KB Homes Ascent Event This Saturday From 11am to 7pm

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.

Popularity: 4%

Additional Daily News Article On Costco

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.

Popularity: 30%

For The Record, Last Week’s Zine & Villaraigosa Press Release About Costco

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.

Popularity: 3%

King Zine Announces Costco Is In Fact A Done Deal

So, Dennis, it wasn’t a done deal?  Glad to see the community, the Neighborhood Council, etc. was able to have some input here.  Insert sarcasm here, folks.

The Daily News writes:

A $50 million Costco will be the anchor tenant at The Village at Westfield Topanga, a mixed-use project planned for Victory Boulevard and Topanga Canyon Boulevard in Woodland Hills, officials said Tuesday.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and City Councilman Dennis Zine issued a formal announcementabout the 146,000-square-foot warehouse store, which said they will create 300 jobs and generate an estimated $1 million annually in revenue. The store is slated to open in late 2012.

Costco is the first tenant to be announced for The Village, which includes plans for an upscale hotel and office and retail space. The project area extends between Victory Boulevard and Erwin Street and Topanga Canyon Boulevard and Owensmouth Avenue.

Popularity: 5%

Local Blogger Forces LA Councilmember Zine To End Week Backpedaling

From the Valley Vantage:

It seems that many people’s mastery of the English language has been called into question by Zine.  Apparently, “it’s a done deal,” actually means “don’t worry, it hasn’t been fully decided yet and there will be plenty of time for public comment.”  I am quite pleased that I called out Mr. Zine publicly on his comments to Karen Koe, and he has been forced to engage his constituency.

I find it interesting that in the article Zine remarks that the Costco may not even end up at the The Village site at Owensmouth & Victory.  (As a side note, I wonder if Zine picked up a backwards pedaling bicycle at the new Performance Bicycles store?) However, since that is the only proposal anyone is putting forward, you can pretty much be assured that’s where it will be going.  Zine is clearly working closely with Costco, as he has said repeatedly, and obviously also Westfield, since they have put forth a proposal for it.

So, Mr. Zine, where is the alternate proposal that doesn’t involve The Village?  Unfortunately, for everyone, this proposal is going to be put forward as, “If you want a Costco, if you want these jobs and development in Woodland Hills, it has to be at this site.”  You can already tell where that’s going.  Unless alternatives, and “plan Bs” are developed, this will come to a simple “yes” and “no” decision, which as Zine decrees, “the decision comes out of my office.”  We already know what that decision will be if it comes down to Costco at The Village or no Costco at all.

This article is also quite interesting that it reveals that Costco plans to abandon it’s Canoga Park Costco location that has been a cancer on that community for a number of years.  No matter how much you love Costco, you must admit that is true.  They are not a very good corporate neigbhor for that community.  I don’t personally think that would be the case for a higher end store in Woodland Hills, but no one should ignore the obvious fact that even the parking lot at the Canoga Park location is a sewer, last I looked.

Thanks to Tanya Peel for the heads up on the Valley Vantage article.

Popularity: 7%

Dennis Zine, “Costco Is A Done Deal” – But Community Meeting Tonight Anyways

Just a remind that tonight is the community meeting with Westfield regarding the revised The Village Project.  The gather will be from 5 to 8pm between the dining terrace and Nordstrom in the former Ruehl store at Topanga Plaza mall.  Technically, the letter says you should RSVP via e-mail to TheVillage@Westfield.com.

At the July 14th Woodland Hills Warner Center Neighborhood Council meeting, which I attended, the council’s chairperson Karen Koe recounted a disturbing encounter she had with LA City Councilman Dennis Zine.  It was a meeting, I believe, of NC chairs of the various Neighborhood Council’s in his district.  Zine had posed the question to them of what were the major concerns of constituents in their neighborhoods.  Koe mentioned to Zine that there was some concern regarding Westfield’s revised The Village plan, ergo Costco.

Zine said to Koe, in her words not mine, “Let me stop you right there.  Costco is a done deal.  There’s no way I am going to refuse a huge tax base like  that for the city.”

People in the room were visibly and audibly disturbed by that recount of Zine’s comment.  For me, it’s not even about the Costco any more.  Matters like this simply require community consensus and feedback.  What Zine essentially said is that the community’s input here in unimportant.  He has made the decision and deal for everyone.  It is important that our elected representatives represent our interests, not their own.

That’s not good, folks.  Several people, including one at the meeting, remarked that Zine is planning to run for City Controller, and he needs the developers on his side.  But you know what, he needs the community, too.

It was also noted by others with knowledge of the plan at the meeting that Costco has said the deal would be dead without the gas station.  This gas station will probably not be a slam dunk for them, as there is technically a creek in the corner of the property where it is to be placed.  See the attached Daily News article for some detail about that.

Popularity: 6%

Construction of New Pavilions Begins in Corbin Village Plaza

Thanks to Joel for the heads up on this.  I guess I haven’t driven by the Corbin Village shopping plaza in a few weeks, either that or I’ve been averting my eyes from the open sore that the place is.  It looks like that they have begun the preliminary work of putting in a Pavilions supermarket next to the 99 cent store.  I’m sure many in the community would have rather seen the mostly vacant plaza be razed, but perhaps this is a step in the right direction.

Popularity: 4%

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