A Politically Incorrect Blog About Living in Woodland Hills, California

Jersey Mike’s Coming To Woodland Hills, Opening October 13th

Noticed this a couple of weeks ago, but now we have an opening date courtesy of Eater LA.  This store is opening in place of the defunct Quiznos Sub next to The Habit Burger.

Eater LA writes:

With new locations in Beverly Hills, Monrovia, Calabasas, and Irvine, Jersey Mike’s Subs adds one more to the list with its next store opening in Woodland Hills (22649 Ventura Blvd.) one week from today on October 13. As part of the grand debut, for its first five days of service, Jersey Mike’s will distribute coupons through the community for free subs with a $1 donation benefitting the American Kids Cancer Fund.

Popularity: 10%

Veteran’s Job Fair Thursday October 7th At Woodland Hills Marriott

From the Daily News:

Los Angeles County’s record high unemployment rate of 12.6 percent is expected to draw at least 3,000 job seekers – and more than 80 employers – to an annual job fair next week in Woodland Hills.

Although it’s called Honor a Hero – Hire a Vet, the Oct. 7 job and resource fair is open to anyone. The fourth annual event is co-sponsored by the Valley Economic Alliance and the California Employment Development Department.

Alliance Vice President Kenn Phillips said about 120 of the 850 veterans who attended last year’s wound up with jobs. While that’s considered a high success rate, the sheer number of applicants reflects the scope of the region’s unemployment crisis.

“What we find for is, for the most part, people have been unemployed for over a year and in some cases two years,” Phillips said.

Michael Sherwood, field office manager at the EDD’s Pacoima office, said about 4,000 people have attended the Valley events over the last three years.

“I will be surprised if we don’t have a huge turnout,” he said of next week’s event. “There are a lot of short-term and long-term unemployed clients out there that we hear from. The demand for jobs is very high.”

And while these kinds of jobs fairs do not usually result in on-the-spot offers, they area a valuable tool for anyone who wants to start drawing a paycheck again, Phillips said.

“It really gets (job seekers) organized and understanding who are the different employers that are hiring and some in larger numbers, like banks.”

Phillips recommends that attendees bring at least two dozen resumes to the fair, which will have computers available so job seekers can complete applications online.

Among the employers sending representatives to the fair is Medtronic, the world’s largest medical technology company, which has 45 openings at its Northridge campus and more than 400 others at its facilities in the U.S. and Puerto Rico.

Kyla White, a senior manager at the Northridge office, said Medtronic is seeking applicants for product engineers and project managers.

“Our big focus right now is on product development,” she said, “but we do have some pockets (of jobs) in some other areas as well.”

She recommends that candidates research companies they are interested in before attending the fair and come dressed for success.

“A suit is great but as long as you look professional and tailor (your attire) to the position you are applying for gives a good indication you are interested in making a good first impression,” White said.

Honor a Hero – Hire a Vet job and resource fair will be held 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 7 at the Warner Center Marriott, 21850 Oxnard St., Woodland Hills.

Get the PDF list of employers here.

Popularity: 8%

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa To Speak At Woodland Hills Homeowners Association Meeting Tonight

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa will be speaking tonight at the Woodland Hills Homeowners Association meeting tonight at 7:30pm.

Kaiser Hospital

Auditorium “A” First Floor Building 5

5601 De Soto Avenue

Woodland Hills, CA 91367

*Free Parking*

For more details, visit WHHO’s site.

Popularity: 5%

LAFD Drills On High Rise Office Building In Woodland Hills/Warner Center

I saw about 10 LAFD vehicles parked in the Topanga Promenade’s parking lot and on Oxnard Street this afternoon.  I didn’t seem like there was any drama happening, so I decided it was a good photo op.

I spotted a fireman on and asked him what they were up to and he informed me that Battalion 15 was doing drills on the high rise building at 21800 Oxnard Street.  This is actually a strange coincidence, because I was just talking to some friends about an hour before about the equipment LAFD had on hand at the old Fire Station 84 and how it probably wasn’t adequate for dealing with the high rise buildings in Warner Center.

In the past I had wondered if firefighters drilled on the layouts and systems in place at specific office buildings and I guess today I found out that they do!

Popularity: 6%

Public Hearing Tonight In Van Nuys Regarding New Trailhead Facility In Woodland Hills

A reader writes in:

Girard,

Mulholland Scenic Parkway Design Review Board is holding a public hearing this Thursday. One of the items on the agenda concerns the construction of a new public trailhead facility in Woodland Hills. Hopefully you can publish this on Hills of Woodland.

DATE: Thursday, September 16, 2010
TIME: 6:30 PM
PLACE: Marvin Braude San Fernando Valley Constituent Service Center
6262 Van Nuys Boulevard, Van Nuys, California 91401
First Floor Public Meeting Room 1A (Corner of Van Nuys & Sylvan)
Parking is available after 6:00 PM at the Marvin Braude Building underground garage.

DIR 2010-2415-DRB-SPP-MSP, 21200 Mulholland Drive [CD 3]
Construction of a new public trailhead facility, including 675 square feet of floor area for restrooms and picnic shelters, on a 2,686,046 square-foot lot. The maximum proposed building height is 15 feet. The project requires 8,154 cubic yards of cut, 8,010 cubic yards of fill and 144 cubic yards of export. The project is in the Inner Corridor, upslope and downslope, and visible from Mulholland Drive.
[City Planning Staff - ON]

Notice of Public Hearing

Map powered by MapPress

Close

Close

Popularity: 18%

Westfield Topanga’s Fashion Night Out Comes And Goes With Little Fanfare, Publicity

This past Friday September 10th, Westfield Topanga held their “Fashion Night Out.”  Sadly I didn’t know about it until after it happened, or I would have posted about it.  There is a recap of it on Fashion Isn’t Rocket Science.

Liz writes:

Although it wasn’t very well advertised, the events sounded like fun.  Unfortunately, due to the meager amount of advertisements, it was super SLOW.  The stores were almost empty.  It was kind of sad.

The only place I saw this promoted was in Dennis Zine’s weekly newsletter, which went out an hour or two before the event.

Councilman Zine is proud to announce that Westfield Topanga is the official San Fernando Valley location for 2010 Fashion’s Night Out, the biggest fashion celebration in history taking place today, Friday, September 10^th. Westfield Topanga, and over 50 of its major retailers, are planning an evening of luxurious events, upscale giveaways, and of course, incredible shopping deals that will make it the Valley destination for the night. Some of the retailers participating in the evening’s events are AIX Armani Exchange, Banana Republic, Bare Escentuals, BCBG Max Azria, BeautiFeel, Ben Bridge Jeweler, Betsey Johnson, Carlton Hair International, charles david, Chinese Laundry, Coldwater Creek, Cole Haan, Dermalogica, Elli, Flip Flop Shops, Frederick’s of Hollywood, Free People, Gap, Guess, Guess by Marciano, Jimmy Choo, Journeys, Kate Spade, Kay Jewelers, Lucky Brand Jeans, Madison, MAXSTUDIO.COM, Metropark, and Napoleon. For more information, please visit http://www.fno.lacity.org/index.htm.

Popularity: 5%

Working Document From Neighborhood Council PLUM Committee Outlines Village Concerns

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.

Popularity: 5%

« Previous Page — Next Page »