Last week the Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Westfield’s revised The Village.  If you enjoy reading hundreds of pages, check it out here: The Village at Westfield Topanga

Check out some coverage of these developments in the Daily News.

As much as anyone loves Costco, all should be aware that this project is going to be traffic nightmare.  Here are some highlights from that portion of the EIR describing intersects with unmitigatable traffic issues, just in phase 1.  Interestingly some 70+ intersections are affected, and many modifications would require widening roads onto private property.

Topanga Canyon Boulevard & Vanowen Street (Intersection #1). No feasible project-level
improvements could be found to mitigate the impacts observed at this intersection. Due to the
physically constrained nature of this location, improvements such as roadway widening and lane
reconfiguration would likely result in substandard improvements or require the demolition of a
commercial building on the southwest corner or the encroachment into a high school campus on
the northeast corner. Service stations are located on the other two corners.
Therefore, no feasible project-level physical mitigations are available and the impact would
remain significant and unavoidable.
The update of the WCSP is considering the removal of the raised median along Topanga
Canyon Boulevard. If this were accomplished, a physical improvement could be implemented
here that would mitigate the Project impacts. This will be discussed at the end of the chapter.

Owensmouth Avenue & Erwin Street (Intersection #8). No physical mitigations were
identified for this location. This is a physically constrained location; additional physical
mitigations may conflict with planned improvements along Owensmouth Avenue. The
implementation of the project-level TDM program is unable to fully mitigate the significant impact
at this location. This location would remain significantly and unavoidably impacted under the
WCSP significant impact criteria; however, it would not be significantly impacted under the
LADOT Traffic Study Policies and Procedures criteria.

US-101 Westbound On-Ramp & Burbank Boulevard (Intersection #19). Intersections 19 and
20 make up the north side of the Topanga Canyon Boulevard/US-101 interchange. A number of
different interchange configurations were tested but none offered substantial congestion relief
282
without the demolition of current residential or commercial buildings, or the total reconstruction
of the US-101 overpass. Therefore, no feasible improvements could be found to mitigate the
impacts observed at this intersection, and the project impact would remain significant and
unavoidable.
The update of the WCSP is considering the removal of the raised median along Topanga
Canyon Boulevard. If this were accomplished, a physical improvement could be implemented
here that would mitigate the Project impacts. This will be discussed at the end of the chapter.

Topanga Canyon Boulevard & Burbank Boulevard (Intersection #20). No feasible
improvements could be found to mitigate the impacts observed at this intersection. (See
discussion above for Intersection 19.) Due to the physically constrained location and proximity
to the US-101 freeway, improvements such as roadway widening and lane reconfiguration
cannot be accommodated without significant modification to the intersection, the adjacent US-
101 ramps, and the US-101 overpass. Therefore, no physically feasible mitigations are
available and the project impact would remain significant and unavoidable.
The update of the WCSP is considering the removal of the raised median along Topanga
Canyon Boulevard and parking prohibitions along Burbank Boulevard. If these were
accomplished, a physical improvement could be implemented here that would mitigate the
Project impacts. This will be discussed at the end of the chapter.

NEIGHBORHOOD IMPACTS
Phase 1
As discussed in Chapter 4, the Phase 1 project is projected to generate approximately 9,719 net
new daily trips on a typical weekday. Using the project trip distribution also described in
Chapter 4, the number of trips that may be added to any particular arterial corridor was
projected and the extent of the projected addition of 1,600 or more daily trips was determined.
This threshold represents approximately 16% of the daily traffic; those corridors with 16% of the
traffic assignment were identified as a potentially affected corridor. Figure 57 illustrates the
393
extent of this area along each of the corridors leading to/from the project site during Phase 1.
Corridors to which 1,600 or more daily trips are projected to be added by the Project include:

• Topanga Canyon Boulevard between Vanowen Street and Ventura Boulevard
• Victory Boulevard between Randi Avenue and Canoga Avenue

The presence of congested cumulative conditions and the availability of local street(s) providing
a parallel route of travel in the vicinity of congested portions of the corridors were then
investigated for each of the corridors. The following discusses the results of this investigation
for each corridor:

• Topanga Canyon Boulevard, Vanowen Street to Burbank Boulevard – The three

intersections along the Topanga Canyon Boulevard corridor from Vanowen Street to
Burbank Boulevard projected to operate at LOS E or F include:

• Topanga Canyon Boulevard & Vanowen Street
• Topanga Canyon Boulevard & Victory Boulevard
• Topanga Canyon Boulevard & Marylee Street

Several alternative routes are available that bypass the section of Topanga Canyon
Boulevard between Vanowen Street and Burbank Boulevard. Shoup Avenue is an
attractive alternate route to Topanga Canyon Boulevard. Residential streets that provide
access from Topanga Canyon Boulevard include Schoolcraft Street and Kittridge Street
to Randi Avenue. Due to the discontinuous street system west of Topanga Canyon
Boulevard, these two streets are identified as potential routes for cut-through traffic to
access the alternate arterial routes.
A potential alternative route that would avoid the section of Topanga Canyon Boulevard
between (just north of) Vanowen Street and Burbank Boulevard could be Topanga
Canyon Boulevard to Schoolcraft Street to Shoup Avenue to Burbank Boulevard. The
arterial traffic cutting through these neighborhoods to access Shoup Avenue could be
considered a neighborhood intrusion impact.
Another potential route to bypass the Victory Boulevard intersection is Kittridge Street to
Randi Avenue/Nevada Avenue to Oxnard Street and to Shoup Avenue or back to
Topanga Canyon Boulevard. The arterial traffic cutting through these neighborhoods to
access Shoup Avenue could be considered neighborhood intrusion impacts.
Although these routes are potentially less attractive, traffic from Topanga Canyon
Boulevard could access the residential streets south of Oxnard Street to gain access to
both Shoup Avenue and Owensmouth Avenue. Therefore, the potential arterial traffic
could be considered a significant neighborhood intrusion impact.

• Victory Boulevard, Topanga Canyon Boulevard to Canoga Avenue – The two

intersections along the Victory Boulevard corridor from Topanga Canyon Boulevard to
Canoga Avenue projected to operate at LOS E or F include:

• Victory Boulevard & Topanga Canyon Boulevard
• Victory Boulevard & Canoga Avenue

Erwin Street can serve as a bypass to the section of Victory Boulevard between
Topanga Canyon Boulevard and Canoga Avenue. No parallel alternative routes via
local residential streets are available; however, residential streets may be used to
access Erwin Street.
Potential alternative routes to Erwin Street include Victory Boulevard to Randi Avenue or
Glade Avenue and on to Erwin Street. The arterial traffic cutting through these
neighborhoods to access Erwin Street could be considered neighborhood intrusion
impacts.
As discussed, a potential alternative route that would avoid the Topanga Canyon
Boulevard & Victory Boulevard intersection could be Victory Boulevard to Randi Avenue
to Kittridge Street to Topanga Canyon Boulevard. Again, the arterial traffic utilizing this
route could be considered significant neighborhood intrusion impacts.
On the basis of the above investigation, three neighborhoods were identified that may be
subject to significant neighborhood intrusion impacts upon completion of Phase 1. They include
the areas bounded by the following:

• Schoolcraft Street to the north, Topanga Canyon Boulevard to the east, Vanowen Street to the south, and Shoup Avenue to the west.
• Kittridge Street to the north, Topanga Canyon Boulevard to the east, Victory Boulevard to the south and Randi Avenue to the west.
• Victory Boulevard to the north, Topanga Canyon Boulevard to the east, Oxnard Street to the south and Randi Avenue/Nevada Avenue to the west.

These videos are from the November 8th meeting of the PLUM committee. Apparently whatever changes Costco/Westfield made to the previous proposal were minimal and unsubstantial, and things got pretty ugly. Westfield’s chief snake oil salesman John Alderson’s head practically exploded in the second video. Good stuff.

Update: (insert the Unsolved Mysteries “Update” music here) Woodland Hills Warner Center Neighborhood Council member Jim Anderson tells me that there have in fact been no changes to the plan.  Further, the Costco portion of the project and The Village portion of the project have been somewhat separated.   In my opinion this is so that Westfield can have even less accountability when they completely fail to build The Village and all the community is left with is a big box Costco.

My question to “Done Deal” Dennis Zine, who stated that he would not vote for this plan, is, “well, now what since they refuse to change it?”

Urban Costco, New South Wales, Australia

I am providing here the text of a document recently drafted by the Woodland Hills Warner Center Neighborhood Council and submitted to Westfield for review.  It is extremely important to note that this is a working document only, and that the Neighborhood Council has not taken any votes on this issue or an official position.

I provide the document here only as a means of educating the public about what some of the concerns Westfield’s current proposal may raise with the community.  It is an educational document on what the current vision of Warner Center could become.

I think it’s important for people to understand that you can have a Costco, and have these other things too.  Not every Costco is a big box, suburban footprint.  The reality is that Costco has opened urbanized, multilevel stores all across North America (see Vancouver), and worldwide (see image above), but that their current in-house studies find Woodland Hills to be a suburban area.  And, statistically, it might be that.  However, Warner Center has a vision mapped out that is distinctly urban.

Onto the document:

Planning, Land Use and Mobility Committee
Westfield Village II (Including Costco)
PLUM Committee Comments/ Principals of Planning to be Incorporated into the Proposed Plan
Submitted by: Dennis DiBiase, PLUM Committee Co-chair

Date: August 24, 2010

Introduction
The Planning, Land Use and Mobility Committee for the Woodland Hills Warner Center Neighborhood Council, after thorough review of the concept plan for the Westfield Village project, has come to consensus with regard to our initial thoughts on the concepts presented. Once these items have been carefully considered, and the appropriate revisions incorporated into the scheme, further review by the committee can take place with the ultimate goal of a recommendation to the WHWCNC.

We are encouraged by Westfield’s renewed interest in the development of the site and its service to the community, as well as it’s continued contribution to the success of Woodland Hills, and the working relationship we have experienced so far.

With respect to Westfield’s current proposal, the scheme seems to be the beginning of a concept that requires quite a bit more careful scrutiny. The following list of principles (in no particular order) are the big picture items that we believe require action on the part of the Westfield project team before we can further review the proposal in more detail. Following the list is a more detailed explanation of each item that will hopefully aid in determining the next steps required by the Westfield Project Team.

List of Planning Principals

A. Break up the ‘super blocks’ into more manageably scaled quadrants.
B. Connect roads to existing and future potential streets/ intersections.
C. Eliminate the ‘Big Box’ concept.
D. Eliminate surface parking.
E. Locate active uses (retail/ restaurants) at the street level.
F. Paths and nodes need to be made more discernible.
G. Eliminate the gas station or integrate it into the other structures.
H. Use the site at Owensmouth and Victory for a premium use.
I. Use Type I construction.
J. Construct either the high rise office building or hotel in phase one.

Explanation of the Planning Principals

A. and B.    Break up the ‘super blocks’ into more manageably scaled quadrants and
Connect roads to existing and future potential streets/ intersections
The site plan requires reevaluation regarding its relationship with the surrounding circulation paths, urban pattern, and potential transportation modes. The site should be thought of as a portion of a larger district and not an isolated campus that only minimally relates to its surroundings.

The large superblock shall be broken up into smaller more walkable sized city blocks that are approximately 300’ x 400’ maximum in size. New roads accommodating vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians should transverse the site in both a north/ south and east/ west direction. These roads need to be continuous all the way through the site.

The east/west street should connect the intersection of Owensmouth and West Valley Way with the existing driveway curb cut from Topanga to the Crate and Barrel parking Lot.

The north/south road should be moved to align with the current entrance to the Topanga Shopping Mall and run south to Erwin Street. The NC has concluded that this road must run east of the Cost Plus property and run to Erwin Street directly.  The NC will help in anyway it can to support negotiations this adjustment will require with the property owner. The connection north/ south provides the added benefit of a potential direct shuttle route between all three Westfield properties.

Eliminate the ‘Big Box’ Concept
Accommodate tenants such as Ikea and Costco through more innovative concepts that are urban in nature. This area of Woodland Hills is the future downtown of the West Valley.
Build multistory to diminish the footprint. The proposed footprint is larger than an average city block.

Build with liner tenant space around the main anchor to break down the scale and reinforce pedestrian experience at the street. Build on top of parking to consolidate functions.
Provide transparency through the use of large quantities of windows when the anchor store walls are exposed to the exterior.

The image of a big solid box in the middle of a parking lot with carts strewed about is not acceptable at this location.

Eliminate Surface Parking
Surface parking schemes at this location do not take advantage of potential density and services that could be provided to the community.
Parking needs to be decentralized. Centralized large parking garages provide a relentless repetitive environment and a scale that does not promote walkable, pedestrian friendly, streets.

Locate Active Uses (Retail/ Restaurants) at the Street Level in all Locations
Active uses need to be located at the street level in all locations including where anchor stores and parking garages occur and around the site’s borders. Buildings should not have a front, a back and sides.  All facades of buildings should be equally emphasized.

The active uses are required to promote walkability, provide defensible space and to prevent the use of ignored, dangerous, rundown alleys and service drives.

Paths and Nodes need to be more Discernable
Once the circulation system has been adjusted to respond to the above comments, a system of clear paths and nodes should be incorporated. PLUM noted the concepts reflected in the intitial plan, but is obliged to stress that further effort is required with regard to creating a sense of place. Upon the use of more streets and more street oriented active uses even around the sites borders will come more opportunities for creating patterns of narrow areas opening to properly scaled courtyards and public open space.

Eliminate the Gas Station or Integrate it into Other Structures
A gas station at this location has been deemed as an unnecessary and redundant service for this area of town. The gas station wastes a prime location needed for access to the property and is located where the visual impact is believed to be unmitigatable. Preliminary investigation has implied that some environmental issues are present with the location of the storage tanks at this location as well.

If a gas station is to be included,  it shall be located with in parking structures and the amount of pumps, cueing distances and signage will require further scrutiny once a concept has been presented.

Use the site at Owensmouth and Victory for a premium use.
The location at Owensmouth and Victory is central within Warner Center and this location is closer to current and future transit stops. Density closer to transit promotes its use and reduces vehicular trips. High rise office towers occur at Owensmouth and high rises are appropriate on this side of the site. Mixed use gateway projects similar to that seen on Wilshire Boulevard would work at this location.

Use Type I Construction
Due to the amount of construction proposed and the potential high occupancy expected, within not just the buildings but also on site, PLUM has determined it prudent to require the project be built with all non-combustible materials and the other requirements associated with Type I construction. The materials associated with this construction are also more substantive in nature and better withstand the effect of the elements, adding to a project that will maintain its quality in the future.

Construct Either the High Rise Office Building or Hotel in Phase One.
For the project to be phased, each phase shall be evaluated as a stand alone concept. Thus, scrutiny will be more concentrated on the first phase, with strong consideration that future phases will not come to fruition or will be substantially revised.  Revisions to the later phases will require review by this body.

With this in mind, either the office tower or the hotel need to be included in Phase I as these structures more aptly meet the vision of a future of Warner Center and it is believed that high rise construction needs to be incorporated into each phase built at this site.

Councilman Dennis Zine included this editorial from Karen Koe in his weekly newsletter this past Friday (see below the article for my take on the situation):

Karen Koe: Neighborhood Council Taking No Stand on Costco; Still Formulating Opinion
This Editorial was first published by the Valley News Group on September 2, 2010

Hello Woodland Hills!!! For the past several weeks, there have been several articles regarding Westfield’s “The Village” project that have appeared in the media.

Most of the articles appear to express the opinion of the writer. Sometimes there has been confusion as to for whom the writer is “speaking.” So there is no confusion, I am the Chair of the Woodland Hills Warner Center Neighborhood Council and I am the person who speaks on behalf of the Council. No individual member of our Council has spoken thusfar on its behalf; rather, they have merely expressed their own, personal opinion, which the provisions of the First Amendment provide. For the record, I would like to make it perfectly clear that the Woodland Hills Warner Center Neighborhood Council does NOT currently have an unified opinion on the project.

The Council has not yet come to a decision as to whether it will support the project or oppose it. The Council is currently in the process of formulating its opinion. Our Planning, Land Use and Mobility (”PLUM”) Committee is studying the information presently available and at some point in the future, will recommend a position on the issue to the full Council for its approval or disapproval. Thankfully, we have established a dialogue with both Councilman Zine and Westfield on this issue. “Good corporate citizenship and an abiding commitment to community are integral parts of Westfield’s business philosophy.” We are grateful for their willingness to include us in the discussion. When the Council reaches its opinion, I will let the community know of it. On a personal note, I want you to know that, as with all issues that come before us, I am keeping an open mind on this project. I am gathering as much information as I can on the issue, studying it, evaluating it and thinking about how this proposed project will affect our community. Something I hope that all of you will do as well.

I would very much like to invite you to let me know what you think about this project. Please send me an email at k.koe@whcouncil.org. Remember that “together we can make a difference in our community” and that sometimes “it takes a village.”

Karen Koe is the current Chair of the Woodland Hills Warner Center Neighborhood Council.

While Karen Koe is correct that the Woodland Hills Warner Center Neighborhood Council has not taken an official stand yet on the proposal, it is clear to anyone that has attended recent PLUM committee meetings the general mood of NC members in attendance.  It is also clear that perhaps Koe is being a little too optimistic that the dialogue between Zine and Westfield is good.  After all, she was at the PLUM meeting on August 31st where Westfield’s John Alderson said that Westfield is absolutely not willing to make substantive changes to the Costco portion of the proposal.  I was there, folks.  So, I find it comical and a complete lie that they and Zine say they value the community’s input.  The only way the community will have input here is if the public brings pressure upon all parties to act in the community’s best interest, and not their own.

By Alderson’s own admission Westfield and Costco negotiated a lease, conditional upon tentative entitlements, with undoubtedly and even admittedly much input from Dennis Zine’s office, for over “15 months.”  Yet, the only intercourse with the community before an actual lease was signed was only, to my knowledge, a July 28th “workshop” which I am told by someone who attended was “worthless.”

In what will certainly be an eventful Woodland Hills Neighborhood Council Meeting this Wednesday, the revised The Village proposal and Costco will certainly be the issue of most interest to us all.

From City Councilman Dennis Zine’s weekly newsletter:

Councilman Zine invites the community to join him at the upcoming Woodland Hills Warner Center Neighborhood Council meeting on Wednesday, September 15^th to discuss the proposed Westfield Village Project. The general meeting begins at 6:30pm and Councilman Zine will arrive at 7:30pm. The meeting will take place at the Woodland Hills Academy (formerly know as Parkman Middle School) located at 20800 Burbank Blvd at De Soto across from Kaiser. The topics covered will include Westfield’s proposal for a Costco to be included in their Village project. Currently, the proposal is not entitled by the City of Los Angeles and is in its preliminary stages. A full EIR is expected to be issued in October. In addition to this meeting with the Neighborhood Council, Westfield has held public workshops. There will be at least three levels of public hearings conducted by the City of Los Angeles and a comment period for anyone who wishes to comment or has a question about the EIR.

Additionally, Neighborhood Council member Paul Shively posts in a comment:

Those that wish to learn more about the COSTCO development should attend the Sept 15th Woodland Hills Warner Neighborhood Council Mtg. 6:30PM at the Woodland Hills Academy (Burbank/DeSoto) Councilman Zine, COSCTO’S developer and a rep from COSTCO will be there to discuss the matter.

This has been confirmed with the NC’s agenda:

•The meeting shall be recessed at 7:30 p.m. for the following Special Presentations:
• COUNCILMAN ZINE @ 7:30 p.m. 20 minutes;
• John Alderson of WESTFIELD @ 7:50 p.m. 20 minutes
• Jackie Frank of COSTO @ 8:10 p.m. 20 minutes; 30 minutes Q&A conducted
jointly with Councilman Zine and John Alderson

Those times are only estimates, this meeting will probably be a rowdy one that you should not miss.

From the August 26, 2010 issue of The Valley Vantage:

Editorial by Joyce Pearson
It’s Time for Councilman Zine to Provide a Forum to Discuss Costco!

It’s time for the community to stand up for what’s right in Woodland Hills, and its time for Councilman Zine to provide a forum to discuss Costco!

LA’s Mayor says it’s a done deal. Westfield says it’s a done deal. Costco hasn’t even relocated yet, but it is already turning what Westfield once promised as an “upscale shop/dine/work destination” into a strip mall with a wholesale arm behind it, that is destined to hurt traffic, surrounding businesses and neighborhoods, not to mention leaving blight behind in Canoga Park, just blocks away.

With the threat of Los Angelinos voting with their feet as more Woodland Hills constituents vacate to Westlake Village or Thousand Oaks to maintain their quality of life, it’s time to reflect on what needs to be done to stem that tide.

What is being asked of Councilman Zine is that he commit to a series of three Town Hall meetings where the community can toss the hardball questions and voice legitimate concerns they have over this plan. Moreover, outreach for these open Town Halls must be paid for out of the Council District’s budget, along with a series of mailings to every address within 2 miles of the Topanga Canyon Blvd. and Victory Blvd. epicenter.

Calling the meetings will enable the Councilman to explain why he appears to be promoting Westside traffic congestion here in the West Valley; and to be scrapping pedestrian walkways, green belts, parking on the roof of Costco and many other key items that Westfield had proposed and promised the public in its original plans for The Village. The Councilman could even address disregarding the new Warner Center Specific Plan before it is even off the drafting table.

Most importantly, Councilman Zine can shed light on the “ proposed increases” in jobs and tax revenue; the traffic congestion that is destined to ensue; and any financial incentives that may have been advanced by relocating the Costco and its employees. In addition, it would be great to have Costco’s President at those meetings with him to tell us how the new Costco will bring value to our community.

What say you Woodland Hills, are you ready to meet your Councilman? If you want to know what is going on in your community and are interested in participating in Woodland Hills:

1. Sign one of the petitions (Just say NO) or (Here’s the way to go) on the Website at: www.CommunityRedevelopmentAdvocate.com;
2. Volunteer to walk your neighborhood to get petitions signed;
3. Volunteer to circulate information about the upcoming Town Hall meetings;
4. Write letters;
5. Ask for speakers to present information at your school or community organization;
6. Learn what you need to do to have your own impact when the EIR (Environmental Impact Report) is presented by Westfield;
7. Find out what the Warner Center Specific Plan is all about;
8. Review what the Woodland Hills Neighborhood Council says about the matter by going to their Website at: www.WHCouncil.org, as well as finding out about their upcoming meetings on this important topic.

Look for the upcoming dates of the Town Hall meetings, and attend. You can send a clear message and help the Court of Public opinion weigh in on your community.
Joyce Pearson is Chair of the Greater West Valley Coalition and Chair Emeritus of the Woodland Hills-Warner Center Neighborhood Council She can be reached at 713-8600

This is an article from earlier this month that I wanted to share with those of you who didn’t see it.

From the Daily News:

Construction has begun on a 47,000-square-foot Pavilions supermarket in Woodland Hills that will add as many as 100 jobs to the San Fernando Valley economy, officials said Friday.

The upscale market, expected to open next spring, is owned by Safeway Inc. and will be located in Corbin Village, a strip mall on the south side of Ventura Boulevard between Oakdale and Corbin avenues. It will be adjacent to a 99 Cents store, in space that has been occupied over the years by a variety of retail stores.

“The Ventura Boulevard corridor represents an excellent opportunity for us,” company spokesman Carlos Illingworth said in an e-mail. “We don’t have a hiring date set but we’re going to be hiring between 80 to 100 employees at that location.”

Some current tenants are delighted about the project.

“It will be a wonderful upscale neighbor,” said David Cooperman, owner of Shalom House, which sells Jewish merchandise and has been located in Corbin Village for 16 years.

Gwen Christy, the owner of nearby Madonna Novelle, anticipates that Pavilions shoppers will be drawn to her beauty establishment for a massage or facial.

“We can’t wait, we can’t wait,” a smiling Christy said. “It’s long overdue. It’s going to be a huge benefit.”

As part of the project, Corbin Village will get a new parking lot and lighting, along with a new facade on the 99 Cents store.

See the rest of the article at DailyNews.com.

Ascent On Site Sales Center Now Open

Last week, KB Homes opened their on site sales office for Ascent at Warner Center and moved out of their temporary office which was located across the street.

From a company press release:

KB Home’s Ascent at Warner Center Unveiled

Homebuilder Hosts Special Sneak Peek Event This Weekend; Tours, Giveaways and More at Stylish New Condominium Community

WOODLAND HILLS, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–KB Home (NYSE: KBH), one of America’s premier homebuilders, is unveiling Ascent, a brand new option for condominium home living in the heart of Warner Center in Woodland Hills, this Saturday, August 28. During a special Ascent Event from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the community, home shoppers can get their first look at this distinctive collection of residences that combine the convenience of urban living with sophisticated lifestyle amenities. During the special event, they will also be able to enter for a chance to win one of six $500 Westfield shopping center gift certificates. Shoppers can also meet with a mortgage loan officer to learn how to be among the first to own a new home at Ascent.

“We’re excited to show off Ascent this weekend. It is a gorgeous community, in a stellar location, priced right for those looking for an attractive alternative to a traditional single-family home,” said Steve Ruffner, president of KB Home’s Southern California division. “Saturday’s event is designed to educate buyers on why now is the time to buy a new home. Many homebuyers are going through the homebuying process for the first time, and we want them to feel comfortable with making the smart decision to purchase a new home today.”

Within walking distance of dining, shopping and many of the area’s major employers at Warner Center Business Park, and just minutes from Highway 101 and Interstate 405, Ascent is in one of the San Fernando Valley’s most easily accessible locations. The location affords residents access to entertainment studios and other leading Los Angeles area employers via either car or the new Orange Line system, including NBC Universal, Disney, Anthem Blue Cross and Kaiser Permanente.

Ascent provides refined amenities amid sleek urban architecture. Residents enjoy exclusive access to an onsite, state-of-the-art fitness center, resort-style pool and spa with Wi-Fi enabled cabanas, a clubhouse with a gourmet kitchen, entertainment lounge with flat-panel TVs, outdoor lounge with fireplaces, tranquil courtyards with lush landscaping, a full-service concierge and a dog park.

The one- and two-story residences include one to three bedrooms and up to two-and-a-half baths. Each residence also comes with two parking spots in the controlled access garage. Pricing for new homes at KB Home’s Ascent starts in the $220,000s.

Residences at Ascent include high-quality finishes and desirable design features such as granite countertops, stainless steel appliances and distinctive cabinet styles and colors. Homebuyers can further personalize their new homes at Ascent by visiting the KB Home Studio, where they will meet with a personal design consultant to select from a wide variety of design choices including flooring, backsplashes, lighting and wall color.

Ascent at Warner Center is located at 21220 Erwin Street in Woodland Hills. For more information, call 888-KB-HOMES or visit www.discoverascent.com. For the gift certificate drawing, see Official Rules at the special event for complete details. No purchase necessary.

For those that did not see it, from Saturday’s Daily News:

Let’s give Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa the credit – or blame – he deserves for his efforts to bring a Costco to Warner Center.

Villaraigosa has been open about his desire to lure more of the discount warehouses to Los Angeles, holding several meetings with Costco Chairman Jeffrey Brotman and CEO Jim Sinegal.

While nearby residents and businesses are divided in their support for the Woodland Hills project, there is no denying that it will draw shoppers and traffic as the anchor of The Village at Westfield Topanga.

Sean McCarthy, an at-large alternate on the Woodland Hills-Warner Center Neighborhood Council, takes a pragmatic view of the project. He notes that a partnership between Costco and Westfield LLC demonstrates their belief in the economic strength of the business center.

“They have a purpose in renting to some tenants, especially a large tenant like a Costco, because they know they will be there for years to come and add value to the community,” he said.

“I personally think that any sort of business that can bring activity to Woodland Hills is a positive thing.”

When it opens in 2012, the Warner Center store will join five others in the San Fernando Valley.

And in formally announcing the Warner Center deal last week, Costco said it was opening stores at Westfield-owned malls in Sarasota, Fla., and Wheaton, Md.

Please check out the Daily News’ site for the rest of the article.

I just wanted to have a copy of this on the site for you folks.

MAYOR VILLARAIGOSA AND COUNCILMAN DENNIS ZINE ANNOUNCE COSTCO SELECTED AS ANCHOR TENANT OF “THE VILLAGE AT WESTFIELD TOPANGA” DEVELOPMENT IN LOS ANGELES
$50 million investment by Costco will create 300 jobs and add $1 million in annual revenue

The Mayor’s Office of Economic and Business Policy worked to ensure that Costco and the Village were included in the State Enterprise Zone

LOS ANGELES – Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Councilman Dennis Zine announced today a 146,000 square foot Costco will be the anchor tenant of “The Village at Westfield Topanga” development. The $50 million investment by Costco will create 300 jobs and add $1 million in annual revenue.

“In 2007, I pledged to bring new Costco stores to our great City,” said Mayor Villaraigosa. “Last March, we opened the first Costco in the City of Los Angeles in fourteen years and now we are opening another location that will not only bring affordable products, but good paying jobs to Los Angeles.”

Costco is the latest business to be part of The Village, located between Westfield’s existing Topanga and Promenade centers. Westfield Topanga recently underwent its own $350 million redevelopment and expansion featuring the addition of Target and Neiman Marcus along with 300,000 square feet of new shops, restaurants and an upscale dining terrace.

“As the Councilman for the district, my obligation is to provide economic vitality, and in that endeavor, I will continue to promote opportunities for job creation and a robust economy for residents in my district,” said Councilman Zine. “I am elated that Costco teamed up with Westfield in the West San Fernando Valley, which uniquely suited for a store, making it more convenient for residents from the area to shop. I have partnered with Westfield on this project since its inception and will continue to collaborate with stakeholders to ensure that this venture is realized in a manner that meets the community’s needs.”

“We’ve been in business in the City of LA for over 30 years and we’ve never had a Mayor step up to the plate to help like Mayor Villaraigosa has”, said Jim Sinegal, CEO of Costco. “He gets it; he understands what we bring to the city and this wouldn’t have happened without him. These are good paying jobs with excellent benefits. This is a $50 million dollar investment and we are very excited about this project. “

The Mayor’s Office of Economic and Business policy (OEBP) collaborated with Councilman Zine’s office to encourage the connection between Costco and Westfield, helping them leverage City resources and work with the State to win approval for the expansion of Los Angeles’ State Enterprise Zones (SEZs). SEZs, along with recent tax reform policies, are one of many economic development tools that Los Angeles has at its disposal to support new and existing businesses and create jobs. As part of the SEZ expansion, OEBP included the Village site and outlined the available tax credits and economic incentives to Costco and Westfield executives. These incentives were a contributing factor to Costco’s decision to locate in the Village development.

Along with hourly wages that pay on average over $21, Costco brings a high level of corporate citizenship with every store. Costco’s construction mission is “to employ the highest quality products at the best price with the lowest possible environmental impact throughout each department” and to “work together to shrink Costco’s ecological footprint.” “We are delighted to be welcoming Costco to Westfield,” said Peter Lowy, Westfield Group Managing Director. “Costco is a fantastic operator, and from a company perspective, this announcement well-illustrates Westfield’s aim to introduce new goods and services into the malls – investing in new elements, new energy, new conveniences and new choices for Westfield shoppers. The integration of Costco into our Village site takes the shopping experience to a whole new level.”

“This investment by Costco and expansion of the Village development in the San Fernando Valley will create 300 good paying jobs and over $1 million of annual revenue for the city,” stated First Deputy Mayor Austin Beutner. “It is living proof that the expansion of the State Enterprise Zones is creating jobs in Los Angeles.”

The new Costco store is slated to open late 2012.