopment area. Plus it is hard to argue with the idea of putting high density housing and biz at the most mass transit friendly spot in the valley (it's the terminus for the redline and the orange line.) If high density is going to be built at transit hubs, this is THE one where it makes the most sense.

I think, if the developer still feels like the project is financially viable once the final plans are done, it has a good shot at getting built.

Remember, it is going to be done in phases and won't be complete until 2014.

PS thanks for posting pix! Clever!

Fern~Fern*

September 29th, 2007, 06:23 PM

If then can built all this without any complaints, the above plan should not have any problems getting built...! Some here no names, (?) are just over reacting for no reason. ;)

The new face of NoHo Arts District!!!! :righton:

We definitely need more of these in No Ho Arts...
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e124/fnee1901/NOHO4.jpg

No Ho is building non-stop...
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e124/fnee1901/NOHO6.jpg

Across the Red Line Station...
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e124/fnee1901/NOHO27.jpg

More new apartment...
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e124/fnee1901/NOHO15.jpg

and more apartments...
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e124/fnee1901/NOHO19.jpg

Here's a little extra for those Orange line Lovers...
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e124/fnee1901/NOHO3.jpg

klamedia

September 29th, 2007, 06:27 PM

Not so fast......if you haven't noticed the LA Times has been pushing the idea that TOD's don't work, the paragraphs below may give the Valley something to chew on when they go to reject this plan or worse shrink it in size.
Truly what we are seeing are people who are anti-density even though they will lie to your face and say the issue is traffic and congestion. As we get more rail lines built and better bus lines the argument can no longer be traffic when these developments are literally being built atop transit lines.

From the LA Times. Whose side are they on? Perhaps its a Chicago conspiracy?Transit-oriented developments have been embraced by city leaders as a way of dealing with traffic gridlock and providing needed new housing.

But the effectiveness of the projects in terms of getting people out of their cars remains in question.

Earlier this year, The Times examined driving habits at four apartment and condominium complexes at or near transit stations in South Pasadena, North Hollywood, Pasadena and Hollywood.

Reporters spent two months interviewing residents, counting cars going out of and into the buildings and counting pedestrians walking from the projects to the nearby train stations.

The reporting indicated that only a small fraction of residents shunned their cars during morning rush hour. Most people said that even though they lived close to transit stations, the trains weren't convenient enough, taking too long to arrive at destinations and lacking stops near workplaces.

Fern~Fern*

September 29th, 2007, 06:33 PM

^^ (K) you seriously can't believe everything you read on the paper. Especially L.A. Times not really being a local paper anymore ;). So relax and absorb all the exciting things happening in the Valley, yes (K) the Valley. SInce I see how much you dislike my hood!

VZN

September 29th, 2007, 07:24 PM

milquetoast

September 30th, 2007, 12:38 PM

When it became a Tribune puppy and started printing more tidbits on New York the way a Chicago paper would!

vahebaronian

October 8th, 2007, 07:11 PM

New Northridge Residence Halls to Give Students ‘Complete College Experience’

(NORTHRIDGE, Calif., Oct. 1, 2007) — With more than 400 names on a waiting list for spots in campus student housing, Cal State Northridge officials have announced plans to break ground early next year on a $30.1 million housing complex to meet some of the demand.

The complex, funded by student housing rents, is scheduled to be built on a 2.8-acre site between CSUN’s main housing for single students, University Park Apartments—located south of Lassen Street between Lindley and Zelzah Avenues—and the university’s outdoor track. The groundbreaking is scheduled for January 2008.

When completed, two buildings will provide living space for 396 students beginning in fall 2009. A third building—a nearly 6,000 square foot "common program" building—will include a recreation room, classroom, multi-purpose room, storage space, office and a reception and security desk, from which all students and guests will be visible when they enter or leave. Tall walls with gates that will be locked at night also will enhance student safety, and the parking needs of complex residents will be met by maximizing use of a parking structure west of Zelzah, south of Lassen.

The project represents phase one of an expansion outlined in the 2005 campus master plan. Its four phases will make room for an additional 2,000 students, nearly doubling the current capacity, excluding housing for students with families, said Tim Trevan, director of student housing and conference services.

"Student housing is important because it provides students with the complete college experience," said Trevan, who sat on the master plan committee. "Students who live on campus report knowing their faculty better, knowing other students better, using university resources more thoroughly—for example the library, the computer labs, tutoring—and they are more involved in activities" than students who commute.

The new housing will not be identical to the University Park Apartments, which has 15 buildings, houses 2,400 students and was built between 1987 and 1991.

Instead of containing stand-alone apartments, the new CSUN residence halls will be divided into clusters of 32 students, who will live two to a bedroom with shared living/meeting rooms, study rooms and semi-private bathrooms. Unlike traditional dormitories with rooms lining long corridors, CSUN’s smaller-scaled student housing will encourage a greater sense of community.

"We really want to create small pods of students to encourage them not to be overwhelmed and actually get to know each other on a deeper level," the housing director said. Kitchens will not be included; students will be required to take a meal plan, increasing their involvement in the CSUN community.

Trevan said the cluster housing—suggested by architect AC Martin Partners, Inc. and based on a similar style at Babson College near Boston—specifically addresses the developmental needs of first-year students, the segment of the enrollment that benefits most from living on campus.

"It’s a chance to get to know people and meet new friends of different backgrounds," said freshman Alex Harris , 18, of Harbor City. Harris lives in the University Park Apartments, where two-bedroom units for four roommates cost $5,413 per academic year with a kitchen, and $4,336 without. "You get to know about their language, what kind of food they eat, how they live…You teach them your differences. They teach you their differences. We get along with each other."

California State University, Northridge has 35,200 full- and part-time students and offers 62 bachelor’s and 50 master’s degrees as well as 28 teaching credential programs. Founded in 1958, CSUN is among the largest single-campus universities in the nation and the only four-year public university in the San Fernando Valley. The university serves as the intellectual, economic and cultural heart of the Valley and beyond.

Article:
http://www.csun.edu/pubrels/press_releases/fall07/studenthousing.html

Image of Plans

http://www.csun.edu/

surfnspy

October 11th, 2007, 08:19 PM

I can't believe no one has posted yet. . .

Looks like the Universal/MTA site has an anchor tenant. NBC studios.

Sounds impressive, tho I am sure they are going to have a hard time getting the scale of their MASSIVE proposal approved.

I live less than a mile from the site and have to see more before I have an opinion. Right now, that area is mostly fast food, liquor stores and ratty ass motels.

Some version will break ground soon tho since they plan to move into the new space by 2011. Not so far away really!

http://la.curbed.com/archives/2007/10/more_on_nbc_rel.php

It sounds like we'll see renderings and details of scale in 2-3 weeks.

surfnspy

October 12th, 2007, 01:05 AM

AND NOW FOR SOME REAL 'SCRAPER PORN.

Ok, it's not THAT tall, but looks really cool. I live in the hills overlooking the valley, so between this and Universal developments, I get to look at a real skyline finally! :banana:

soup or man

October 12th, 2007, 01:38 AM

This will be on top of the NoHo Red Line station:

From Curbed:

Architects at AC Martin Partners call their project "an eruption of concrete, glass and steel piercing the valley floor - creating a vibrant, animated district that integrates work, transit, entertainment, shopping and living." We call it "an insanely huge mixed-use project." And MTA says it's a "boon for North Hollywood." At double the cost of Hollywood & Highland, everyone better be right.

http://la.curbed.com/uploads/2007_10_NoHo-Art-Wave-1.jpg

http://la.curbed.com/uploads/2007_10_NoHo-Art-Wave-4.jpg

http://la.curbed.com/uploads/2007_10_NoHo-Art-Wave-3.jpg

http://la.curbed.com/uploads/2007_10_NoHo-Art-Wave-5.jpg

http://la.curbed.com/uploads/2007_10_NoHo-Art-Wave-6.jpg

vahebaronian

October 12th, 2007, 01:44 AM

^^ Looks really nice, is this going to happen?

VZN

October 12th, 2007, 09:50 PM

Earlier, I asked myself if this new Noho project could eclipse the HiHo complex.

After looking at these renderings, I believe it. This thing is gonna be huge, the fact that its right next to the Red Line only makes it crazier.

klamedia

October 15th, 2007, 05:39 PM

I'm starting to believe that the reason behind all of the parking is that the developer wants all of the addtnl parking for reassurance that the whole thing will pencil out. Snoble's position might be one of allowing the parking to be put in so that so much traffic is created that it only pushes planners even more swiftly to curb such massive parking structures because they cause too much traffic therefore forcing people onto transit, essentially the boomerang effect. Let's face it, this would be classic LAlogic... When I go to H&H I see loads of people getting off of the train with me to get to the complex. What do you think?

Fern~Fern*

October 16th, 2007, 01:35 AM

^^ Looks really nice, is this going to happen?

^ Dude it's definitely going to happen and much much more...

I must say No Ho Arts is turning out to be a hip hood! There should be a name change to No Ho L.A. Arts District to make it seem more a part of the greater L.A. Basin.

vahebaronian

October 17th, 2007, 08:47 PM

^^ I heard people in the area are not happy that this is going to happen. I don't know why they would appose this project. North Hollywood needs a lot of help, and this project will hopefully spur other projects on in North Hollywood to revitalize the area.

My next Project would be to tear down that old ass Macy's (Formerly Robinson's May) by the 170 and build a couple of condo's there (like the Noho towers). There is a lot of property there. Before the 94 Quake there used to be a little one story mall over there, after damage form the quake all that was left was the then Robinson's May and a large parking lot. Since there is like a million Macy's in the Valley, they should tear this one down and make some sort of Condo/shopping area.

Robert Stark

October 17th, 2007, 10:44 PM

^^^^^^

and extend the red line there with a large TOD.

milquetoast

March 16th, 2008, 11:23 AM

Santa Clarita: Everyone Hates Las Lomas
Thursday, November 15, 2007, by Eric

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee192/trolltoast/2007_11_Las-Lomas-Santa-Clarita-thu.jpg

In a flurry of announcements this week, Santa Clarita Valley officials found lots of ways to hate Las Lomas, the massive, proposed development that would put 5,500 units on 555 acres atop hills between Interstate 5 and Highway 14. Says LA County Supervisor Michael Antonovich:

The Las Lomas property has slopes covering more than half of the property in excess of 50% slope, contains several prominent ridgelines, and has thousands of oak trees. Development would require would require 20 million cubic yards of grading. The property is already constrained in terms of ingress and egress, and this development would add approximately 72,000 daily vehicle trips, completely over-loading the Newhall Pass and the I-5/SR-14 interchange. The developer's proposed Metrolink station 300 feet underground, accessed by two elevator shafts, poses obvious health and safety risks to Metrolink users.
Santa Monica-based Palmer Investments would also add 2.7 million sq ft of office, retail and community space and a 300-room hotel next to the interchange where only weeks ago a big-rig accident caused massive delays and fires. la.curbed.com

milquetoast

March 26th, 2008, 08:04 AM

Final push for NoHo project
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee192/trolltoast/whatsnew_clip_image007.jpg zev.lacounty.gov

Construction of the third phase of the $375-million mixed-use development is slated to begin within weeks.
By Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
March 25, 2008
The final phase of a $375-million real estate development near the North Hollywood end of the Red Line subway called NoHo Commons was kicked off Monday by builders and public officials.

Los Angeles developer J.H. Snyder Co. will start work shortly on NoHo Commons' third segment, which will contain an office building with shops on the ground floor, a seven-screen Laemmle Theatres complex and a 700-space parking garage.

It will also include the relocation and restoration of Phil's Diner, a 1920s-era restaurant designed to simulate a railroad car that served generations of San Fernando Valley residents from a spot on Chandler Boulevard. The diner's original sign, now missing, will be re-created.

The $79.4-million third phase of the development is located on about three acres at the intersection of Lankershim Boulevard and Weddington Street. It's a block away from the north end of the subway and the beginning of the Orange Line busway that runs to Woodland Hills.

"This project creates a crossroads for culture and commerce at the transit crossroads of this very important part of the San Fernando Valley," said Los Angeles City Councilman Tom LaBonge, who represents the neighborhood.

The development is a joint project with J.H. Snyder Co. and the city's Community Redevelopment Agency to build a "transit-oriented development" near the North Hollywood station.

It is one of 28 transit-oriented developments under construction or planned at stops on Metropolitan Transportation Authority train routes, MTA spokesman Dave Sotero said. Eight others have already been completed.

Although the real estate industry has taken a beating in recent months, this project shouldn't be affected by the downturn, said Jerry Snyder, founder of J.H. Snyder Co. "It's not like I'm building a bunch of condos."

Snyder said he was close to signing a lease with a tenant for almost half the space in the 180,000-square-foot office building. He declined to identify the tenant before the agreement was final.

He said he would start construction within three months and complete the project within two years.

NoHo Commons was approved in 2001. The first phase, completed in 2006, contains 438 apartments, including units subsidized for low-income tenants.

The second phase, completed last year, contains 292 rental units and retail space, including a supermarket, bank and restaurants.

roger.vincent@latimes.com

milquetoast

March 26th, 2008, 08:05 AM

^^ Hey! Had to credit the old coot :)

milquetoast

March 31st, 2008, 11:05 AM

Tensions rising on Ventura Blvd.
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee192/trolltoast/7e9e148c0164f15b1e11bb9c3eeda1b1.jpg goodapartment.com

San Fernando Valley residents fear that dense, high-rise housing projects will worsen traffic.
By Amanda Covarrubias, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
March 30, 2008
Ventura Boulevard has long been a place where you went for sushi, doctor's appointments and meetings with your lawyer. Now it could become a place where you live.

The storied thoroughfare of shopping centers and office towers that snakes along the San Fernando Valley's southern flank will get its first large-scale apartments and condominiums this spring, perhaps sparking a trend that could significantly transform the 18-mile commercial corridor.

Starting in Universal City and winding through Studio City, Sherman Oaks, Encino, Tarzana and Woodland Hills, the boulevard is home to restaurants, boutiques, carwashes and supermarkets. Often used by drivers as an alternative to the 101 Freeway, the boulevard's traffic jams are notorious.

Allowing residential units on Ventura Boulevard is part of Los Angeles City Hall's larger campaign to encourage so-called smart growth along transportation corridors that will get people out of their cars and onto buses and subways. In theory, these new residents also would walk to stores, movie theaters and restaurants, cutting down on time spent behind the wheel.

Residents of neighborhoods that abut the busy boulevard have long complained that high-rise commercial and office buildings cast shadows on yards half a block away and that drivers seeking to bypass the bustling boulevard cut through their once-peaceful streets. Now they worry that new multifamily housing will make congestion and parking problems even worse.

Development along Ventura Boulevard has been controversial, even without housing. When high-rises began appearing more than 25 years ago, homeowners complained that their property values would fall as traffic and parking congestion grew.

Although a smattering of retirement homes and at least one residential complex already exist on the boulevard, developers and city officials are adding significantly more apartments and condos to the mix, which has some people worried.

On one side are those who say that the boulevard was never designed to accommodate residences and that the units will aggravate conditions along the already jammed east-west artery.

Developers and city officials say they are promoting pedestrian-friendly smart growth, which seeks to place dense development in some areas, mainly along transportation corridors, in hopes of reining in sprawl elsewhere.

Six mixed-use projects providing775 residential units have been approved for the boulevard, according to city officials.

But some residents in Encino complain that the city is allowing developers to build taller and denser buildings than is permitted under the community's specific plan and that residential builders are exempt from paying hundreds of thousands of dollars in traffic-impact fees even as they bring more cars to the already overloaded boulevard.

They also point out that residential space is not counted when total square footage on the corridor is tallied up -- mainly because no one envisioned that living quarters would be built on the commercial strip -- which means development could exceed the plan's limits.

Earlier this month, leaders of neighborhood councils and homeowners groups along the boulevard met to discuss the issue and came up with three recommendations for the city: Count the square footage of residential units in the overall tally; charge developers traffic-impact fees on residential units; and increase those fees to offset the cost of improvements needed on Ventura Boulevard and its side streets.

"Everything is totally against the constituents," said Lisa Sarkin, a member of the Studio City Neighborhood Council, "and everything is for the developer."

Activists believe the problem is likely to get worse before it gets better because of a recently enacted state law that allows developers to build new apartment buildings 35% larger than local zoning ordinances permit if they include some below-market, affordable units in their buildings. The city's interpretation of that law has caused distress in neighborhoods all over the city.

Rob Glushon, president of the Encino Neighborhood Council, complains that developers are being granted variances and exemptions to the specific plan, allowing the delicate balance between larger mixed-use developments on the boulevard and smaller single-family homes off the boulevard to be thrown out of whack.

"What good is a specific plan if you approve all these variances and exceptions?" Glushon asked. "I'm not against mixed use, I just think developers should have to play by the rules."

Tom Glick, a city planner in the Valley, said homeowners and developers have the right to seek building code changes and variances on their properties, and each request is considered individually.

Mixed-use developments -- a combination of housing and commercial-retail space within one project -- are in the works in several communities along the boulevard, including Tarzana and Sherman Oaks. But no neighborhood is more affected than Encino, where three such developments are under construction within a half-mile of Ventura Boulevard and Hayvenhurst Avenue.

They include the four-story, 137-unit Avalon Bay apartment complex, the 125-unit Gold Mountain project and the 51-unit Woodrise. The intersection is about a mile from the frequently gridlocked interchange of the 101 and 405 freeways.

The 2004 planning report for Avalon Bay shows that the city granted a higher density on one portion of the project than otherwise allowed in exchange for creating a buffer zone between it and nearby homes. The report also stated that the project would reduce congestion by encouraging pedestrian activity.

Bryan Gordon, chief operating officer of Pacific Equity Properties, a Santa Monica firm building a mixed-use project on the boulevard in Tarzana, said his company sought entitlements for Village Walk -- which includes town houses, condominiums and a Whole Foods store -- not to add density but to increase ceiling height in the town houses and to make boulevard-facing buildings more visually pleasing.

"We try to serve the community by building good projects and by not cramming as much as we can into a buildable area," Gordon said.

City Councilman Jack Weiss, who represents Encino, Sherman Oaks and parts of the Westside, supports mixed-use projects "that will encourage pedestrian and transit-friendly neighborhoods where people can rely less on cars," said Lisa Hansen, his chief of staff.

"To preserve the character of single-family neighborhoods, mixed-use projects should be considered for major boulevards and transit corridors," Hansen said.

"For example, Councilmember Weiss' vision for Century City adds residential projects and transit improvements, and Ventura Boulevard also can incorporate residential and mixed-use projects in a thoughtful way."

Weiss' support for mixed-use projects in Century City helped spark an unsuccessful recall attempt last year by a small group of Westside homeowners.

But "thoughtful" is not the description Encino residents would apply to the way development is unfolding in their community, and even mixed-use supporters are having a hard time accepting what's going on.

"I am a fan of mixed use because of what I've seen in other cities around the world," said Leonard Shaffer, president of the Tarzana Neighborhood Council.

"Whether it will work in Los Angeles is another question, because of our car culture. But when I look at some of the things going on in Encino, I cringe."

Gerald A. Silver, president of Homeowners of Encino, echoes Shaffer's concerns:

"There's no proof that smart growth works," Silver said. "People are going to get in their cars and drive."

amanda.covarrubias@ latimes.com

I-97!!

April 1st, 2008, 01:15 AM

Why not Victory Blvd or Sherman Way...those streets need some remodeling.

milquetoast

April 1st, 2008, 09:09 AM

Or Oxnard or Vanowen...

vahebaronian

April 2nd, 2008, 12:45 AM

Van Nuys Blvd from Victory continuing north looks you are in TJ...I wish the city does something about it. It seems to me the area is getting worse and worse every day. I have lived in the valley since '88 and every since the Northridge quake, the place has gone down hill big time. Its really depressing.

milquetoast

April 3rd, 2008, 08:26 AM

I remember a Farrell's ice cream parlor in that area. If you could eat everything in 'The Trough', you didn't have to pay for it. 'Course you would die later. They also had a GM plant there that actually made some of the great cars of the eighties, like Cameros. That area was always just a little shady :)

saiholmes

April 24th, 2008, 04:33 AM

Steve Lopez:
Rick Caruso shows off his new world in Glendale
The developer gives a tour of his dream of luxurious living and consumptive indulgence -- with a ready-made forest trucked in at night.
April 23, 2008

The invitation arrived in a jewel box with a faux diamond garter around it, or maybe a faux diamond necklace.

"A Return to Glamour," said the platinum, beaux-arts card. In the black velvet case was a sprinkle of artificial rose petals.

Rick Caruso, who is remaking Southern California as a constellation of lifestyle centers anchored by Cheesecake Factories, was inviting me to a black tie affair on May 1 -- the grand opening celebration of the Americana at Brand in Glendale.

Even before I could accept the invitation, Caruso e-mailed me to see if I wanted a sneak preview.

I thought he'd never ask.

Caruso greeted me at the entrance on Brand Boulevard one morning last week as dozens of workers put the finishing touches on his $400-million vision of residential and retail nirvana, a project so fantastical it will -- for better or worse -- transform the center of Glendale and blow the adjacent Galleria mall back into the last century.

Caruso was tan and loose as a Rat Packer at a cocktail party, a man who could not be more comfortable in his own skin. He wore pressed slacks and a sharply cut dress shirt, along with a Swiss coffee-colored hard hat that said "the Americana at Brand" on it, with his name underneath. He handed me a hat of my own, with my name already affixed. In Caruso World, details are everything.

He is, of course, the man who gave birth to the Grove at 3rd and Fairfax, a wildly popular, Disneyesque Main Street of chain stores, dancing water and babes in strollers. Rockwellian nostalgia is blended with Pottery Barn modernity at the Grove, and a Sinatra-and-friends soundtrack brings a little bit of Vegas to the party.

Americana is clearly a first cousin of the Grove, except that it's not just a destination, but an address, with 238 apartments and 100 condos (priced from $700,000 to $2.4 million) built into an upscale village Caruso says he modeled on Madison Avenue in New York and Newbury Street in Boston.

The stores include Barneys New York, Juicy Couture, Anthropologie -- the kind of places that will "redefine" the retail experience in Glendale, my guide explained. A two-car trolley will transport shoppers through an undisturbed dream of consumptive indulgence, a movie-set reality dressed up with an 18-screen theater, dancing fountain and massive outdoor crystal chandelier.

"We're trying to re-create urban living, where it's nice and luxurious," Caruso said as we came upon a European-style entryway to the Marc, an apartment building he said is inspired in part by the Four Seasons Resort in Maui. It has a "Caruso Affiliated" symbol blazed into the ground like a medallion. For the busy professional just home from work, he told me, there will be a concierge to answer every need.

"You'd call the Call Center and they'd say, 'Mr. Lopez, how can I help you?' Let's say you want a steak, a Caesar salad and a bottle of wine.' "

All of that would be delivered to my apartment after a massage at the spa and a quick splash in the lap pool.

"Bottom line -- we're operating like a five-star hotel."

We worked our way up to an apartment with a bird's-eye view of Caruso World. From a broad balcony, we took in a perfectly manicured park -- children's play area included -- called the Green. A full-grown sycamore is one of more than 500 trees on the property. You shut down the freeways at night, Caruso explained, and truck in your ready-made forest.

The gold-leaf statuary includes an 18-foot tall replica of "The Spirit of American Youth" from Omaha Beach in France, commemorating the invasion of Normandy, and atop a domed condo stands lady "America" with sword, wreath and eagle.

"This symbolizes for me a lot of my beliefs as to what this country is about," said Caruso.

What's interesting about Caruso's invitation to me was that he knows I've critiqued the Grove as commercial artifice -- the very antithesis of a serendipitous, organic experience in city living. He knows, too, that what he showed me last week is not my cup of tea, and he even joked about dropping the outdoor chandelier on me depending on the drift of this column.

Traffic will be unbearable, I told him. He sloughed it off, saying he paid $7 million for road improvements that will make it work. We'll see about that.

What I like about Caruso is that he is unabashed and unapologetic.

And judging by his success, more of the world shares his taste than mine.

But here's my question: Where do all these shoppers come from? There isn't an unlimited pool of people who can afford places like Americana on Brand or the Grove. So you have to think they're just luring people away from some other shopping spot, including more authentic cityscapes like Larchmont Village or Montrose's Honolulu Avenue.

Caruso has told me he admires those more organic commercial zones, but he is in a very different business. Caruso builds monuments to Western civilization, and while some might find the Americana at Brand a soul-sapping contrivance of nostalgia and patriotism, the masses will undoubtedly flock there.

The truth is that I occasionally go to the Grove, which my daughter loves (though not as much as we both love the adjacent Farmers Market). I could imagine her running across the Green at the Americana too, as I reluctantly surrender my stuffy inhibition, knowing that with several more mega-projects in the works after this one, soon the matter will be indisputable.

It's Caruso's world, and we just live in it.

milquetoast

May 1st, 2008, 08:38 AM

Americana At Brand: Extra Butter, Please
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee192/trolltoast/2454510247_bb97f8f9e6_o.jpg
Becky Sapp
Even more gluttonous coverage of Americana at Brand, developer Rick Caruso's mega mall, mega condo/apartment development that opens this Friday. Like the Grove shopping center, Americana has a movie theater, an Art Deco-inspired Pacific Theatres Glendale 18. And whatever your feelings about Americana or Glendale, it's likely this theater will do very, very well. According to Los Angeles, the Grove's "14-screen multiplex has been ranked among the five highest-grossing movie theaters in the United States."
Curbed LA

ArchiTennis

May 1st, 2008, 05:17 PM

^^ how is this integrated on brand? good for foot traffic?

surfnspy

May 1st, 2008, 06:28 PM

Looks like several more buildings are scheduled to go up at what is now being called, "The Pointe" in Burbank on the NBC lot. The four new buildings will each be 14 floors. The first of the four is about 7/8 floors up already. The next three will go up in 2.5 year increments and will be built on spec. The NBC lot will become an independent studio once NBC leaves for the new Lankershim development at the Universal City red line stop.

Westsidelife

May 2nd, 2008, 05:15 AM

NBC Studios Site in Burbank to Get a Big Remake (http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-nbc1-2008may01,0,5895773.story)

The $750-million upgrade will include four 14-story office buildings.

By Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
May 1, 2008

New owners of NBC Studios in Burbank unveiled plans Wednesday for $750 million worth of upgrades to the historic lot where top entertainers and newscasters have broadcast to the nation since the 1950s.

Under construction is the first of four 14-story office towers to be built over the next decade around the movie and television lot where Johnny Carson turned "beautiful downtown Burbank" into a running joke on "The Tonight Show."

Today, Burbank's Media District is one of the most sought-after office addresses in Southern California, with top rents and few vacancies.

The complex, to be renamed the Pointe, will be upgraded and operated as an independent studio with industry tenants making movies and television shows. The most noticeable change will be the towers and the emphasis on office space.

Leading the rush for offices are entertainment companies that have found they need more and more employees to bring movies, television shows and other products to market.

"A lot of companies prefer to operate on a lot," said real estate broker Carl Muhlstein. "They can turn projects around with tighter controls and more efficiency."

There are several reasons that demand for entertainment-related office space is growing, especially around Los Angeles County's historic studios. Making movies and television shows requires more office space than ever as the scope of production grows.

The ratio of support staff to the number of people who actually perform in and produce some television shows, for instance, has doubled or even tripled in the last decade, said Muhlstein, an entertainment industry specialist with Cushman & Wakefield who negotiated the NBC deal.

"The typical talk show starring one person, like 'Ellen,' has 150 support staff," Muhlstein said. "Jay Leno has 200."

Most productions are now edited on computerized desktop systems on studio lots. Rough cutting, assembling DVD versions and re-formatting programming for new channels of distribution such as the Internet and cellphones are increasingly being performed on studio lots. Then there are spin-offs such as video games, tie-ins with fast-food restaurant chains and souvenir product licensing.

Capitalizing on this office trend is M. David Paul & Associates, a Santa Monica-based developer and landlord that owns more than half of the office space in Burbank and now holds title to NBC Studios as well.

The company acquired the studio in two separate purchases, landing the bulk of it late last year after NBC announced it would move its operations to a nearby location in Los Angeles across the street from Universal Studios.

Until then, NBC is leasing its space on the Burbank lot. The network hopes that the first of its new facilities will be ready by 2012. But NBC expects parts of its operations to remain well into the next decade.

"We plan to have a presence here for years to come," said Tom Smith, head of West Coast real estate for NBC Universal.

M. David Paul has started work on the first of its four towers for the historic NBC site. Other additions to the lot will include underground parking, two outdoor plazas and a health club, a spa and a commissary for workers.

The property acquisitions and the new development will have a combined value of more than $1 billion, said Jeff Worthe, a principal at the firm. The office building under construction is expected to be completed in March, and the others will follow in sequence.

"We plan to do one tower every 2 1/2 years for the next 10 years," Worthe said.

The developer doesn't have tenants lined up for the new buildings, but the practice of building "on spec" makes sense when serving the entertainment industry, according to Worthe. Workers have more say about their environment than they do in many other businesses, and prospective tenants want to be sure what they are getting.

"You have to show them something," Worthe said. "When they can stand on the floors and see the views, then they can commit."

The credit crunch damping the nation's real estate market shouldn't delay the development process, because demand for entertainment remains strong, Worthe said.

"This isn't about what the next 18 months will be like," Worthe said, "but what the next 18 years will be like."

The additions are in keeping with Burbank's 1996 master plan, which laid out expansion parameters for local studios, said Deputy City Planner Joy Forbes. "It gave the studios some comfort of knowing that if they wanted to grow, their entitlement was in place."

Other projects are in the works. The late Bob Hope's family trust plans to build an office building soon at the corner of Olive and Alameda avenues, Forbes said, and Warner Bros. is entitled to build 2 million square feet of additions to its lot.

Warner is building a soundstage for movie or television production to be completed next year, but no new offices are planned, a studio spokeswoman said.

The entertainment office boom is also happening in Hollywood.

"We're seeing a fairly consistent stream of tenants looking for space," said Victor Coleman of Hudson Capital, which owns Sunset Gower Studios and Sunset Bronson Studios (formerly Tribune Studios). "The studio environment and camaraderie of being among similar companies seems to be a huge draw."

Hudson is planning to expand office space at both studios, which date to the early days of Hollywood. Nearing completion at Sunset Gower, formerly Columbia Pictures headquarters, is an office building that will be leased to Technicolor.

The new Technicolor offices will make it easier to serve clients, said Ahmad Ouri, president of content services. A studio office can also lead to new business, which is part of the appeal, he said.

"Two filmmakers can meet on the lot and end up doing business together."

milquetoast

May 2nd, 2008, 09:16 AM

Let's us see if we can capitalize on our unique situation. We have lots of lots, we build office space on them, we show that off to clients, we sign long term leases, we synergize executive and production, then we can keep most of it here. Start building!He said "Start building!" Well, what should we do, guys? Should we start building now? :grouphug:YES!!dammit dammit dammit

saiholmes

May 3rd, 2008, 10:06 AM

Debut of Rick Caruso's new mall gets Hollywood treatment in Glendale
Americana at Brand opens with a black-tie gala that includes meals by Wolfgang Puck, emceeing by Jay Leno and a bevy of musical talent.
By Cara Mia DiMassa, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
May 3, 2008

When the Glendale Galleria opened in 1976, the opening ceremonies were held in the mall at 9:30 a.m. on a Wednesday. The VIP list included civic and business leaders, as well as the 94-year-old fourth-generation descendant of the man who received the original land grant for San Rafael, now Glendale.

Then there is mega-developer Rick Caruso.

Caruso's latest project, Americana at Brand, opened Thursday night with a black-tie gala that promised a "return to glamour" -- Caruso's words -- and delivered an over-the-top Hollywood production, complete with fireworks, Klieg lights and extras.

The belle of the ball was the $400-million Americana, Caruso's retail and residential development in the heart of Glendale, across the street from the Galleria. The dinner and entertainment part of the evening was held on the top floor of the complex's parking garage -- with reinforcements brought in to buttress the garage under the weight of the evening's 2,000 invited guests.

A line of white-jacketed valets greeted guests as they drove into the center, where bar tables topped with douppioni silk stood outside ground-floor shops such as Tiffany, Kate Spade and Calvin Klein. Showgirls in full regalia walked the lawn at the heart of the development. Guests were driven to their seats by male models in golf carts.

Among the guests was Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who told the crowd, "I love shopping. So I'll be back."

They dined on a sit-down menu of filet mignon with wild mushroom leek tortellini and Grand Marnier souffle' catered by Wolfgang Puck. They were serenaded by a host of marquee names, including the Four Tops, the Temptations, Natalie Cole and Tony Bennett.

Oh, and the emcee? None other than "Tonight Show" host Jay Leno.

To get the project built, Caruso waged a seven-year battle that included fighting a ballot referendum against the project funded by General Growth Properties, the owners of the Glendale Galleria.

He acknowledged many of the workers who helped him get there -- some in ways more generous than others. For bringing the project in on time, the construction manager was given a black BMW 7 series, which was driven close to the stage at Caruso's bidding.

But perhaps his biggest praise went to a couple of residents in the audience, members of a civil court jury that last year awarded Caruso $89 million in damages and compensation, finding that General Growth illegally threatened to prevent the Cheesecake Factory from moving into his complex.

Caruso apparently had tracked them down and added them to the guest list.

"They are a great group of people," Caruso said. "They are not only the jury on this trial, they are the jury on my next trial," he joked.

Glendale officials, who recently agreed to name a street after the developer, were a little star-struck by the festivities.

"I don't think the city of Glendale will ever see a gala of that nature again," said Councilman Ara Najarian, chairman of the city's redevelopment agency.

"Even if someone builds a $500-million mall" -- he corrected himself -- "lifestyle center, like Caruso did, I don't think anyone has the commitment and flair that Mr. Caruso has."

Glendale Police Capt. Lief Nicolaisen said that about 11 p.m., the event generated more than a few calls to the department's communications center from people wondering whether they had just heard gunshots. Nope, they were assured; it was just fireworks, marking Americana's loud debut in their city.

http://www.latimes.com/media/photo/2008-04/38114723.jpg
http://www.latimes.com/media/photo/2008-04/38114737.jpg
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http://www.latimes.com/media/photo/2008-04/38114724.jpg
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milquetoast

May 3rd, 2008, 11:33 AM

Valley renaissance: CSUN arts center will help change city's cultural geographyArticle Last Updated: 04/30/2008 11:22:00 PM PDT

The San Fernando Valley has long been derided as a cultural wasteland compared with the rest of the city.
As such, Valley residents have always had to hit the highways in order to enjoy major concerts, museums or Broadway shows. But things are changing here in the Valley, and soon people will have to start rethinking the geography of Los Angeles culture as merely existing "over the hill."

First and foremost is the now-imminent opening of the 1,700-seat, $125 million performing arts center at California State University, Northridge. Ground was broken on the center Wednesday. The project has been a long time coming, and it shows the university's commitment to the Valley that it continued with the modern center even in the face of an economic downturn. CSUN President Jolene Koester said the campus has a responsibility to serve the community, and the performing arts center is one way to do it.

The center is the result of a public-private partnership. In addition to being the largest such performance center in the region when it opens in 2010, the center will give the Valley what it has always lacked: a top-flight cultural venue that can attract major musical and theatrical productions.

While it alone is an important element in the Valley's cultural maturity, the performing arts center is not alone. In Lake View Terrace, the city's Children's Museum is also nearing completion. Add to that the revival of the art and theater scene in North Hollywood and it's a
virtual renaissance for the Valley.

milquetoast

May 10th, 2008, 03:09 AM

Forget selling land to balance L.A.'s budget, city is giving it away
The council is set to vote on a proposal to give a three-acre site in North Hollywood to a developer building offices and a movie theater near the Red Line station.
By David Zahniser and Steve Hymon, Los Angeles Times Staff Writers
May 9, 2008
Even as Los Angeles officials search for surplus public property that can be sold to help balance this year's budget, the City Council is weighing a plan to give a three-acre site in North Hollywood to a developer who has promised to build an office tower and a seven-screen Laemmle movie theater.
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee192/trolltoast/38660415.gif

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's proposed budget for fiscal 2008-09 calls for raising $14.2 million by selling excess real estate holdings, among them an old animal shelter in San Pedro, three vacant fire stations and the old Cypress Park library.

North Hollywood redevelopmentYet Villaraigosa's appointees at the Community Redevelopment Agency are also recommending that the council hand over a site that the agency has valued at $14.9 million to the J.H. Snyder Co., whose projects include the West Hollywood Gateway retail center and the Crescent apartments in Beverly Hills. The firm's president has contributed $160,000 to the mayor's political and philanthropic causes.

The plan is scheduled for a council vote today. Councilman Tom LaBonge, whose district includes North Hollywood, said he supported the Laemmle project but relied on the redevelopment agency to craft the contract points.

"I don't negotiate these deals. I leave it up to the agency," he said. "But I do know this: North Hollywood went nowhere until [J.H. Snyder] got involved."

The proposal drew fire from one longtime critic of the strategy of subsidizing private development and of dense projects. Urban historian Joel Kotkin questioned whether the east San Fernando Valley needs more movie theaters.

"I don't understand it. We're giving away property when we're supposed to be selling it," said Kotkin, author of "The City: A Global History". "You'd think that the budget crisis would make people think twice about this."

The redevelopment proposal represents the final phase of NoHo Commons, a multiyear effort to revitalize North Hollywood's arts district. The first phase allowed 438 apartments and condominiums to be built and the second brought a Hows supermarket. Both are next to the Metro Red Line station.

Redevelopment agency officials said they offered the site to J.H. Snyder for $1 after the developer agreed to donate 500 square feet of it for a job center and spend $3.25 million to expand a nearby medical clinic and $1.5 million to build a child-care facility at nearby Valley College.

The company also agreed to relocate and refurbish Phil's Diner, a historic restaurant that has been shuttered.

NoHo Commons III is the third phase of a redevelopment project that began in 2000 and has relied on at least $46.3 million in city revenue.

The third phase would include a nine-story office tower with retail on the ground floor, the movie theater and a 700-space parking garage. The project is at Lankershim Boulevard and Weddington Street, one block south of the subway station.

"It's something the community is looking forward to," said Gazala Pirzada, a project manager with the redevelopment agency. "There is a need for a theater in the area, so we feel that this project is really providing a lot of different kinds of community benefits."

J.H. Snyder gave $50,000 to each of three Villaraigosa's initiatives: the push for a bill allowing him to take over the Los Angeles Unified School District, the campaign to elect three new school board members and the successful campaign on behalf of Proposition S, a $243-million telephone users tax on the Feb. 5 ballot. The company also donated $10,000 to Villaraigosa's inaugural gala, a fundraiser for after-school programs.

Cliff Goldstein, a senior partner with the company, said that he did not believe the land was worth $14.9 million -- and that he was unfamiliar with such an appraisal. Goldstein also said that the company had lent the CRA about $5 million to acquire the land.

"To suggest that it's unencumbered land that the CRA owns and can be sold is misleading," Goldstein said. "We purchased it at market rate . . . We're getting part of the land back to build an office building, we're giving some of the land back for parking and to build the movie theater."

Redevelopment officials said some of the concessions were negotiated by the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy, a nonprofit group that seeks to obtain money from developers for neighborhood-level and union-backed initiatives. The group is headed by Madeline Janis, one of Villaraigosa's appointees on the redevelopment agency board.

Janis abstained from the vote but her colleagues approved the deal with J.H. Snyder on March 20. Although the complicated financing package still requires the approval of the Los Angeles City Council, Villaraigosa went ahead with a groundbreaking four days later, appearing with LaBonge and Jerome Snyder.

"This project will bring affordable housing, jobs, mass transit and an array of community services to a part of the Valley which has been starving for investment for decades," said Matt Szabo, a spokesman for the mayor. "That is precisely the kind of progress that public incentives are intended to achieve."

Szabo also said that there was no connection between contributions to the mayor made by Snyder and the actions of the redevelopment agency board.

david.zahniser@latimes.com

steve.hymon@latimes.com

AlexTheMartian

May 10th, 2008, 07:05 AM

^^ I saw a pre-release screening of Happy Feet at the Academy of Television Arts and Science. (ironic, due to the fact I was watching a movie in a place dedicated to television, lol) Nice area there.

surfnspy

June 6th, 2008, 09:35 PM

The Pointe has topped out. 14 floors--a pretty hulking building for Burbank.

Sorry no pix. :-(

milquetoast

June 18th, 2008, 10:45 AM

Neighbors fight plan for plaza
Applicant for banquet-hall project insists detractors will come around.By Jason Wells
Published: Last Updated Monday, June 16, 2008 10:20
CITY HALL — Neighbors of a proposed five-story building in southwest Glendale told city officials during a public meeting Monday that its two floors of banquet halls would only add to traffic congestion in the area.The proposed 96,670-square-foot Regency Plaza Project, located at South Columbus Avenue and West Colorado Street, would devote two floors to banquets and a full-service restaurant. The rest of the space would be used for offices. Glendale News Press
5 Stories? NOOOOOOO.....

milquetoast

July 22nd, 2008, 05:40 AM

(What does The Valley have against 5 story projects?)Rumble in the Valley City Councilman Tony Cardenas is booing and hissing a proposed Van Nuys mixed-use development adjacent to the Orange Line busway, reports the Daily News. On Thursday, Metro is expected to approve a proposal for a five-story, 560-unit building at Sepulveda Boulevard and Erwin Street. Cardenas is pissed about the 30,000 square feet of commercial development that's part of the project (it's not clear why). "They can choose who they want," Cardenas told the newspaper. "But, when it comes down to it, the project has to go through the city planning process. that's where I will make my objections known." Daily News

milquetoast

July 22nd, 2008, 05:41 AM

Tony Cardenas......... ass

klamedia

July 29th, 2008, 04:27 AM

Traffic Concerns Have Homeowners Fighting NBC Projecthttp://la.curbed.com/archives/2008/07/traffic_concerns_has_homeowners_fighting_nbc_project.php#more

surfnspy

August 4th, 2008, 06:12 PM

The 14 floor building, "the Pointe" in Burbank is all topped up and getting lots of glass. Progress on this one is FAST.

VZN

August 4th, 2008, 07:24 PM

Traffic Concerns Have Homeowners Fighting NBC Projecthttp://la.curbed.com/archives/2008/07/traffic_concerns_has_homeowners_fighting_nbc_project.php#more

Gotta love the valley. :ohno: This project can do so much for the SFV and they're fighting it? Man, whatever...

klamedia

August 5th, 2008, 04:32 AM

The Valley should have never been annexed as part of the City Of LA.....but I guess we wouldn't have water. I guess I should rephrase that, the Valley is only a part of the City Of LA because the city needed water.

milquetoast

August 5th, 2008, 09:35 AM

How much worse can it get for the people in the valley? They have other things to worry about other than development and traffic. Did they ever, just once, stop and think that things can get better?

saiholmes

August 13th, 2008, 03:55 AM

L.A. City Council OKs $18.7 million for Plaza Pacoima
Many consider the $59.2-million shopping center, slated to open in 2010, critical to Pacoima's economic revival. Half the center's permanent jobs are to be set aside for locals.
By Joanna Lin, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
August 13, 2008

The Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved spending $18.7 million to help build a shopping center in Pacoima that many view as key to the working-class neighborhood's economic revival.

The $59.2-million Plaza Pacoima project on Paxton Street next to the 118 Freeway will include a Costco and a Best Buy as well as office, retail and restaurant space on 18 acres.

The shopping center is expected to generate $153 million in revenue over the next 30 years, said Cecilia V. Estolano, chief executive of the Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency.

"This is truly a transformative project for Pacoima," Estolano said. "We've transformed a polluted eyesore into a vibrant retail center for a community much in need of retail opportunities."

Councilman Richard Alarcon said the project was worth the money, arguing that no other redevelopment project would have as large an effect in the northeast San Fernando Valley.

"That does not even count the wages and other benefits that will accrue to the community," said Alarcon, whose district includes Pacoima.

Pacoima residents worked with developer Primestor Development Inc. of Beverly Hills and city officials for two years to ensure that the project's 438 construction and 354 permanent jobs provide living wages to local residents, Estolano said.

About 30% of the construction jobs and 50% of the permanent jobs would be guaranteed to local residents, and 10% of all positions would be set aside for at-risk people who typically have barriers to employment, Estolano said. Construction workers would be eligible for a union apprenticeship program that could help lead to employment after Plaza Pacoima is completed, she said.

Plaza Pacoima has received strong support from community members and city officials, who lauded its retail, employment and community improvement benefits.

It will be built on the site of a former Price Pfister faucet manufacturing plant, near a Lowe's home improvement store. Once a contaminated site, the area has been cleaned up and is ready for development, Estolano said.

Construction is scheduled to start in December, and the shopping center is to open in 2010. It will include a parking lot with nearly 900 spaces, as well as more than 500 trees and shaded pedestrian routes.

The project would also contribute $637,000 to the Pacoima Cultural Facility Arts Trust Fund, Estolano said.

rst22

August 13th, 2008, 08:41 PM

^^^^^^^^^^

that is good news. Pacoima's a sh*t holl.

LAsam

August 13th, 2008, 09:12 PM

Guess they are more open to development in the depressed parts of the valley. It's always good to here about redevelopment in the SFV, a lot of areas there are in great need of it.

vahebaronian

August 13th, 2008, 10:31 PM

I hope parts of Van Nuys are next...Van Nuys Blvd is depressing..It looks like Tijuana over there

saiholmes

August 28th, 2008, 04:11 AM

Universal City project traffic impacts

The city of Los Angeles released its environmental impact report earlier this week for the proposed development of the parking lots at the Universal City subway stop. The report shows that the 1.5 million square feet of development, including a relocation of NBC Studios from Burbank, will add to traffic in the area by generating about 14,000 new car trips daily.

The Daily News has a complete story online, with the predictable headline "Universal gridlock disaster?" The story quotes Los Angeles Councilman Tom LaBonge and County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, both of whom say the development is too large -- as they've said in the past. The mayor's office continues to back the project, saying it creates needed jobs in the entertainment industry and is located atop a subway stop.

Here are 10 things worth knowing about the project and its impact on traffic:

1. The project's first phase includes a 24-story office tower and five-story studio space, with the second phase adding another 24-story office tower or hotel and residential building. The studio would host "The Tonight Show," which for decades has been taped in Burbank. NBC/Universal and its development partner Thomas Properties says it will bring 5,000 jobs to the city.

2. Most of the land is currently owned by Metro (the agency also known as the MTA). The agency has in recent years been looking for developers to build on land it owns at transit stops. This is part of that effort, although on a bigger scale. And, as I've written before, it will continue to be controversial because of possible traffic impacts.

3. The development sits to the southeast side of the never-completed junction of the 101, 134 and 170 freeways. Motorists on the freeway can't go from the 101 north to the 134 east or from the 134 west to the 101 south, for example, without using surface streets. Lankershim Boulevard serves as the connector between those routes and Lankershim is also going to sit on the south side of the new development.

4. The environmental impact report does not cover the 2,900 residential units that NBC/Universal wants to build on its backlot. City planner Jon Foreman said that the determination was made that the two projects had different locations, different time lines and different players -- so the report was limited just to the subway stop development. Another EIR will cover the residential units. What this means, of course, is that the report can't weigh the combined real-life impacts of the new NBC studios with the 2,900 residential units. Why? The residential side hasn't been built yet.

5. The key chart in the EIR comes on page 133 of the traffic impacts section (which you can download as a pdf file) when the city lists key intersections that will be affected near the project. Overall, the performance of 16 of 163 intersections would deteriorate by 2011 if the project is built and mitigations are included, according to the report. Some of those intersections would only get worse on one street -- not both.

6. As for parking (page 207), the developer is proposing to build up to 5,176 spaces, including 800 for the Universal City subway station, which currently has about 600 spots spread out over three lots. Depending on which version of the project gets built, the city says that about 3,200 to 4,300 parking spots are being required.

7. A question worth asking the crystal ball: Does building 5,176 parking spots in a region as auto-centric as the Southland pretty much guarantee that 5,176 vehicles will park there?

8. Traffic counts, by the way, are controversial thing. In Century City, for example, the city of L.A. determined that two proposed 47-story residential towers would produce less traffic than several small businesses on the site. Several homeowner groups in the area sued and ended up reaching a multimillion-dollar settlement with the developer last year. The money is dedicated to traffic mitigations.

9. It is also worth noting that although the Universal project sits atop a subway stop, the subway only goes as far as North Hollywood to the north and doesn't go to the city's Westside (and likely won't for another decade in the best-case scenario), nor does it connect to the two Metrolink lines that run through Burbank. The subway, however, does connect with the Orange Line busway in NoHo and could bring people from downtown and Hollywood to Universal.

10. Lack of comprehensive mass transit is just one reason that many residents in the area are worried about the traffic impacts of the NBC/Universal project. "The problem with everything in this city is the development happens and they [developers and politicians] say they are going to fix the streets, and fix the freeway and fix the transit, but that never happens," said Lisa Sarkin, a board member of the Studio City Neighborhood Council.

11. Rob Stutzman, a consultant for the development, said that while it is possible there would be some traffic impacts, environmental reports often look at the largest possible impacts -- which may or may not actually happen. He also said that the developers are proposing to build a number of street improvements, including better access from the northbound 101.

--Steve Hymon

rendering: NBC / Universal

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/bottleneck/2008/08/universal-city.html

saiholmes

August 28th, 2008, 05:55 AM

Universal gridlock disaster?
By Connie Llanos, Staff Writer
Article Last Updated: 08/27/2008 05:08:15 PM PDT

A massive $800 million proposed development in Universal City that would include a new home for NBC studios would add at least 14,000 car trips per day to the already clogged southeast San Fernando Valley, according to a long-awaited environmental study released Monday.

The traffic projections for the plan released late last year - one that would create 1.5 million square feet of new commercial, office and residential space to Lankershim Boulevard - drew immediate concern from politicians and neighborhood activists who said the area is already too congested.

"What has been proposed is too intense," said Los Angeles City Councilman Tom LaBonge. "This is not a New York City block. This is an odd-shaped parcel in the San Fernando Valley. ...

"It's a dream to think that you can fit so much onto one little banana-sized lot."

As currently proposed, the project would be developed in two phases over the next seven years.

Phase I would be completed by late 2011 and include a 24-story office tower, NBC's five-story production site and 1,900 parking spaces, including 800 spaces for the Metro station.

Phase II, completed in 2015, would include either a 24-story office tower or a 34-story hotel and residential project with 300 hotel rooms, 400 residential units and no more than 11,000 square feet of retail. It would include almost 1,800 parking spaces.

But an official with developer Thomas Enterprises said residents

should focus on the benefits the project would bring to the area.

"This is an investment in the Valley that will anchor it further as an entertainment center and will create and retain much-needed jobs," said Ayahlushim Hammond, senior vice president of Thomas Properties.

Thomas Properties currently estimates that the project could bring more than 5,000 new jobs to the area and $8 million in annual tax revenues.

Hammond also said that despite community perception, the NBC development is less dense than other transit-oriented projects.

He cited the new development at the Hollywood and Vine station of the Red Line subway, which has 1.16 million square feet of commercial and residential development on a 4.6-acre lot.

Traffic improvements

In neighboring North Hollywood, Lowe Enterprises has proposed 2 million square feet of new commercial and residential development on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's 16.5-acre lot.

And at the Universal project, Thomas Properties has proposed about $30 million in traffic improvements that include a 101 Freeway on-ramp and off-ramp to directly feed traffic for the new development and divert it from Lankershim Boulevard.

Hammond said public transit will also be promoted for employees of the development and incentives will include the use of flex cars and guaranteed rides home.

"This encourages people to live the way we need to in the future," Hammond said. "This is smart growth, green growth and transit-oriented development at its height."

According to the environmental impact report released Monday, use of public transportation could reduce the traffic count at the site by about 2,000 trips.

The NBC studios development is half of the NBC/Universal Vision Plan, which in 25 years will bring $3 billion of new construction to the area - as well as a large-scale increase in traffic.

NBC Universal argues that the project will be a long-term investment by the entertainment giant in this region of the San Fernando Valley.

"NBC Universal's West Coast News Center represents a significant investment in the future of Los Angeles, creating an entertainment and transit hub and a new center for production jobs and employment growth," said NBC Universal spokeswoman Cindy Gardner.

More jobs for area

Los Angeles Deputy Mayor Bud Ovrom reiterated the support by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's office for a project that he said solves more issues than it creates.

Ovrom said the project's location makes it prime real estate for transit-oriented development and, perhaps more importantly, grows the city's entertainment sector.

"The truth is we are in an almost life-and-death struggle to preserve and grow our entertainment jobs in Los Angeles and particularly in the Valley," Ovrom said.

"We can always have less traffic - we just won't have any jobs."

Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, who has said he would try to work with the developer to downsize the project, said the traffic the project will produce is "unmitigatable."

According to the city's traffic study of the project, heavy traffic will continue to plague at least eight intersections in the area, despite all traffic mitigations.

"You can't compare this project to other transit-oriented developments," Yaroslavsky said.

"You have much more auto dependency here than you have on Wilshire and Vermont, and you have a lot more people using public transit there."

Yaroslavsky said the only way to ensure that this project is successful is by downsizing it.

"I am not opposed to a responsible development on either the MTA or the studio lot, but this is not responsible," Yaroslavsky said.

Valley Industry and Commerce Association President Brendan Huffman said his group supports the concept of the project, especially putting so many jobs near public transit.

"The pros include jobs and tax revenue for the city and strengthening the Valley's base for the entertainment industry," Huffman said.

But he said VICA members also want to look at the environmental impact report and evaluate the pros and cons before taking a formal position because potential traffic is a concern.

For many residents, the cumulative impact of this project is also a major issue.

"What they are proposing is a 1970s project, not a 21st-century project," said Richard Bogy, vice chairman of the NBC/Universal Community Working Group.

"This is like another Century City where they want to pack as much as they can without respect for the effect on the community or traffic."

Staff Writer Kerry Cavanaugh contributed to this report.

http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_10302318

http://extras.mnginteractive.com/live/media/site200/2008/0826/20080826_121129_nbc-studios.gif

Imperfect Ending

September 18th, 2008, 09:02 AM

Not sure which project this is but it's in Glendale

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3284/2867484940_4b4e9dda9c_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3292/2867485514_3826bab3f0_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3139/2867486036_2f80f84556_b.jpg

milquetoast

September 18th, 2008, 09:42 AM

Our on scene reporter!

surfnspy

September 24th, 2008, 08:14 PM

I just did a quick runaround my hood-the east valley. Here's what's up.

The mini office tower east of Bob Hope Airport is up and glassed. It looks to be the tallest of the low rise Empire Center office park at 7 floors.

The Pointe. (what's with the e? Does that mean it will cost more per sf? I dunno.) Anyway, it is T/O at 14 floors and just about glassed up. It looks better in person than the crappy concept art, tho it IS basically just a glass box. Boring as it is, it strikes a pretty imrpressive mass on the Alameda corridor near the soon to be ex NBC studios.

The 4 floor Universal building (anyone know what this is?) looks to be just about done. It is right off of Lankershim, just inside the NBC/Uni gate. Maybe Conan's new digs?

Also on Alameda--The St. Joseph's Hospital complex is just about fleshed out. It features a slew of new 3-4 floor buildings on an entire block with massive parking structures. It is pretty hilarious actually, as ONE homeowner held out and did not sell to the hospital. SO THEY BUILT THE PARKING STRUCTURE AROUND IT! LOLOLOLLL. I imagine a very cranky household--clearly they held out for bigger bucks and lost. Now their house sits in the shadow of a six level parking garage. I know it's not funny really, but it does make me laugh. Anyway, the project is about done and is pretty impressive.

Last, the crane is up at the third phase of The Noho Commons on Lankershim and Weddington. I thought this would never happen considering the economy tanking and all those empty noho apartments just gathering dust. Well, it IS being built. The foundation has been laid and a ten story crane towers over the construction site. According to plans I've read it is only a six floor building, but the rendering shows 9 floors. So height is unclear. Crane IS over ten floors tho as it towers over other buildings in the Emmy complex. Seems like a doomed plan tho as it includes a 7 screen Lemmle movie theater and office space. Does anyone go to the Lemmle anymore? Has there been a hit indie movie that hasn't been at your local multi-multi-plex in the past few years? But it is rising. And I don't think anyone wants office space in Noho any more than they want apartments. But what do I know?

surfnspy

September 24th, 2008, 08:15 PM

yerfdog

September 26th, 2008, 08:23 PM

Also on Alameda--The St. Joseph's Hospital complex is just about fleshed out. It features a slew of new 3-4 floor buildings on an entire block with massive parking structures. It is pretty hilarious actually, as ONE homeowner held out and did not sell to the hospital. SO THEY BUILT THE PARKING STRUCTURE AROUND IT! LOLOLOLLL. I imagine a very cranky household--clearly they held out for bigger bucks and lost. Now their house sits in the shadow of a six level parking garage. I know it's not funny really, but it does make me laugh. Anyway, the project is about done and is pretty impressive.

Drove by this a couple months ago, and I had the exact same thought. Poor homeowners :lol:

milquetoast

September 27th, 2008, 08:35 AM

you gotta know when to hold'em ... know when to fold 'em

saiholmes

October 23rd, 2008, 04:12 AM

Universal Studios Hollywood plans Transformers ride for 2011

Universal Studios Hollywood will add a Transformers ride in 2011 featuring 3-D high-definition footage with special effects and robotics.

Scheduled to begin construction in fall 2009, the ride, based on the blockbuster 2007 film, would replace the Backdraft and the Special Effects Soundstages attractions at the movie theme park, according to Variety. The entertainment industry trade newspaper says the price tag for the Transformers ride could top the $40-million Simpsons Ride.

An identical Transformers ride is scheduled to debut first at Universal Studios Singapore.

Screamscape speculates that the new Transformers rides could constitute the next generation of Spiderman dark-ride systems at Universal Studios parks in Orlando and Japan, which mix in-your-face special effects and super-size 3-D projection.

In the 」Transformers」 movie, which earned $708 million worldwide at the box office, the friendly Autobots battle the evil Decepticons, robots that can turn into cars, trucks and planes.

Steven Spielberg, an executive producer on 「Transformers」 and a creative consultant to Universal's theme parks, previously developed rides and attractions based on 「Jurassic Park,」「E.T.,」「Jaws」 and 「War of the Worlds.」 A 「Transformers」 movie sequel opens in summer 2009.

— Brady MacDonald, Los Angeles Times staff writer

http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/universal-studios-ho-3068/

http://www.latimes.com/media/photo/2008-10/Transformers-Universal-Studios-Hollywood-43004836.gif

saiholmes

October 23rd, 2008, 04:16 AM

Six Flags Magic Mountain to announce Terminator wooden coaster

Six Flags Magic Mountain will officially unveil plans this week for Terminator: The Coaster, a $10-million wooden roller coaster scheduled open Memorial Day weekend 2009.

The 2,850-foot-long coaster with Millennium Flyer trains will include a 100-foot lift, five hills, six banked turns as well as visual and audio effects and a loading station fly-through. The three-minute start-to-finish ride reaches a top speed of 55 mph.

The Great Coasters International woodie will be built next to the De'ja` Vu looping steel coaster and in the same location as Psyclone, a reviled wooden coaster mercifully removed from the Valencia amusement park in 2006.

— Brady MacDonald, Los Angeles Times staff writer

http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/six-flags-magic-moun-3069/

http://www.latimes.com/media/photo/2008-10/Terminator-The-Coaster-Six-Flags-Magic-Mountain-43006274.gif

saiholmes

November 11th, 2008, 06:10 AM

COMMUNITIES UNITED FOR SMART GROWTH

Neighborhood Working Group to Hold Town Hall on Metro Universal Project
11 Local Organizations Unite to Present Their Own Vision

(Hollywood, CA – October 30, 2008) Communities United for Smart Growth, a coalition
of 11 local community organizations, representing over a quarter of a million people, is
holding a Town Hall to brief the community on the City of Los Angeles' Draft EIR for
the Metro Universal Project. The Project, to be developed by Thomas Properties Group
on land for which NBC Universal has a lease agreement from the MTA, 「proposes the
development of approximately 1.47 million square feet of new commercial and possible
residential uses in two phases.」 This project will result in 「significant and unavoidable」
environmental impacts including generating a net total of 14,652 daily automobile trips
on a typical weekday.

WHO: Communities United for Smart Growth, Inc., a 501 (C) (3) coalition of 11
local resident and business associations that geographically encircle Universal
Studios and the MTA Universal City site.
Roy P. Disney, Chairman

WHAT: Town Hall to deliver to the community the Group's comments on the Draft EIR
and to inform the community how to best give their feedback to the Planning
Department.

WHERE: East Valley High School
5525 Vineland Ave, Los Angeles, CA

WHEN: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, November 12, 2008

WHY: This coalition, recently formalized as Communities United for Smart Growth,
has been actively trying to work with developer Thomas Properties and NBC
Universal for the past two years to create a common vision that would be
beneficial for both the developers and for the community at large. It is the
Group's opinion that the plan presented in the Draft EIR would have serious
negative repercussions for the surrounding neighborhoods and region. This
Town Hall is the Group's first opportunity to report their findings to the
community. Written comments on the Draft EIR are due to City Planner, Jon
Foreman, by November 24.

November 10, 2008 in Urban planning | Permalink

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/bottleneck/2008/11/i-posted-back-i.html

surfnspy

December 8th, 2008, 01:30 AM

The new Laemmle theater building on Lankershim is already six floors up.

milquetoast

December 19th, 2008, 01:40 PM

Behold Burbank's Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bus http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee192/trolltoast/2008_12_burbankbus.jpg
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Burbank has been selected as a national test market for a new zero-emissions bus that uses a hydrogen fuel cell instead of a diesel or gas engine, according to BurbankBus, the city's transit service. The super-quiet, 67-passenger vehicle will be unveiled this spring, and then go into regular service—the first hydrogen bus on the West Coast. The bus that Al Gore dreams about "can travel 250 miles before needing to be recharged, runs at double the fuel economy of a diesel bus, and releases nothing but water from the engine exhaust." It can also be recharged—in a regular old outlet—in only six minutes while drivers take a pee break.
Neal Broverman Curbed LA

saiholmes

January 10th, 2009, 05:49 AM

Work begins on Pacoima's new Costco
$78-million retail hub, which will include a Best Buy store, is expected to revitalize the Valley community.
By Jennifer Oldham
The Los Angeles Times
January 9, 2009

For years a chain-link fence surrounded the contaminated 25-acre lot near the junction of Interstate 5 and California 118 in Pacoima, a daily reminder of the thousands of well-paying manufacturing jobs lost to Mexico in the last decade.

After a complex clean-up effort, detailed in an 8-foot-high stack of documents, officials on Thursday broke ground on a $78-million project that economists hope will provide a much-needed retail hub in one of the San Fernando Valley's most impoverished communities.

Known as Plaza Pacoima, the 209,000-square-foot project will feature the first Costco built in Los Angeles in a dozen years. It will also include a Best Buy and other stores, plus restaurant and office space. It is expected to create 438 construction jobs and 354 permanent positions at a time when many projects are on hold.

At Thursday's event -- with a standing-room-only crowd repeatedly cheering speakers -- state and local legislators ticked off obstacles the builder, environmental officials and redevelopment experts overcame to begin construction.

Attracting dollars to build in the largely working-class northeast Valley has historically been difficult, lawmakers recounted, not to mention difficulties overcoming significant contamination on the site itself, where metals and solvents were left behind with the departure of plumbing fixture manufacturer Price Pfister.

"What's being created here is truly an economic miracle, especially in this climate," said Bruce Ackerman, president and chief executive of the Economic Alliance of the San Fernando Valley, an organization created in the aftermath of the Northridge earthquake to revitalize the region.

The builder and redevelopment officials also spent months hammering out an agreement with several dozen community groups on benefits they would realize from the project, including first crack at jobs created on the site. Pacoima has among the Valley's highest unemployment rates.

"Jobs were our biggest concern," said Roy LaVoise, director of job development for Communities in Schools, noting that the agreement allows workers to be interviewed without background checks.

"This is a huge gang area, and we're trying to get people off the streets and into a job," he added.

Officials said the project, which will have an 898-space parking lot "landscaped as a grove" with more than 500 trees, would bring hope to a industrial area where residents have long had to travel far afield to shop. The parcel also includes a 140,000-square-foot Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse, which is under construction on about 10 acres that are owned separately.

Readying the site took years, as its former owner, Black & Decker, which bought Price Pfister, undertook an extensive cleanup monitored by state and federal regulators.

Workers trucked 35,000 tons of contaminated soil off the parcel in sealed tractor trailers to prevent toxic dust from escaping and blowing into yards of homes across the street.

They removed 6,000 gallons of oil and 2,000 pounds of solvents used to clean metal fixtures and installed vacuum cleaners to suck toxic vapors out of the soil. They also sank wells to clean contaminated groundwater deep beneath the surface, an effort complicated by contamination that migrated into the water table from a separate site on the other side of Interstate 5, redevelopment officials said.

Development is important not only for the Valley, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said at Thursday's groundbreaking, but also for the city as a whole, as economic leaders seek to boost sales tax revenues to bridge a burgeoning budget deficit.

"L.A. will not lie down in the face of this recession," Villaraigosa said, adding that the Costco project was expected to bring $2 million in annual sales tax revenues into city coffers.

The mayor said Plaza Pacoima is the result of efforts he's undertaken with Robert "Bud" Ovrom, deputy mayor for residential and commercial development, to build the region's sales tax base.

Los Angeles ranks 314 among the 567 entities that collect sales tax in California, according to the state Department of Finance. The city collects $111 in sales tax per capita annually, compared to $175 collected by San Diego and San Francisco, $360 by Santa Monica and $715 by Beverly Hills.

Without $9.8 million in public subsidies to help purchase the site and build new utilities and roads, the project's developer said he wouldn't have been able to construct the project.

Big-box retailers that often shy away from working-class communities were attracted to Pacoima because of the size of the former Price Pfister site and the lack of competition, said Arturo Sneider Primestor Development Inc.

Costco executives and Los Angeles officials agreed the development won't be the retailer's last stop in the city, which Villaraigosa said has the spending power to support 16 Costcos. It has four.

"I will guarantee that this won't be the last Costco that comes to the city," said James D. Sinegal, Costco president and chief executive

To which Villaraigosa, sitting behind the lectern where Sinegal spoke, replied: "That's what I like to hear!"

http://www.latimes.com/media/mapimage/2009-01/44430376.gif

volsung

February 11th, 2009, 06:19 PM

have they stopped working on the San Fernando Valley Performing Arts Center on Nordhoff/Lindley? It looks in the exact same skeletal state as it has for awhile now

surfnspy

February 19th, 2009, 06:51 PM

I just attended the Studio City Neighborhood Council meeting.

What a circus.

Key points:

nearly everyone was adamantly opposed to development proposed over the MTA stop.

The EIR is due this spring.

One board member questioned whether a project of this size makes sense in this economic climate--why build now if there is no one to fill the project.

Lots of boring issues about signs.

Bottom line: it is unlikely this will move forward anytime soon.

The other project, on the Universal property, now called the Universal Evolution Plan (used to be uni vision plan) has an eir in progress, but no one seemed to know when it would be completed. Clearly since so much of it was housing it also makes little sense in the near term.

milquetoast

February 22nd, 2009, 08:13 AM

I can almost understand Studio City wanting to curb their construction Santa Monica style- what with the golf course there and the homes north of that portraying their San Fernando Valleyish qualities. The quiet neighborhood streets with the big trees.... and then there's Ventura Blvd.... so I can understand that. Don't stop the area around Universal though; Lankershim/Cahuenga...

surfnspy

March 31st, 2009, 12:52 AM

The new Noho Commons building is bucking the trends of other developments and moving FAST. Already half glassed up. Amazing progress. Sadly it is a really boring glass box.

surfnspy

March 31st, 2009, 12:55 AM

Not sure which building that is (above) in Glendale either. But the huge rectangular glass facade faces the freeway and is edged by white light at night. It creates a huge white rectangle that you can see for miles away as you approach and it looks really cool!

surfnspy

October 2nd, 2009, 07:54 PM

More Universal City "Evolution".

12,000 new jobs (selling tee shirts, plastic crap and coke by the gallon)
A shuttle system (that won't carry anyone anywhere because of the traffic)
Recycling (because it's cheaper to recycle your pee into diet mountain dew)
2900 lofts and townhomes (that no one can afford and nobody wants--see neighboring ghost town, north hollywood)

Sure there is room for development here, but not a the scale being proposed here.

It'll never happen.

Look, before all you call me a NIMBY, I look at the following:

Their "renovation" of their theater was awful. They took an outdated theater and basically repainted it. It doesn't hold a candle to a redo like the AMC Century City or the Arclight. Their idea of a shuttle service from the redline station to Citywalk is a tour tram that picks you up every 20-30 minutes. Upgrades at citywalk are the addition of new fast food restaurants ala the new wolfgang puck.

SO the problem is not expansion per se, it is the quality.

So they want to add 3000 residences? Who's gonna pay for the schools this will need? Where's the water coming from? Police services? Ah, the good ol' taxpayer. It is not fair to the community to bear the burden of lining corporate pockets.

And don't tell me about jobs! They offer jobs for the 21st century! Why don't you try and apply for a job at Universal? Here's your apron. Flip that burger onto a bun. Now don't ask for benefits. And after a year we'll give you a free pass to the theme park. Whoo hoo!

I just don't buy the hype based on their track record.

here is the propoganda:

http://www.universalevolution.com/

pesto

October 2nd, 2009, 10:29 PM

Mixed feelings here. You are undoubtedly right to want more facts and details and to not trust this overly slick website.

However, the real problem here is the NIMBY's not the developers. This is an area that has been high-rise, commercial and heavily-trafficked for years, and the development will also take place over many years. This is not Santa Clarita doubling in size in a decade; it is hardly going to strain the resources of the area. As for police, water, schools, etc., your argument generalized implies that nothing can ever be built unless something else is torn down and population growth is held to zero. In fact, you are arguing for people leaving the city, because the natural growth rate is positive. If you want growth, you assume the new residents add to the tax base, etc.

In general, the housing stock in Burbank and NoHo north of about Camarillo is old and decaying; much of the East Valley is the same story. Landlords have no incentive to upgrade unless new housing comes in which offers tenants and buyers better choices. New development in a huge city is not normally a strain since most people moving in are relocating from the same general area, seeking better housing. The vacated properties then, slowly, tend to renovate, get torn down, etc.

croyboy

October 3rd, 2009, 11:59 AM

since when do private investors/developers use our tax dollars?

AlexTheMartian

October 3rd, 2009, 01:08 PM

And don't tell me about jobs! They offer jobs for the 21st century! Why don't you try and apply for a job at Universal? Here's your apron. Flip that burger onto a bun. Now don't ask for benefits. And after a year we'll give you a free pass to the theme park. Whoo hoo!

You make it all seem bad, but really any theme park and its surrounding area seems to be just the same. So it is not an isolated problem, it is a problem with theme parks in general. I have heard horror stories of working at Six Flags for example, sounded like an episode of a crime drama.

I had a college roommate that worked at Universal Studios Hollywood a few times, dressed up as Freddy (or Jason, forget) for Halloween. It was not even close to any type of temporary seasonal employment at any REAL company, it was more along the lines of being paid to do some guy's back yard haunted house. Sometimes he had to go there when he was not working just to have them straighten out pay check problems.

How come for any tourist attraction employees are treated like crap?

klamedia

October 3rd, 2009, 06:34 PM

Low wage, dead end job.

pesto

October 3rd, 2009, 06:44 PM

AlexTheMartian

October 6th, 2009, 08:09 AM

Alex: I'm sure you know the answer: the reason they are treated like crap is that they are expendable. Not to sound like a school counselor, but if you have no skills and marginal initiative (willing to dress up like Freddy for hours) you are not likely to be on anybody's "keep this guy happy" list. You're sort of the opposite end from guys who make $20M bonuses.

Amusement parks and fastfood are entry level positions for the period during which you develop other skills. (There used to be many more of these kinds of jobs at small
businesses but the minimum wage law largely killed them.) The idea is to motivate you to move on to better things.

In any event, the Valley can absorb 3000 people without blinking an eye, especially moves from within LA.

just because the employees are not valuable, doesn't mean it can not treat them better.. even a place such as McDonalds treat them better, yet they both have similar demographics of employees. I know te reasons why, I just feel bad it is such a way.

so, according to what you all say, it should be fine for me to walk up to people in low wage jobs and spit in ther face because I am better than them? because we seem to come to a conclusion that they are not important because they are not at a better job. *ashamed*

pesto

October 6th, 2009, 07:45 PM

That's a misreading of what I said; I was explaining "why" they are treated that way, not condoning it. In theory, you treat everybody with dignity and respect (at least until such time as they prove they don't deserve it). But if you have no skills and no initiative and show up late, you are not going to be cut much slack.

But back to the Valley. I think the strategy here is to not show much of the high-rises on the website so as to minimize the NIMBY static. They do a pretty good job of showing a low-density, small-community kind of development.

Traffic is a minor consideration here. 3000 units is really nothing in terms of people. Didn't the WTC have about 30,000 people on 1 block?

redspork02

October 29th, 2009, 04:31 AM

Disney Proposes Expansion Into Santa ClaritaSANTA CLARITA (AP) ― Click to enlarge1 of 1
CBS

Close

numSlides of totalImages The Walt Disney Co. has submitted plans to build a sprawling soundstage and production complex outside Los Angeles in the Santa Clarita Valley.

The company filed plans Wednesday to build Disney/ABC Studios on 56 acres of its Golden Oak Ranch property. The company estimates the project would create some 2,800 full and part-time jobs and generate a $522 million economic impact to the region.

The proposed complex would include six pairs of soundstages, talent bungalows, administrative and production offices, storage, a commissary and other amenities.

Disney currently has a shortage of production facilities for its television series.

The proposal now goes to the county Board of Supervisors for review

saiholmes

October 30th, 2009, 02:31 AM

http://www.latimes.com/media/photo/2009-10/50117229.jpg

Disney plans to build major production facility near Santa Clarita
Bucking a trend toward 'runaway production,' the company proposes creating a 56-acre complex that would include soundstages and other facilities for film and TV projects.
By Dawn C. Chmielewski and Richard Verrier
The Los Angeles Times
October 29, 2009

The Walt Disney Co. said Wednesday that it would build a 56-acre production facility in northern Los Angeles County, casting a ray of light on an otherwise gloomy film economy that has hemorrhaged thousands of jobs in the last decade.

The Burbank company said the proposed Disney/ABC Studios at the Ranch would occupy a corner of the Golden Oak Ranch, a sprawling 890-acre parcel off California 14 that has been the setting of such classic films as "Old Yeller." Plans call for 12 soundstages, production offices, a commissary and other facilities that could be used for film, television, commercial and new media projects.

Disney's new complex would add a much-needed boost to Los Angeles' entertainment economy, which has been reeling from a production slowdown caused by the recession and a continuing exodus of film and TV jobs to Canada and states such as New Mexico, Louisiana and New York that offer generous film tax breaks and credits. Disney-owned ABC moved its own sitcom "Ugly Betty" from Los Angeles to New York last year, which helped spur the state Legislature to implement its own film tax credit program earlier this year to curb so-called runaway production.

Still, as Disney's announcement attests, the bulk of television production remains in Los Angeles. The project, if approved, would not only create an estimated 2,854 production and entertainment jobs, but bolster the struggling local economy by adding more than 3,000 construction jobs and injecting $522 million in construction-related spending and $533 million in annual economic activity thereafter, according to the company.

The project is one of the largest expansions of production space by a major studio in recent years. NBC Universal announced an ambitious plan in 2006 that would add 308,000 square feet of production facilities -- including new and relocated outdoor sets -- as part of a $3-billion makeover of its Universal City property.

Disney filed applications Wednesday with Los Angeles County planning officials in the first step of a lengthy approval process. The new complex is not expected to open before 2013. County officials anticipate little opposition from the community, which has already become a television production hub in recent years. A half-dozen television shows, including HBO's "Big Love" and CBS' "NCIS," are based in nearby Santa Clarita.

Local officials and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger were quick to praise the plan Wednesday.

"The proposed expansion will be a significant economic boost for the Santa Clarita Valley and northern Los Angeles County," said Supervisor Mike Antonovich, who represents the area."Although the county must review and analyze Disney's application, I am encouraged that one of the world's largest and most successful entertainment companies is making this commitment."

The ranch has been used as an outdoor filming location since the late 1950s, when Walt Disney selected it as the setting for "The Adventures of Spin and Marty" segments of "The Mickey Mouse Club." Its mountain ranges and meadows have provided the backdrop for movies such as "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest," "The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement" and television shows including "Beverly Hills, 90210" and "Boston Legal."

Disney's decision to invest in new production facilities comes as soundstages and other service providers around Los Angeles have struggled or expanded elsewhere. Earlier this year, Culver Studios lost its major tenant when the game show "Deal or No Deal" moved to Connecticut to take advantage of that state's tax credit. Sony Pictures Imageworks, one of Hollywood's leading visual effects companies, moved a part of its operations from Culver City to New Mexico to take advantage of film industry inducements.

"There's a lot of available soundstages in L.A. at the moment," said Tim Mahoney, executive vice president of Hollywood Center Studios. "We're fighting runaway production. This is probably the lowest occupancy that all the stage complexes have faced in a long time."

Indeed, much of Hollywood is retrenching in the face of declining DVD sales, reduced revenue from television advertising and uneven results at the box office. The uncertainty has prompted executive shake-ups, including at the Walt Disney Studios, and the prospect that at least one major studio -- NBC Universal -- will be spun off from its corporate parent.

Despite the downturn, Disney is experiencing a shortage of space to produce shows for ABC and cable outlets Disney Channel and ABC Family, as well as programming it creates for other networks. Richard Ballering, executive director of production for ABC Studios, says the network can have as many as 16 to 23 television productions underway during the height of pilot season.

With only seven soundstages on the Walt Disney Studio lot, production ends up scattered throughout the region, he said.

For example, the studio currently films its hit ABC show "Desperate Housewives" at the Universal Studios, and the comedies "Cougar Town" and "Scrubs" at the Culver Studios. Meanwhile, Hollywood Center Studios houses five Disney Channel and Disney XD shows, including "The Suite Life on Deck" and "Wizards of Waverly Place," while "Hannah Montana" is staged at Tribune Studios on Sunset Boulevard.

In addition to the sheer number of television shows produced, Ballering said, audiences are demanding more varied settings for prime-time dramas such as "Brothers & Sisters," which now occupies four of Disney's seven soundstages.

Expanding its own facilities would enable Disney to avoid paying others for studio space while relying less on expensive location shoots.

The Disney/ABC Studios at the Ranch project would more than double soundstage space with the addition of 216,000 square feet. "As a content company, we need to look to the future and plan for continued growth," Ballering said. "The Ranch provides a phenomenal and unique opportunity to leverage the advantages of co-locating indoor and outdoor production and creating a new cost-efficient model for our productions."

Beyond providing additional space, Disney's decision would allow the studio to potentially take advantage of the state's new film tax credits. The program offers a tax credit of up to 25% for television series that relocate to California, new television series produced for basic cable, movies of the week and feature films that cost less than $75 million.

Paul Audley, president of FilmL.A., said the proposed facility signals Disney's commitment to keeping production local. He said California's new film and TV production incentive also must have factored into the decision. "It's a good signal to the state of California that they need not only to continue, but to expand, their incentives," Audley said.

saiholmes

March 17th, 2010, 04:20 AM

Burbank lobbies for airport stop
Officials say high-speed rail should have a stop near transit center.
By Christopher Cadelago
Glendale News Press
Published: Last Updated Tuesday, March 16, 2010 9:50 AM PDT

CITY HALL — Burbank officials are telling state high-speed-rail representatives that without an airport station, life for the two proposed city stops could become more difficult.

Representatives of the California High-Speed Rail Authority had planned to present two station alternatives to their board of directors as soon as May 6 in San Jose. But the Burbank City Council last week called on the representatives to consider as part of their environmental study a stop near Bob Hope Airport, arguing that a proposed $120-million regional transportation center there should not be isolated from high-speed trains.

“I think we should be as strong as possible to let them know that if they don’t include a link to the airport, that they’re going to have an enemy in us, and that we would find that unacceptable,” Councilman Dave Golonski said.

A subcommittee of the council has scheduled a meeting this week with airport and rail officials before the board meets to weigh the benefits and drawbacks of studying a third station option, said principal city planner David Kriske.

Vice Mayor Anja Reinke contended that examples of regional transportation hubs connecting airports to trains, buses and rental cars are readily available throughout the world.

“I think we’re just trying to do what people already do, but at least do it right from the get-go instead of having five different places that 10 or 20 years down the road you [have] to reconfigure,” she said.

The planned $40-billion high-speed-rail system would span 800 miles and be capable of carrying passengers from Los Angeles to San Francisco in 2 hours, 38 minutes. Still, officials across Burbank and Glendale have expressed concerns about a range of potential impacts on the cities.

In Burbank, the prospect of high-speed trains passing through the city as often as 10 times an hour — running at a maximum speed of 150 mph — has caused fears about noise and safety.

Dan Tempelis, senior project manager for the Los Angeles area, told the council that station operations would be tantamount to hosting a small airport.

Still, rail representatives said noise and safety impacts would be less significant than those presented by Metrolink. Traffic and parking concerns — the station would require roughly 2,000 parking spaces operated by the city — are slated to be studied as part of the draft environmental report.

“They’re coming through our city, and they want us to provide 2,000 parking spots,” Mayor Gary Bric said. “I don’t see how they can dictate to us where things go.”

The most obvious concern of local officials has been the site of the proposed station. The two sites being considered are along Front Street south of Burbank Boulevard and around Flower Street where the rail crosses Alameda Avenue.

While the Front Street location is close enough to the city’s downtown Metrolink station to possibly prevent a relocation, the other stop would likely reopen those questions, Kriske said.

City officials have proposed a possible stop near the airport at Hollywood Way and San Fernando Road. That could require building a connection to link high-speed rail with the airport’s proposed transportation center at Empire Avenue and Hollywood Way.

Still, the airport option has had issues of its own. High-speed-rail representatives have informed planners that they prefer a station south of where two rail lines converge near Burbank Boulevard to capture local train passengers from both the Ventura and Antelope Valley lines.

saiholmes

March 19th, 2010, 04:17 AM

Trolley coming to downtown
Caruso Affiliated announces plans to bring the long awaited bus to Brand Blvd. next month
By Melanie Hicken
GlendaleNewsPress
Published: Last Updated Thursday, March 18, 2010 10:25 AM PDT

CITY HALL — A long-anticipated public trolley down Brand Boulevard will start running next month, Caruso Affiliated officials announced this week.

The rubber wheel trolley will run from the Nestle headquarters on North Brand to the Americana at Brand from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, Rick Lemmo, Caruso’s vice president of community relations, said Tuesday at a joint meeting of the City Council and Redevelopment Agency.

“Everything we do, as all of the council members know, is promises made, promises kept,” Lemmo said.

The trolley will be “absolutely free” and have six stops as it makes its way down Brand so that all downtown retailers can benefit from its service, Lemmo added.

Local residents and merchants have for years pushed for a trolley or tram service in the downtown area to move people from parking lots and venues along the city’s main thoroughfare.

“Some idea of a circulator system in the downtown has always been part of the larger plan in the long term,” said Community Planning Director Hassan Haghani.

On Wednesday, Councilman John Drayman said he was thrilled the trolley, which he said had been in the works for some time, would soon be a reality. All necessary permits have been obtained, he said.

“Caruso Affiliated has taken the steps to increase our mobility, spin off sales in the downtown area, and they’ve done it with their own dollars,” he said. “How could I be anything but happy with that?”

While the trolley will only have limited operation, Drayman added that he hoped the city would build upon the service to fulfill the long talked about goal of creating a downtown circulator.

“Obviously, we have had financial constraints and other priorities that had to come first,” he said. “It will give the city an opportunity to see how the circulator is going to work without us having to spend the funds to do it.”

Elissa Glickman, secretary for the Downtown Glendale Merchants Assn., said the trolley service would be a great addition for the downtown area, and could help the business of merchants along the route.

“Los Angeles is not known for its being a great walking community,” she said. “So anything that gets people out of the high-rise buildings and experiencing new restaurants and dining locations and retail shops along the way can only be beneficial.”

http://www.glendalenewspress.com/articles/2010/03/18/business/gnp-trolley031910.txt

pesto

April 1st, 2010, 12:13 AM

Glendale is looking at a trolley and it looks like something similar is being proposed for Warner Center. But WC is quite different (more like CC or South Coast Plaza) in being spread out, where Glendale (Brand) has shops and high-rises to the sidewalk for the most part. Some thoughts:

1. WC is a great idea (a suburban center, giving Ventura Cty and the West SFV access to homes near jobs) poorly executed. It has high-rises, apartments, retail and commercial but with too much space between them and too little attractive passage between them (broad boulevards and deserted sidewalks instead). Just putting in a people-mover might be a beginning but it’s not enough to make this area pedestrian friendly.
2. This can be addressed by taking 2 or 3 blocks of the large, wide boulevards and building medium-rise condos/apartments more or less where the pavement is now. Then the existing sidewalks and landscaped setbacks of the buildings are the right size for local street-life, kiosks and such.
3. Cars can park at the edges, preferably underground. There already is DASH bus service but this can be replaced with light-rail in parts. Shopping is quite sufficient but somewhat isolated in closed-up shopping centers. Summers are hot, so this is not bad, but a greater sense of openness would be nice (all new retail areas in plazas with light retractable roofs?).
4. Reality check: for sure just 1 block of low-rise apartments should be proposed to start or the locals will panic over density and traffic issues.

LAsam

May 12th, 2010, 06:50 PM

City backs Disney plans

http://www.glendalenewspress.com/articles/2010/05/12/business/gnp-disney051210.txt

No officials criticize planned campus expansion, which is expected to begin in September.
By Zain Shauk
Published: Last Updated Tuesday, May 11, 2010 11:11 PM PDT

The City Council on Tuesday strongly endorsed a proposed 338,000-square-foot expansion to Walt Disney Co.’s creative campus.

The plans included drawings of a six-story office building walled largely in glass and neighbored by a carefully crafted landscaped area that included towering palm trees and a dense park-like area that would provide a shaded space for outdoor activities.

No city officials criticized the plan and all said they were impressed by the designs, which were prepared by renowned firms Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, Arup and SWA Group, firms responsible for designing major university buildings, hospitals and the Olympic Water Cube in Beijing.

pesto

May 12th, 2010, 10:24 PM

Sounds like Mickey has more big plans. That area was mostly 1-story abandoned railroad warehouses and small industrial. Now Disney is actually putting up multi-story to go with their mostly low-rise campus. A bridge from the Fairmont off ramp from 134 makes a lot of sense; it keeps people away from the frequently jammed 5.

Unfortunately transit is weak. Not near Brand and their "trolley". Right near the Metrolink tracks but no stations nearby. It’s too early for serious thought about light rail. Maybe someday from DT LA, along Brand, Disney, DT Burbank, Burbank Airport?

Imperfect Ending

May 13th, 2010, 04:03 AM

Palm trees are disgusting... it's waste of space for real shade trees.

saiholmes

May 13th, 2010, 04:20 AM

LA supervisors approve rules for hearings on Universal Studios
By Troy Anderson, Staff Writer
DailyNews Los Angeles
Posted: 05/11/2010 09:30:53 PM PDT
Updated: 05/11/2010 09:35:49 PM PDT

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to approve an agreement with the city of Los Angeles that clarifies details about upcoming public hearings regarding the $3 billion makeover of Universal Studios.

The move will help determine how the hearings will be held, such as whether the county and city will hold separate or joint hearings, and who will conduct them, County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky said.

The action comes as city and county officials are preparing the environmental impact report for the project.

"I continue to have serious concerns about the scope of the project, both the one on the campus of Universal Studios, as well as the project related to the studio on the MTA site across the street," Yaroslavsky said.

Over the next two decades, the studio plans to redevelop its 391-acre property into an environmentally sustainable theme park, business and entertainment industry hub with more than 2,900 new apartments and condos, 35 acres of open space, a 500-room hotel and a refurbished amphitheater, said Sorin Alexanrian, a deputy director with the county Department of Regional Planning.

The new Universal complex will include expanded studio production facilities, new office space, shops and a renovated Universal CityWalk and Universal Studios Hollywood theme park.

The project application includes a request that the city annex about 76 acres of the property in order to build the new residential development. In unincorporated parts of the county, the project includes a request for a new hotel and a plan to govern the operations of the existing studio, theme park and Universal City Walk.

Executives at the San Fernando Valley's largest employer expect the project to create 12,000 new jobs, $2 billion in local spending and $26 million in new tax revenues each year for the city and county.

The project calls for roads to ferry traffic off congested Barham Boulevard and other traffic improvements, but some residents fear the project will increase congestion in the area.

Universal Studios spokeswoman Cindy Gardner said the studio is investing $100 million to improve traffic flow and "serve as a catalyst to accelerate local, regional and freeway improvements in the Valley."

"It also includes new shuttle services targeted to 50 percent of the trips by studio and business employees and residents within a five-mile radius of our property," Gardner said.

http://www.dailynews.com/ci_15065702

pesto

May 13th, 2010, 10:01 PM

Yaroslavsky: I have serious problems with the scope of the project, especially the new housing in the East Valley, which is an area that specializes in aged rundown housing and with little incentive for the landlords to upgrade because they know we are protecting them from competition. Also, the beautiful new buildings and jobs trouble me, because this will encourage people to move here. This may break our trend of losing 100k private industry jobs a year to other states.

(100k number from a comment on NPR by Todd Buchholz, the author of “New Ideas from Dead CEO’s”)

I also notice that the city and county are planning to establish a plan for scheduling meetings to determine when and how they should take action to determine how and when they should take action. I should have brought my gun.

LAsam

May 13th, 2010, 10:38 PM

saiholmes

October 2nd, 2010, 07:43 AM

Caltrans begins construction on I-5 corridor
Project to add carpool lanes will last through 2015
By Gretchen Meier, gretchen.meier@latimes.com
Glendale News-Press
September 27, 2010 | 6:03 p.m.

State and local officials on Monday broke ground on a $140.2-million project to add carpool lanes to a congested portion of the Golden State (5) Freeway.

Nearly 10 miles from the Interstate 5 Burbank Boulevard offramp and 13 from the Colorado Street exit in Glendale — both named in a recent report as freeway segments where traffic conditions worsened significantly last year — the project will build high-occupancy vehicle lanes in each direction between the Hollywood (170) Freeway and the Ronald Reagan (118) Freeway.

Stretching a distance of 3.4 miles in each direction, the project will also widen under-crossings and reconstruct the carpool connector between the 170 and I-5 freeways, where officials say roughly 300,000 vehicles pass through each day.

"We cannot reduce traffic in our region," said Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, who advocated for better use of mass transportation and the construction of carpool lanes as a way to combat the problem.

In addition to easing commute times, the new lanes and other improvements will make the section of freeway safer, officials said.

"This is important because we are tying systems together," said Doug Failing, executive director of highway programs for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. "We are making a system within a system to increase safety and efficiency."

Most of the work on the project, to be paid through a mix of federal, state and county funding, will be done late at night, when there are fewer commuters on the road, said Kelly Markham, a spokeswoman for the California Department of Transportation.

No two consecutive off ramps will be closed at the same time, she added. Closures and construction delays will be announced in advance by signs along the freeway.

The project is scheduled to be completed in fall 2015.

Read More: http://www.glendalenewspress.com/news/tn-gnp-caltrans-20100927,0,5258764.story

saiholmes

October 20th, 2010, 03:54 AM

LS5jyNsKIWQ

Six Flags Magic Mountain aims to reclaim coaster crown with Green Lantern in 2011
By Brady MacDonald
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
2:57 PM PDT, October 19, 2010

Six Flags Magic Mountain will reclaim the Roller Coaster Capital of the World title with the addition of two coasters in spring 2011, including a first-of-its-kind ride in the U.S., amusement park officials said.

The Green Lantern will bring Magic Mountain's coaster count to 18, allowing the Valencia amusement park to recapture the coaster crown, taken by Ohio’s Cedar Point in 2008. Magic Mountain snatched the crown from Cedar Point around the turn of the millennium after adding a coaster a year during a building binge that stretched from 1997 to 2003. Cedar Point, with 17 coasters, plans to add a tower swing thrill ride in 2011.

The Green Lantern vertical coaster, with green zigzag track and black supports, will sit on a compact footprint near the Batman and Riddler’s Revenge coasters. The new-concept 4th dimension coaster, similar in style to X2 but more tame, will reach a top speed of 37 mph over 825 feet of serpentine track during the two-minute ride. (Watch concept video of the Green Lantern at Screamscape.)

The Intamin ZacSpin coaster will be the first of its kind in the U.S. The Grona Lund theme park in Stockholm added an identical ZacSpin called Insane last year, with smaller versions of the ride also operating in Spain and Finland.

Coaster enthusiasts who have ridden the European ZacSpins invariably describe the experience as fun, intense and weird but gripe about capacity issues.

Upon boarding a train that straddles the track, eight riders per car face in two directions, forward and backward. A chain lift carries each car up an inverted curved section to a height of 107 feet. From there, the suspended trains rock back and forth on the straight-aways and rotate head over heels as the cars plunge over freefall drops.

Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey will also add a stand-up coaster called Green Lantern in 2011, relocated from a shuttered park in Kentucky. The debut of both themed coasters will coincide with the 2011 release of the "Green Lantern" movie based on the DC Comics superhero with otherworldly powers.

Magic Mountain will also add a kiddie coaster in spring 2011, relocated from a now-shuttered Six Flags park in New Orleans. Mr. Six's DanceCoaster was announced as a new addition for 2010 and later postponed because of construction delays. Magic Mountain has since dropped the Mr. Six name from the coaster.

The as-yet-renamed red-and-black junior coaster will replace the Sierra Falls water slide between the Thomas Town and Bugs Bunny World kiddie lands. Eventually, the kids' coaster will likely get a Looney Tunes theme, officials said.

Read More: http://www.latimes.com/travel/destinations/southerncalifornia/la-trb-green-lantern-magic-mountain-20111019,0,4055452.story

ArchiTennis

October 20th, 2010, 07:25 PM

^^ whoa!!! That green lantern looks exciting!

saiholmes

November 18th, 2010, 06:57 AM

Development's traffic impact questioned
NBC Universal's expansion plan assumes public transportation use, officials said.
By Gretchen Meier, gretchen.meier@latimes.com
Burbank Leader
November 17, 2010

City officials are looking into whether developers of a massive NBC Universal project are underestimating how the added traffic will affect surrounding streets in West Burbank.

The influx could be significant. The nearly 400-acre site for the NBC Universal Evolution Plan calls for 2 million square feet of new commercial development, including 500 hotel guest rooms and 2,937 residential units by 2030.

The site in Universal City is bounded primarily by the Los Angeles Flood Control Channel, Lankershim Boulevard, Cahuenga Boulevard and Barham Boulevard.

NBC has already proposed paying for wider streets to include double left turn lanes, right turn lanes and upgraded traffic signals, as well as increasing public transportation options. Those efforts should minimize the traffic impact to West Burbank, according to the environmental report.

But city officials say they're not so sure.

"We are generally satisfied with the manner in which they conducted the study," City Planner Michael Forbes said. "We do have some concerns with the assumptions that they used."

Those assumptions include assuming the new residents will use public transportation instead of driving their own vehicles.

Developers cannot require the new residents to use public transportation.

"We are looking to see if traffic generation is lower than it really will be or what they expect to be," said Forbes. "We need to look at the effect that assumption has on the impact they found."

Burbank traffic engineers have been working with Los Angeles for at least a year to ensure the traffic impact study conformed to local metrics, Forbes said.

The report predicts that out of the 21 affected intersections in Burbank, the project will only have a "significant impact" on Olive Avenue at the Warner Bros. Studio Gate 2/Gate 3.

Pat Gibson, president of Gibson Transportation, one of two agencies that drafted the report, said Burbank uses a specific set of criteria to determine traffic impacts.

"If you've got an intersection that's already busy, then they say you cannot add any traffic," he said. "If there's an intersection that no one uses, you can add traffic, but if you add more than 1% to 2% capacity anywhere, that's a problem."

The affected intersection faces what Gibson calls an incremental impact of 2% increase in traffic, but said the suggestion to widen Olive Avenue was rejected.

The Community Development Department is in the process of reviewing the report's findings.

Gibson said he expects at least 20% of the new residents to stay and work within the project area and use the public transit options. He pointed to similar residential projects in California that showed 30% to 40% of their residents using public transportation.

"We cannot generate more than X number of trips after the completion of each phase," Gibson said. "We literally have to perform."

Burbank police and fire officials are also reviewing the impacts and how they may affect emergency response needs to the area.

"We don't have automatic aid agreements to that area," said fire Capt. Ron Bell. "No one has been approached to create a new automatic aid agreement specifically for this project."

Police Chief Scott LaChasse said the biggest impact on his department would be the additional traffic.

"We are working with the Community Development Department to ensure the necessary measures are taken into account for the additional traffic coming through Burbank and from people coming out of the area," he said.

Comments on the report must be submitted by Jan. 3. City planners will have a draft of the City Hall's official comment letter for review at the Dec. 14 City Council meeting.

The draft Environmental Impact Report is available online and at the Burbank Central Library.

Read More: http://www.burbankleader.com/news/tn-blr-eir-20101117,0,2071612.story

pesto

December 3rd, 2010, 02:23 AM

saiholmes

December 3rd, 2010, 06:04 AM

Glendale council backs Caruso's plan to expand Americana mall
Acting as the city's redevelopment agency, it approves a plan to push neighboring property owners to negotiate the sale of their buildings or face possible eminent domain proceedings.
By Bill Kisliuk, Los Angeles Times
December 3, 2010

The Glendale City Council is siding with Los Angeles developer Rick Caruso in his effort to expand the Americana at Brand shopping center.

Acting as the city's redevelopment agency, the council Tuesday approved a plan to push the mall's neighboring property owners to negotiate the sale of their buildings to Caruso or work up their own plans for the intersection of Colorado and Orange streets.

The owners of a hotel and vacant building next to the Americana will have 45 days to negotiate a sales price with Caruso, submit their own plans for redevelopment or face possible eminent domain proceedings.

Caruso said he would like to make the adjacent properties, which include the 55-room Golden Key Hotel and vacant building, part of the shopping center, adding 60,000 to 140,000 square feet of retail space, landscaping, a fountain area and a pedestrian walkway from Colorado Street into the mixed-use center.

Henry David, who owns the empty, 7,500-square-foot building at the edge of the Americana, indicated he would be willing to sell, his only concern being that "we are treated fairly."

And although Ray Patel, owner of the Golden Key Hotel, also said he would consider selling, he added that a mid-priced hotel is an important asset for the city and that he would like to keep it open.

"I don't feel like I should be bullied into anything," Patel said.

Mayor Ara Najarian urged the property owners to negotiate, and if that fails he said a fair price for the properties could be determined in court.

Even so, there would be no losers in the deal, he said.

"The winners in this are the residents of Glendale," Najarian said.

Caruso told the council he wants to "double down" on his investment in Glendale, and pledged to negotiate in good faith with the other property owners. He said he also would look to protect the interests of Patel's 15 hotel employees.

Council members credited the Americana for revitalizing downtown, even as other cities struggle.

"We have a downtown that has kind of become the 'it' place for the region," said Councilwoman Laura Friedman.

Read More: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-12-03-caruso-20101203,0,2661441.story

klamedia

December 3rd, 2010, 06:11 PM

http://la.curbed.com/tags/development-battles

Another Caruso move in Glendale. Looks like he wants to not only buy adjacent properties and convert them, but also expand American south of Colorado. The area is starting to look ripe for transit connections to DT LA, Universal and Hollywood. Maybe Burbank and Pasadena too.

Eminent domain would certainly be allowed in this sort of case, given the Surpeme Court's position.

It's tricky. Are we witnessing the expansion of a planned neighborhood anchored by retail or fakeness? Since Americana has a housing element if it enlarged and continued to enlarge its housing footprint at what point does it stop being a mall and become a development? If a streetcar was added to circulate Glendale will this be our model of planned development in the future?

pesto

December 3rd, 2010, 08:53 PM

Interesting points. Personally, I find Americana phony and artificial; same for the Grove and LA Live. I would hope that the bulk of Glendale's future develoment is organic, by which I mean other people putting in different looks and more street life.

But the huge things these developments have going for them are integrated housing and plazas. Expansion of plaza space onto Colorado helps to open that street for development. And I'm not sure how you can get plazas except by eminent domain or by a large scale developer who can afford to leave open space.

LosAngelesSportsFan

December 3rd, 2010, 10:58 PM

honestly, if there were ten more Americanas in Glendale, it would be such a better place. Its clean, mixed use and at a correct density and high level for Glendale.

pesto, i dont think Caruso said anything about expanding outside of those two properties. it would be nice to see him take over the strip mall across Colorado and ideally, he would buy the Galleria and completely renovate that dump

pesto

December 4th, 2010, 01:51 AM

LASF: I agree with you: density, mixed-use, good maintenance, and security are all good things. And so is private money, as pretty much any city will tell you these days. I wouldn't turn Caruso down on this move or redo's of the Galleria or Marketplace.

But with Disneyland at one end of the scale and skid row at the other, I put Americana a little too near Disneyland. I'd rather see Brand, Colorado, Maryland and adjacent steets develop with a style other than faux French Classical (which is the ony name I can think of for Americana). Some bricks or wood or glass, or what's already there fixed up and upgraded a bit would be "organic" as I am using the term. Don't you sort of feel like you're on a movie set at the Grove or Americana?

Caruso hasn't spoken about crossing Coloarado but along with talking about buying the Galleria and Marketplace across Brand, he now will have a plaza opening onto Colorado (previously Americana didn't have much facing that way). This would seem to make him interested in what is going on on Colorado, which, as you say, could use some upgrading. But hopefully Brand heading north toward the high-rises will keep a more organic look.

LosAngelesSportsFan

December 4th, 2010, 04:32 AM

oh i agree. it would be great to have variety. i love glass and wood, so i think that it would be fantastic if other developers came in and built their own projects. i guess im just a fan of the density and urbanity. i guess if it was all caruso, it would look a bit like inner city paris, where every building looks the same.

klamedia

December 4th, 2010, 04:05 PM

if other developers came in and built their own projects. i guess im just a fan of the density and urbanity.

I guess my issue with the Caruso projects is that they mimic an urban layout but then cut themselves off from other urban life that isn't part of the Caruso Empire, sort of like a suped up gated community. Obviously Caruso isn't going to absolve his right as a property owner to allow free and open access to his projects but will the properties that he is getting eminent domained through the City of Glendale be open and accessible at all times? And I believe that eminent domain by a public entity can't be turned around and used for a private entity. Not saying that it hasn't been done before but if Glendale is going through all of this trouble to give Caruso what he wants what are the people of Glendale getting out of it? Will this be for public use?

pesto

December 4th, 2010, 06:13 PM

Generally agree. The Grove should have much better access to the community on 3rd and to the east. But Americana has good access along Brand and now will have better access to Colorado, so I think this moves in the right direction.

Speaking of eminent domain, it’s worth reading Kelo, which is on-line and really shows where the law is today. Basically, if a city has prepared a reasonable plan that would improve an area, it can use eminent domain (paying fair value) to obtain any properties that are not consistent with the plan. There is some public disgust at this (from both left and right), but the reality is you have to work politically through the local planning process. The courts are not likely to bail you out once the city has decided, whether there is much true use by the public or not.

This makes sense both because these are typically complex economic and social issues, and (more practically) because renovation of 100’s of inner cities would have stopped without it.

klamedia

December 4th, 2010, 07:16 PM

Eminent domain used to seize property for the betterment of the public bought by the city and then sold at market value to a developer is already on shaky ground. But to basically say that Caruso wants to expand his mall and the City of Glendale must and will help him do that just sounds wrong. I'm pretty sure that the businesses that are there, I believe a hotel and some other shit, falls under the general plan of Glendale being commercial entities. It's not like Glendale is this progressive, dense urban, smart growth enclave that is undergoing some cutting edge major change to its downtown.

pesto

December 5th, 2010, 07:27 PM

I think eminent domain has probably gone too far in many cases, including possibly in this case. But in any event the courts have tended to keep hands off, assuming they find a consistent plan and some benefit to the city.

The ground here is a little shaky because, as you note, the Golden Key is modern, operative and multi-story. I think that Glendale recognizes this problem since they gave the owners the opportunity to come up with their own development plans as an alternative to sale or eminent domain. I don't know the Glendale city plan, but if pushed, they might point to the surface parking, low-rise sections of the motel, or some such as being objectionable. Just speculating.

klamedia

December 6th, 2010, 01:54 AM

I believe that this is a clear violation of the 5th Admendment if I have my admendments str8. Anyway I really hate to see the overreaching power of the Glendale Council in this matter. I'm sure if I got a chance to look over Glendale's general plan I'd walk away disappointed. I'm going to stick my neck out and assume that Glendale isn't planning a Le Corbusier city of towers type downtown. So I'm not sure why they'd push these people out of business.

LosAngelesSportsFan

December 6th, 2010, 02:36 AM

The city of Glendale actually recently updated its downtown strategic plan and i was surprised by the pro development angle taken. The plan encourages mixed use and taller buildings in the downtown core. The tallest buildings are obviously contained to Central and Brand (i believe there is a limit of somewhere around 300 feet) and it gradually steps down when you reach the residential areas.

pesto

December 6th, 2010, 06:39 PM

Yes. Over the last 30 years the planning commission has overthrown the “small retail” lobby that kept development out. First was the Galleria which was a huge success but is now dated in being closed to the street and having no mixed use. The 10 or so high rises (a few over 20 stories) along or near Brand were formerly small retail. I don’t know the exact history but I assume that city pressure was used for the Galleria and for the high-rises, since they form a solid corridor for 3 or 4 blocks.

The original Americana similarly replaced parking lots and dated former tire stores and the like. But now, the area is strip malls, older housing, misc. low rises. Like much of Hollywood and West Lake, any given block should go medium rise or 3-5 story residential or commercial or mixed.

The problem comes when Caruso says I want 3 blocks. Half of it is low-rise, under utilized or empty, but the other half is doing OK. Since there are 30 landowners, the threat of eminent domain is useful; otherwise, you keep the same low density, failing businesses and no investment for another 30 years.

But, I admit it’s an invasion of property rights and a hardship to families and the elderly.

LosAngelesSportsFan

December 6th, 2010, 08:24 PM

hardship to the elderly?

pesto

December 7th, 2010, 05:54 PM

I'm not talking about the Golden Key, but about people who have lived in Glendale for many years and never planned to move, as is common in much of the city. This could happen happen on Central and Orange and side streets and along Maryland or South of Colorado if the plan really creates development action.

Interestingly, zoning can have much the same effect as eminent domain. My home was effectively taken for an apartment building when the 134 came through Glendale since there were 4-story apartments going in within a few feet of the lot line on all three sides. Not much real choice.

klamedia

December 8th, 2010, 05:14 AM

Glendale's move to help Caruso get land in redevelopment deal troubling
http://www.dailynews.com/opinions/ci_16793747

IN a classic example of a David and Goliath situation, the city of Glendale has come down firmly on the side of Goliath.

In this case, the Goliath would be developer Rick Caruso, who recently announced he'd like to expand his Americana at Brand - right over land currently occupied by a hotel and a vacant sound studio.

The Glendale City Council gave the two property owners an ultimatum: Redevelop your property. Sell to Caruso. Or we'll force you out for Caruso.

Not much of a choice.

The council gave the property owners just 45 days to come up with a plan to redevelop their property, which is a pretty aggressive time frame for even the most savvy developers. That leaves only two realistic options: Sell their property to Caruso or the city will take their property using eminent domain.

And since Glendale leaders have already sided with Caruso, how are the property owners supposed to get a fair selling price? The city has taken their negotiating power.

Ray Patel, whose family has owned the Golden Key Hotel since 2000, is understandably shocked by the ultimatum. Imagine being bullied into selling your family business by the very city leaders who are supposed to be protecting your interests as a legitimate, tax-paying enterprise.

This is what redevelopment has become in California.

Traditionally, eminent domain was used to take property that was needed for public works projects - freeways or schools -
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facilities that served the greater good of the community. Now, cities acting as redevelopment authorities can be the henchmen of developers, ousting one business for the benefit of another.

Glendale Mayor Ara Najarian told the Daily News: "We feel that a midlevel motel is not the best use for that land."

Really? Since when do city officials get to decide how private property owners should use their private property? This isn't a crack house. It's a clean, affordable hotel in a central part of town. And the owner deserves better from Glendale's leadership.

Americana at Brand is a good project and it has been beneficial for Glendale. And expansion of the shopping center may even be a nice addition to the existing 15.5-acre mega-mall. But that should be a standard property sale negotiation between a wealthy mall developer and private property owners.

This is not how redevelopment was intended to be used.

The city's willingness to roll over long-standing small businesses at the behest of Caruso is troubling.

As anyone who has read my pro-development comments over the last five years on this forum I am very development. But what they are doing to these small business owners for an extension of a mall.......is wrong wrong wrong!

saiholmes

December 8th, 2010, 06:15 AM

As anyone who has read my pro-development comments over the last five years on this forum I am very development. But what they are doing to these small business owners for an extension of a mall.......is wrong wrong wrong!

I don't think so. It's fair market price for that property. He can just buy another motel right away.

klamedia

December 8th, 2010, 04:23 PM

Fair market price. Not market price. And have you been eating Fruit Loops again? Ask all of those people who were displaced by freeway building eminent domain how easy it was to just run out and buy a new house. None of that matters though. The point is that Glendale is forcing this man out of business just because Caruso wants to expand. And yes I've read the meat of the New London case and it does allow this but that doesn't make it right. Where in hell is the Tea Party when shit really matters?

pesto

December 8th, 2010, 06:35 PM

Economically, using eminent domain is almost always the correct decision (it avoids the extortion of the single holdout and the "free ride" which a development gives to everyone in a rundown area, without their spending a nickel). Moreover, buying 50 properties one at a time with almost certainty that the last few will holdout is usually impractical and will force the developer to find larger properties, normally in the outer suburbs. This is why eminent domain has been used in 1000's of cities.

In this case, blocking eminent domain favors the speculator who saw the value of his property increase based on Caruso's investment, over the developer whose investment created the appreciation; remember that the area was largely parking lots and abandoned "medium box" tire stores when Caruso arrived and across Colorado is still strip malls and single story nondescript boxes, in general.

But on the other hand the property does not seem crucial to further development and is not totally inconsistent with the plan. And taking property, even at fair compensation, goes against most people's idea of fairness.

But the "constitutional" or "property rights" argument is tricky since almost everyone agrees that cities can take much of the value of property (through zoning, plans, streetscapes, traffic patterns, signage, parking limits, transit, etc., or waivers of any of these). For practical reasons, these kinds of "takings' of property are generally disregarded by the courts. Again, for better or worse, city councils and planning commissions with their hearings and public input, seem like a better forum for making the decision than 1 judge in a courtroom. That's why courts limit themselves to reviewing the rationality of the city, not the complex social and economic arguments.

And getting a court involved in every development using eminent domain (the Hollywood W Hotel, for example) would drag the process out another 2 or 3 years, minimum.

Arguments either way it seems to me. Just like real life.

saiholmes

December 9th, 2010, 04:10 AM

I believe the motel's "as-is" market value will be based on an appraisal report under USPAP. So you don't need to worry about anything.

klamedia

December 9th, 2010, 06:45 PM

How is this hotel inconsistent with the general plan? I completely understood the W Hollywood case. Sitting atop a major transit hub you need dense residential and lots of retail. I'd be more understanding if this was anywhere near transit or if Caruso was going to build some massively dense stuff. But as far as I can gather from reading this situation is that he just wants to expand his mall. This isn't even as intense of a development as an LA Live. I guess I need to read Glendale's general plan and look over its zoning for this area.

pesto

December 9th, 2010, 07:24 PM

You can see that Patel is positioning himself for the valuation since he talks nonstop about how business has been lower due to the construction of Americana and the difficult access to his property.

btw, is this Patel related to the multi-billionaire Patel slumlords? They are constantly in the news in SF.

saiholmes

December 10th, 2010, 03:30 AM

To speak the truth, many many Patels are operating hospitality properties in the United States. They are from India and specialized in motel properties. I feel maybe half of US motels are owned by Indian immigrants. (at least right here in California)

pesto

December 10th, 2010, 06:17 PM

I doubt that Glendale will be shooting for DT LA density or for anything much denser than what Americana is (5 stories or so). There are residential towers about a mile north at the 152 and commercial highrise a few blocks north but the immediate area is mostly single story (except for the old Masonic Temple, which deserves rehabing and the new BMW multi-story dealership which I guess is a sign of success of the plan).

As for transit, don't blame Caruso or even MTA. Glendale is a low priority compared to SM, Westwood, Century City and others who don't have rail transit yet. But it should be on the long-term plan, given its location between Universal, Burbank, Pasadena and DT LA.

pesto

December 17th, 2010, 09:03 PM

After a quick review of the Glendale Plan, it appears that Colorado is a Secondary Street which is permitted for dense retail/food (same as Primary) and additionally for support services such as fitness and repair shops. It doesn't look like parking lot or hotel is permitted for that area, presumably since it breaks up the shopping/dining street experience. Hotel with shopping along the streetfront would presumably be acceptable and office and live/work are also acceptable.

Caruso's plan for the Golden Key is probably within the guidelines since it envisions a plaza and more shops. However, most of the rest of Colorado is the backwall of Americana buildings, so I don't see how that qualifies either. I admit that this is not my area of knowledge.

http://www.ci.glendale.ca.us/planning/pdf_files/DowntownSpecificPlan/Amendments/DSP%20amended%202010-04-13%20D%20Ch3%20LandUse.pdf

saiholmes

December 22nd, 2010, 08:12 AM

http://thesource.metro.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Van_Nuys_Corridor1.jpg

FTA gives Metro the green light to study transit alternatives for Van Nuys corridor
Posted by Dave Sotero in 30/10 Initiative, Projects, Transportation News on December 21, 2010 - 10:33 am
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority - The Source

Metro announced today that it has been selected to receive $2 million in Federal Transit Administration funding to begin two new transportation projects: an alternatives analysis for a premium transit service on Van Nuys Boulevard and work to improve the agency’s transit forecasting model. See the FTA’s announcement.

And here are the project descriptions.

This latest funding notice from the FTA injects new momentum into the agency’s Measure R program and is a win for the San Fernando Valley.

The Van Nuys Corridor is a main element in the East San Fernando Valley North-South Rapidways Project, which seeks to provide better transit service on key corridors in the Valley.

For the Van Nuys Corridor project, the goal is to greatly improve mobility on Van Nuys Boulevard for about 10 miles between Ventura and Foothill Boulevards. Anyone who has ridden a bus down Van Nuys Boulevard in this area knows this street is primed for some sort of premium service.

The Van Nuys corridor consistently ranks as one of the top ten busiest bus corridors in Los Angeles County. In the Valley it is the busiest corridor. Total weekday boardings on Metro buses serving this boulevard even beat the Metro Orange Line and Ventura Metro Rapid in terms of daily ridership. (Metro has approximately 27,000 weekday boardings for buses running on Van Nuys compared to the Orange Line’s 23,500 and Ventura Rapid’s 5,500 boardings).

So what are the possible transit alternatives the Alternatives Analysis will study? Besides the obligatory No-Build and Transportation Systems Management alternatives, Metro will be looking at the following options:

* Dedicated bus lanes
* Light rail
* Streetcars

Metro’s project planners say that any of the options short of doing nothing will impact parking along much of this portion of Van Nuys Boulevard. They also say that the study will have to evaluate ways in which the removal of parking to build the project can be mitigated, which could include — among others — off-site parking lots. The community input process should help vet these and other issues during the AA process.

The streetcar option is an intriguing prospect for Van Nuys Boulevard, creating a “Back to the Future” possibility. While not technically streetcars, the last Pacific Electric Red Car traveling on Van Nuys was taken out of service in 1952.

Metro has released its Request for Proposals to conduct the AA work and could be ready by early 2013 to recommend a project to the Metro Board of Directors.

The work to improve Metro’s transit forecasting model will help improve the way other Measure R projects like the Westside Subway Extension and Crenshaw-LAX projects model their own travel demand.

-- Dave Sotero

Read More: http://thesource.metro.net/2010/12/21/fta-gives-metro-the-green-light-to-study-transit-alternatives-for-van-nuys-corridor/#more-16725

VZN

December 22nd, 2010, 05:26 PM

Light rail, please

klamedia

December 23rd, 2010, 07:58 PM

I don't think that there is enough $$ to do proper LRT or anything other than BRT.

pesto

December 23rd, 2010, 09:26 PM

My thoughts as well. Van Nuys is only one of many north-south streets in the Valley. The 405 is the serious bottle neck that needs attention.

On the other hand, Van Nuys Blvd. is run-down enough so that I don't think there will be as much objection to LRT as the valley traditionally has.

djm19

December 24th, 2010, 10:04 AM

^I think the passage of time is also on LRT's side. Were the orange line up for debate today, I feel the Valley would have supported LRT a lot more now than when it was being considered years ago.

klamedia

December 24th, 2010, 05:40 PM

Too late.

saiholmes

January 21st, 2011, 04:28 AM

Americana Owner Acquires Property for Expansion Project
Jessica Vernabe
San Fernando Valley Business Journal
Thursday, January 20, 2011

Real estate development company Caruso Affiliated is purchasing a building adjacent to the Americana at Brand in order to expand the shopping center, the developer announced.

The company came to the sale agreement with the property owner, Henry David, for the 7,500-square-foot building.

“We are very pleased to have reached a swift resolution,” said Rick Caruso, CEO of Caruso Affiliated. “Our agreement brings us one step closer to achieving our goal which is to redevelop the property in a way that enhances the downtown business district and provides important new revenue to the city.”

The building is one of two properties that the company has proposed to acquire and redevelop to use as retail space for the Americana at Brand. The developer expects the project, which would include a total expansion of 140,000 square feet, to generate as much as $800,000 a year in additional revenue for the city.

The developer also plans to make numerous public improvements at its own expense, such as widening Colorado Street and adding streetlights and landscaping to the thoroughfare.

The company also hopes to enter into “constructive dialogue” with the owner of the other property it is trying to acquire, Caruso added.

Read More: http://www.sfvbj.com/news/2011/jan/20/americana-owner-acquires-property-expansion-projec/

saiholmes

January 30th, 2011, 06:14 AM

Caruso's Americana at Brand, Expanded: Will Glendale Approve?
Thursday, January 27, 2011, by Dakota Smith
http://la.eater.com/uploads/2011.caruso.jpg

Read More: http://la.curbed.com/archives/2011/01/carusos_americana_expanded_will_glendale_approve.php

pesto

January 30th, 2011, 07:12 PM

A classic problem in the real world: Patel's proposal is an improvment, brings some diversity to what would otherwise be consistently cutesy architecture and maybe some increased revenues to the city. Caruso's brings huge new revenues, improvements to a heavily congested street and new streetscape as well. It's a no-brainer if you look at just economics, but requires a forced sale of property (although at a fair market price).

I'm beginning to wonder if transit isn't moving up the list? Would light rail to Pasadena (via Eagle Rock, which is getting denser and more active) and LA (via, Atwater and maybe Glendale Blvd and down Sunset) be better here than some other lines that are under active consideration or construction? Glendale does seem to have an active commitment to development and density.

pesto

February 11th, 2011, 06:42 PM

http://la.curbed.com/archives/2011/02/sherman_oaks_scaffolding.php

Eminent domain is interesting in many ways, but one of the most interesting is that it is hated by both the left and the right, each of whom tends to believe it is a plot by the other (that is, either big govt. or billionaire developers are behind it). Conversely, it is very widely used by pragmatic moderates in every city in the country.

The Supreme Ct. in Kelo reached a compromise which is largely disliked in public posturing but almost inevitable assuming you want development in urban areas with chopped up land-holdings rather than in far distant outer suburbs with large available tracts. What Kelo says (VERY loosely) is that city councils should decide what is reasonable, not trial-level judges; the judges should only look for signs of corruption. The reasons for this are obvious. Cities conduct lengthy review processes, develop master plans, have open hearings and debates in numerous committees, get input from neighboring land-owners, unions, residents, the elderly, etc., that is, the voters and other economic stake holders.

I go through all of this because the above link shows the problem. Everyone except Patel has sold, but he has decided that a blog and PR firm are the best way to go. This is his perfect right, but a clear indication that this is a political decision NOT a legal/judicial one. This is not what judges are supposed to be doing and for sure not what they are good at.

Note that I am not arguing the Patel vs. Caruso issue either way; I am saying that the decision should be made through a political process, leaving aside evidence of corruption.

saiholmes

February 20th, 2011, 11:24 PM

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.a/6a00d8341c630a53ef0147e2259715970b-pi

A star-studded opening for the Valley Performing Arts Center
Among the performers at the gala on the Cal State Northridge campus: Calista Flockhart, Cheech Marin and Cuban jazz musician Arturo Sandoval.
January 31, 2011|By David Ng, Los Angeles Times

Ten years and $125 million in the making, the Valley Performing Arts Center officially became a reality Saturday night in a celebration that brought together Hollywood celebrities with Los Angeles city and county leaders to inaugurate the building on the campus of Cal State Northridge.

The center's 1,700-seat main hall — featuring four plush levels encased in undulating wood panels — is the largest in the San Fernando Valley and is intended to attract top-notch performers to a region of Southern California whose reputation has tended to rest on such less-exalted forms of entertainment, as mall culture and the adult film industry.

The first season at the Arts Center, set to begin this Saturday (with singers Shawn Colvin and Loudon Wainwright III), features performers spanning the spectrum from classical music to jazz to Broadway. Saturday's gala concert reflected that diversity, offering a sampler platter of the arts, spiced with star appearances.

Calista Flockhart, accompanied by husband Harrison Ford, served as one of the evening's many presenters. The celebration included performances by Tyne Daly and Davis Gaines, singing selections from "Gypsy" and "The Phantom of the Opera," respectively; dancers Gillian Murphy and Jose Manuel Carreno from the American Ballet Theatre; and Cuban jazz musician Arturo Sandoval, accompanied on the bongos by actor Andy Garcia.

A number of the evening's performers grew up in the Valley or count themselves as Cal State Northridge alumni. Cheech Marin, who delivered a comedy and song routine, attended the school in the late '60s when it was San Fernando Valley State College. "I did a lot of performing arts while I was here, especially in bands," Marin said during the after-party, which was held nearby on campus. "They used to put on a lot of shows, but they were always in the gym, which wasn't great acoustically."

Nancy Cartwright, who provides the voice of Bart Simpson on Fox's "The Simpsons," has been a Valley resident since the '80s, and is the honorary mayor of the North San Fernando Valley. "A facility of this size has the potential to change the community," she said. "I'm enormously proud to live here."

Longtime Valley resident Beau Bridges attended the concert but did not appear onstage. "This has a lot of meaning for our community," he said. "It's the best we have now — and it's not far from my house."

During the concert, Monica Mancini performed songs written by her father, Henry, and recalled growing up in Northridge at a time when the community still had a fair number of orange groves. Soprano Carol Vaness dedicated her performance of "Vissi d'arte" from Puccini's "Tosca" to her Cal State Northridge music professor David Scott.

Other presenters for the evening included Eric Stoltz, Benjamin Bratt, Jane Kaczmarek, Noah Wyle, Steven Weber, Keith David and Doris Roberts.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa attended the celebration, greeting patrons and trading music tips with Sandoval and Mancini. Villaraigosa said that for the last three years, some Los Angeles leaders have been trying to do away with the city's Department of Cultural Affairs. "We have to find ways to support the arts, including in our schools and universities," he said.

Jolene Koester, president of Cal State Northridge, described the Valley Performing Arts Center as "a miracle" but added that $17 million still needed to be raised to meet the university's $50-million fundraising goal.

With a $125-million price tag, the building represents a combination of public and private investment. State bonds provided approximately half the tab, while private donations accounted for a large portion. In addition, L.A. County Supervisors Zev Yaroslavsky and Michael Antonovich put in $2 million and $500,000, respectively, from their discretionary funds. Yaroslavsky described the building as "long overdue" and added that it would help bring jobs and other forms of investment into the Northridge area. "The arts are a great economic generator," he said.

In late 2008, construction on the center came to a halt because of a state budget impasse, but building resumed the following March after then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger lifted the state moratorium on public works projects.

On Saturday, tuxedoed attendees mingled in the building's atrium, enclosed in floor-to-ceiling glass walls that allow views to the west and north. The steel-framed building, designed by the Minneapolis architecture firm of Hammel, Green and Abrahamson, also features smaller performance and rehearsal spaces.

Kara Hill, the lead architect on the project, said the center was designed to be "extroverted," with a structural and spiritual connection to the rest of the campus. "Performance halls can often be pushed to the side of a campus," Hill said. "We wanted the building to be open ... so that people can see out and can be seen."

The acoustics of the main hall were designed to be adjustable — via movable panels and other devices — to accommodate the variety of artists expected to appear there. Saxophonist Dave Koz, who grew up in nearby Tarzana and who performed at the gala, described the hall's acoustics as "beautiful... crystal-clear and pure-tone."

Saturday's concert was not the first in the building. In November, the Moscow State Symphony, under music director Pavel Kogan, played two invitation-only concerts that were seen as a test run for the facility.

Organizers said they hope to ramp up programming to a level where there is one major artist event per week. They said the center is about 85% booked for the 2011-12 season, which begins in the fall.

Read More: http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jan/31/entertainment/la-et-valley-performing-arts-20110131

pesto

February 21st, 2011, 05:37 PM

Looks like a beautiful place. SFVSC, as it used to be known, is looking better.

"L.A. County Supervisors Zev Yaroslavsky and Michael Antonovich put in $2 million and $500,000, respectively, from their discretionary funds." Explain to me about "a government of laws and not men" again. I get confused.

saiholmes

February 25th, 2011, 07:29 AM

Caruso buys Golden Key
Developer, hotel owner reach an undisclosed agreement, $500K lawsuit settlement.
By Bill Kisliuk, bill.kisliuk@latimes.com
5:40 PM PST, February 24, 2011

Developer Rick Caruso has negotiated a deal to acquire the Golden Key Hotel as part of his bid to expand his 15.5-acre Americana at Brand, attorneys for both parties said during a court hearing Thursday.

The amount of the agreement was not disclosed, but in papers filed this week in Los Angeles County Superior Court, Golden Key Hotel owner Ray Patel estimated the value of the 55-room inn at between $15 million and $17 million. Its assessed value is $4.9 million, according to county records.

The deal would bring to close a three-month public ordeal after Caruso announced his intent to expand the Americana onto two properties — the hotel and a vacant brick building. Patel has resisted, rejecting a $6-million buyout offer and publicly criticizing the city for backing the billionaire developer.

Neither side would confirm the deal discussed by their attorneys in court.

In November, Caruso asked the Glendale City Council to approve his plan to demolish the hotel and a vacant building next door, which are in a redevelopment zone. The city, which has the power to condemn the two properties, urged Patel and neighboring property owner Henry David to come up with their own redevelopment plans or sell to Caruso. In January, David sold his 7,000 square-foot brick building to Caruso for an undisclosed price.

The attorneys also disclosed in court on Thursday that they had reached a $500,000 settlement in Patel’s lawsuit against Caruso and the Glendale Redevelopment Agency that alleged construction of the mall damaged his business from 2005 to 2008.

Although Glendale has been represented by an attorney retained by Caruso for the lawsuit, a city spokesman said officials were unaware of the settlement.

“We have not been a party to any meeting or negotiation, and have received no official word or document indicating so,” city spokesman Tom Lorenz said in an e-mail.

The settlement drew the ire of attorney David Casselman, who had represented Patel in the lawsuit until he was replaced last week.

Casselman alleged that Caruso and Patel “colluded” to conceal the true value of the legal settlement, shifting money to the real estate deal, thereby reducing the fees he would receive for his more than two years of work on the case.

Patel dismissed Casselman on Feb. 16, according to court records, a day after Caruso and Patel asked the Glendale Redevelopment Agency to cancel a meeting on Caruso’s development plan so they could talk.

More than 150 people had packed City Council chambers for the hearing, which was postponed.

On Thursday, Caruso’s attorney, Kenneth Bley, denied Casselman’s claims.

Read More: http://www.glendalenewspress.com/news/tn-gnp-0225-deal,0,7937563.story

pesto

February 25th, 2011, 05:36 PM

Surprise, surprise! I was sure Patel was fighting a principled battle against eminent domain because it was robbing him of his cherished life-long dream that he built from scratch and where he and his family were going to establish roots and hand from generation to generation.

But it turned out he wanted more money and used the "anti-eminent domain" goofys to get it (plus hiring a lawyer, PR firm, etc.). That one really blind sided me.

The role of the lawyer is interesting as well. Notice that he was on contingency. This is typical for litigation in which the plaintiff has no interest in winning, just an interest in squeezing money out of someone in a settlement. Contingency lawyers HATE going to trial since it requires actual study of the applicable law and you can't predict who is going to win.

saiholmes

March 5th, 2011, 09:05 AM

Ground broken on new 5 Freeway carpool lanes
March 4, 2011 | 9:28 am

State and county transportation officials broke ground Thursday on a nearly $70-million project to add carpool lanes to the 5 Freeway.

The project adds carpool lanes on both directions of Interstate 5 in a 4.4-mile stretch between the 170 Freeway interchange and Buena Vista Street in Burbank.

Officials said the carpool lanes would help reduce traffic congestion along a portion of the freeway that sees nearly 200,000 vehicles each day.

"If you've sat in that traffic, you know what I'm talking about," said Mike Miles, director of California Department of Transportation District 7, during a ceremony in the parking lot of the Armenian Apostolic Church near the freeway.

Construction will take place at night, with up to two lanes closed at a time and ramp closures staggered, officials said. Motorists will be alerted to closures with signs.

-- Melanie Hicken, Glendale News-Press / Times Community News

Read More: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/03/golden-state-freeway-to-get-new-carpool-lanes.html

saiholmes

March 17th, 2011, 07:43 AM

Nordstrom to move from Glendale Galleria to Americana at Brand shopping center
Developer Rick Caruso woos the popular retailer away from its home of nearly 30 years. Nordstrom will build a new three-level store on land at the Americana.
By Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times
March 17, 2011

Developer Rick Caruso has wooed Nordstrom away from the rival Glendale Galleria and will bring the department store to his Americana at Brand shopping center in fall 2013.

To accomplish the move, Caruso is buying Nordstrom's building from the Seattle retailer. Although most of the Galleria is owned by General Growth Properties, it's common for major department stores to own their own real estate within a mall.

Caruso wouldn't say how much he is paying for the Nordstrom building, located in a wing across Central Avenue from the original mall. Nordstrom will build a three-level store on land at the Americana it will lease from Caruso's firm, Caruso Affiliated. The site is occupied by the Golden Key Hotel and a retail building, both recently purchased by Caruso.

"While Glendale Galleria has been a good home over the years, we think moving into a brand-new store at the Americana at Brand will help us do a better job of serving our customers," said Erik Nordstrom, president of stores for Nordstrom Inc.

The new Nordstrom is to enclose 135,000 square feet, slightly less than the 140,000 square feet it occupies at the Galleria. It will operate in the Galleria until the new store is ready.

Caruso said he hoped to work with General Growth on improvements to the Galleria that might dramatically change its appearance. The part of the mall where Nordstrom is located "is a very enclosed brick building from an era gone by. I think you could open it up," he said.

Caruso, who also owns the outdoor Grove shopping center in Los Angeles, envisions a mix of uses at a remodeled Galleria including new stores and restaurants in an outdoor setting, and possibly a hotel. Caruso Affiliated may help pay for improvements to the Galleria.

"We are prepared to be involved financially and from a vision standpoint," he said.

General Growth fought construction of the Americana in court and on a public ballot, but the bad blood is gone, Caruso said.

"I am excited about working with General Growth," he said. "They have come through their difficulties and the past is the past."

Besides, an improved Galleria will draw more shoppers to downtown Glendale, Caruso said. "The stronger the Galleria is, the better it is for the Americana at Brand."

General Growth declined to comment.

The sale is "extremely unusual" and might eventually help the Galleria, said George Whalin, a Carlsbad, Calif., retail consultant not involved in the deal.

"Obviously, they don't want to lose Nordstrom, but if they can benefit themselves in the process, more power to them," he said.

"The Galleria is not a bad shopping center," Whalin added, "though most centers that are a few years old need some updating."

Glendale Mayor Ara Najarian said the Nordstrom sale and possible changes to the Galleria are "great news. I couldn't have painted a better scenario as mayor for an improvement of that area."

Read More: http://www.latimes.com/business/realestate/la-fi-glendale-mall-20110317,0,3083707.story

pesto

March 18th, 2011, 07:27 PM

Sports news: Caruso/Glendale vs. Patel/activists/critics has been stopped by the mercy rule.

In a nutshell, Glendale by just hinting at eminent domain got a major expansion of a successful open-air mall that opens onto their major shopping street, a new street accessible Nordstroms on a previously dead street, new traffic mitigation, a ton of new tax revenues; AND: a kick in the groin to the brick-fortress Galleria encouraging them to open up to the street, add housing and a hotel. And Caruso owns a building in the middle of the Galleria to keep some pressure on the whole situation.

Even Curbed commentators were aghast at the brilliance of the plan. I don't think "billionaire scum-bag" was mentioned once, except as a compliment.

Lots of interesting possibilities here: tear down the Galleria? how to sort out upper, middle and mass market stores; get rid of some parking (or at least hide it better). Rail to DT, Pasadena, Hollywood (or maybe through Silver Lake to the Red Line at Vermont?

LosAngelesSportsFan

March 18th, 2011, 09:13 PM

the galleria needs to go. its such an antiquated mall. Caruso should buy it and redo the whole thing a la Santa Monica Place.

saiholmes

August 19th, 2011, 04:18 PM

eJWlavnM6b0

pesto

March 12th, 2012, 11:34 PM

Caruso has now cleared away the Golden Key, and the Nordstrom building is on track for next year. He has gotten another effusive "thank you" from the Glendale historical society for reincorporating the window grills and bricks from an old warehouse into the Americana expansion. This makes the city council happy.

And to show how competition works, across the street the Galleria has announced plans to break-up its fortress-like exterior by adding glass and stonework, outdoor plazas and eating areas, new signage and (interestingly) cooperating with Americana to improve connectivity between the two shopping centers. Sounds like it could be the first step in a merger or maybe just a recognition that sharing customers works well for everybody.

In the meantime, Glendale officials have announced that interest in buying property around the Americana and in submitting development plans for the Brand corridor are very strong.

LosAngelesSportsFan

March 12th, 2012, 11:54 PM

pesto

June 6th, 2012, 05:37 PM

Note: this is similar to my post at the "Americana" thread.

http://tropicostation.blogspot.com/2012/05/brand-wilson-project-238-residential.html

Another development in downtown Glendale, near the Americana and Galleria. This was Webb's department store for many decades but has been empty for some time (too upscale for us, we shopped at Penny's down the block). No timeline; hopefully it will be ready for Kim Karadashian's inauguration parade.

In response to complaints that Glendale is bland and boring the builder has been asked to step up the colors. It is true that Glendale's high-rises tend to be very conservative (excepting the hideous old Glendale Federal building); but this area is pretty eclectic.

Some councilmembers wanted to hold out for a high-rise hotel, but this seems like a good project, putting people right into downtown. Brand and adjacent streets are mostly older low-rise in the area and there is plenty of room for hotels or more apartments in the future.

Now the main needs are transit to DT and Pasadena

pesto

July 14th, 2012, 07:04 PM

http://www.melendrez.com/news/Entries/2012/5/10_Melendrez_and_team_wins_the_SCAG_Compass_Blueprint_Space_134_Freeway_Cap_Park_Project.html

Another proposal for a "freeway cap", this one on the 134 through Glendale. The proposal says that it will reunite downtown Glendale, which the 134 separated, but this is not accurate. DT Glendale is a good mile south of here and this route was intentionally chosen to avoid DT (Colorardo, Broadway). It was almost entirely small sfh's when the freeway was built but has turned multi-story apartment with areas of highrise office and residential in the subsequent 50 years.

There really is nothing to reunite, but it will create some nice park area, mostly surrounded by apartment buildings. I can see a few new mid-rises being built if the area is nicely done.

saiholmes

July 17th, 2012, 06:01 AM

http://www.latimes.com/media/photo/2012-07/71110184.jpg

NBCUniversal scraps plan to build housing on Universal back lot
Instead of developing apartments and condos on Universal Studios land, it now suggests adding more film and TV production facilities, enhancing the theme park and building an extra hotel.
By Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times
6:10 PM PDT, July 16, 2012

NBCUniversal has dropped controversial plans to build thousands of residences on its famous back lot and hopes instead to add movie and television production facilities and expand the Universal Studios Hollywood theme park.

The new $1.6-billion proposal was unveiled Monday just before the release of the final environmental impact report on the company's proposal to improve the sprawling studio and tourist attraction in the San Fernando Valley.

An earlier plan, valued at $3 billion, called for nearly 3,000 apartments and condominiums at the east end of the studio's property; they would have been served by proposed shops and restaurants. Many neighbors were opposed to the housing, and this year Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky called on NBCUniversal to ditch the residential component of its "Evolution Plan."

Housing development would have made economic sense for the company, Universal Studios President Ron Meyer said a meeting with The Times on Monday. Yaroslavsky and Los Angeles City Councilman Tom LaBonge, however, "urged us to focus on our core business," Meyer said, "and they are right."

Yaroslavsky and LaBonge attended the meeting at Universal and voiced support for what they called the "no-residential alternative" while stopping short of endorsing the new plan, which still faces city and county approval processes.

Eliminating a portion of the back lot to build housing would reduce television and motion picture production at Universal — potentially costing jobs — because there would be less room for filming, Yaroslavsky said. He also expressed sympathy for neighbors in the hills above the studio.

"If you lived over the back lot, you wouldn't want Park La Brea Towers erected in your backyard either," Yaroslavsky said, referring to a massive apartment complex in the mid-Wilshire area of Los Angeles.

LaBonge said he hoped Universal would continue to emphasize film and television production on the lot and the popular Universal Studios tour.

"This is an important tourist attraction," he said. "You see people outside smiling with anticipation."

Homeowner groups have been watching Universal's plans with interest over the years.

The president of the Hollywood Knolls Community Club, Daniel Savage, said dropping the housing component would be "a welcome change in terms of lessening the potential negative impacts on traffic and infrastructure such a housing complex would have, but also preserve to the greatest extent possible the historical Universal back lot and keeping it available for production, which is greatly needed in this city."

The new plan calls for adding 327,000 square feet of development to the theme park, which might include an expansion of the well-known tram tour and parking. The boundaries of the theme park would not grow.

The theme-park enhancements might seem to be a natural complement for the planned Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which NBCUniversal said in December would cost "several hundred million dollars" to create. The studio hopes to emulate the success of the attraction at Universal Studios Orlando in Florida.

But on Monday, NBCUniversal officials said they hadn't determined where they would place the "Harry Potter" attraction, which is expected to include a re-creation of the Hogwarts castle as well as Potter-themed rides, shops and restaurants.

A key revision of the proposal calls for construction of two 500-room hotels instead of one. The new plan also would bump up the amount of new production facilities and offices to 1.45 million square feet from 1.24 million square feet.

The revised plan calls for $100 million in transit and roadway improvements as originally proposed, said Thomas Smith, senior vice president in charge of real estate on the West Coast for NBCUniversal.

The budget would include a new ramp and other improvements on the 101 Freeway. About half the $100 million would be spent on improving traffic flow on nearby streets, intersections and freeways; the other half would be spent on transit programs, including shuttles, a Metro bus and employee and visitor incentives to forgo car trips.

The final EIR has deemed the no-residential alternative "environmentally superior," officials said, and NBCUniversal has asked the city and county to focus on that version of the plan for the upcoming approval process.

Comcast Corp., which owns a majority interest in NBCUniversal, supports the new plan, Meyer said. Public hearings on the final environmental impact report lie ahead. If the proposal is approved, construction will begin right away, he said.

The Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp., a business trade group, said it supports NBCUniversal's latest proposal, which would create thousands of construction jobs.

"Not only will these new attractions, destination spots and recreational options boost the economy around the Universal City facility, but they will significantly stimulate our entire region's hospitality and tourism industry," the group said.

Read More: http://www.latimes.com/business/realestate/la-fi-nbc-universal-20120717,0,2938879.story