Revised ‘Village Center’ gains approval

Friday, April 24, 1998

Revised ‘Village Center’ gains approval

WESTWOOD: Library, performing arts center highlights set
renovations

By Rachel Munoz

Daily Bruin Staff

After three years of turmoil, the Village Center Westwood was
voted for unanimously by the Planning Commission.

Opponents to the project are not discouraged, however, and are
assured that there will be a lawsuit.

Councilman Michael Feuer was the first to speak to the Planning
Commission in favor of the project.

"The Village used to be a charming, vibrant place," he began. He
suggested adequate parking, safety and neighborhood-serving retail
as ways to return Westwood to its once vibrant state.

He spoke of the new additions to the project, including plans to
make the project’s grand staircase a place for performing arts in
the community. A public library has also been added as suggested by
Westwood residents. The library would cost an approximated $10
million dollars if the city were to build it on their own. Yet it
would come free to the city if Smedra builds Village Center
Westwood.

Feuer further addressed problems that residents and community
members have with the project, verifying that although the project
has studied these problems, they have not been resolved in the
minds of many people.

One of those problems is that residents feel that Glendon Avenue
should not be closed, and that it will turn into a sink hole if the
project is built.

Feuer addressed the concern of a lack of parking spaces and the
increase of traffic because of the project. The height of the
project as well as the number of movie theater seats also continue
to worry community members.

Jacki Freedman, co-president of Holmby-Westwood property owners,
questions why more movie theater seats should be put in if the
existing 6,000 seats service the residents.

Freedman argued that Westwood has started its revitalization
without the project.

However, Feuer sees the project as having intrinsic value to the
rest of the village. "This project should not be viewed as a
catalyst alone. This is not the only piece in the future of
Westwood."

Feuer also mentioned the Westwood’s Specific Plan, which
dictates many rules in Westwood, some of which community members do
not feel the project adheres to.

Friedman, co-president of the Holmby Westwood Property Owners,
argued that the Specific Plan could work without amending it to fit
the project.

Feuer would like to see greater detail on the library, the
architecture, the building material and the performing arts
element.

In a presentation, Ira Smedra, the managing general partner of
Village Center Westwood, mentioned that the vacancies in suffering
Westwood are now exceeding 15 percent, while most of the Village
continues to struggle. He also presented approval percentages
gained through a telephone survey.

Smedra ensured that neighborhood traffic would be handled and a
series of control measures would be recommended.

"We now can compete with areas like Century City," he said.

Smedra then addressed the significant reductions that the
project has undergone, one of the requirements that the residents
wanted to see.

Steve Kanner, a partner of Kanner Architects who designed the
project, then spoke."In 1936, Westwood was like a fantasy land …
Westwood was pedestrian-oriented like no other area in Los
Angeles," he said. In the design of the project, the architects
have drawn inspiration from this time period with hopes to
re-create it.

After Smedra had finished a presentation, a representative from
Mayor Richard Riordan’s office spoke to the three members of the
Planning Commission about Riordan’s support for the project.

"The mayor is especially excited about the library … it is
exactly the kind of mixed-use project that Los Angeles needs," he
said.

Friedman and other opponents were still not convinced after
Feuer’s explanation and the presentation of the project.

This was the second meeting of four that the project must be
approved at.

AELIA KHAN

Ira Smedra looks on during the second hearing about getting his
planning project for the Village Center Westwood approved.