Warner Center Expansion Goes Into Overdrive

Image courtesy Rich Krugel Facebook

There has been a barrage of Warner Center development news hitting the newswire in the past month which doesnt seem to stop. The latest is the $3 billion conversion of the old Rockedyne site which is nothing new but is becoming closer to fruition. Take into consideration the following:

1. Westfield drops hotel plans at Village at Wesfield Topanga published on February 28, 2014.
2. Westfield Village Project Gets $59 Million Tax Break from Los Angeles City Council published on March 4, 2014. 
3. Westfield Village at Topanga in Warner Set for 2015 Opening published on March 6, 2014.
4. Lawsuit Over The Village at Westfield Topanga Resolved published on March 19, 2014. 
5. Westfield Topanga Breaks Ground on $350 Million Village Project published on March 24, 2014. 
6. Warner Center's Rocketdyne Site Slated for $3 Billion Project published on March 26, 2014. 

My favorite articles above are the hotel being dropped and the tax credit. Why would Westfield drop a hotel now? What happened to their previous projections that showed it would work? Isnt more hotels in the area the solution? 

And the same with tax credits. Why cant we offer tax credits to manufacturing companies that increase the local GDP and provide high paying jobs? Why is it limited to these retail type corporations that really only hire minimum wage teenagers and a few adult managers? 

Moving onto the picture above which I dont know who generated it, is a great picture that really captures all the activity taking place in a very finite area which also highlights the corporate stores already in existence that it begs the question, do we really need more? Is "more" going to really add more jobs or destroy jobs at other areas as people flock to this shopping center behemoth? And are these jobs high paying jobs that can support a family purchasing an average $500K single family home in Winnetka? Remember when this area used to house manufacturing centers along with highly skilled and paid jobs.

This project has been a sensitive area for me that I have been highly critical which I first talked about it in 2011 in one of my very first posts on this blog and continued to provide coverage with each new development. You can read some of those old posts shown below: 

1. Small Creek Threatened near Topanga Mall.....March 3, 2011.
2. BTTF Series #5: The Promenade Mall at Woodland Hills....May 19, 2011.
3. Voice Your Concerns for the Proposed Village at Westfield Topanga.....August 2, 2011. 
4. The Village at Westfield Topanga is Coming....Hang Onto Your Hats....March 1, 2012.
5. Woodland Hills Homeowners File Lawsuit over Westfield Topanga Village.....April 17, 2012.
6. Westfield Begins Preparation for The Village at Topanga.....January 29, 2013. 
7. Demolition Underway for The Village at Westfield Topanga......August 2, 2013. 
8. Historic Rocketdyne Engine Moves Down the Street to Nordhoff and De Soto....October 6, 2013.

My opinion hasnt changed one bit for this project and I continue to question the purpose behind these massive projects and wonder what will happen once completed, to traffic, small businesses, and the massive increase in available housing.  Those questions seemed to have already been answered by the City Council, Westfield, and other developers as not being an issue or already resolved. Obviously, at this point, nothing can be done and the projects are full steam ahead. I guess time will only tell to who wins and loses with these projects. But there cant be all winners and somebody will take a hit. 

One of the early victims of this project was the old Home Savings Millard Sheets inspired mural by Marlo Bartels and Astrid Preston that was most recently occupied by a Fedex Office store. It was demolished without preservation but I hope I am wrong. If it was completely demolished, than you know that negligence and ignorance has already started. Below you can find a picture of it that I took before razing commenced. 

And dont forget all the apartment activity taking place. In addition to the The Village, there will be 2000 new apartment units added which I talked about previously taking place nearby the Orange line, at the former Valley Music Theatre (click here for updated pic), and former Catalina Yachts manufacturing site which are all shown in the map below. 

View Woodland Hills Development in a larger map

Here are some random pictures I found on Facebook of the old Warner Center.

Image courtesy Dean Field Facebook

Image courtesy Gordon Ross Facebook

You can view more SFV Architecture and Real Estate here.

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Unknown Astrid Preston, Canoga Park, Marlo Bartels, Millard Sheets, Promenade Mall, Rocketdyne, Village at Westfield Topanga, Warner Center, Westfield Promenade, Woodland Hills

Demolition Underway for The Village at Westfield Topanga

Before some of the demo work started. The Topanga Theatre was already gone and replaced by Crate and Barrel. Image courtesy Bing Maps.

In case you havent noticed, demo work is clearly underway at the proposed site of The Village at Westfield Topanga. All buildings that were previously on the site have been torn down except the Crate & Barrel which will be incorporated into The Village at Westfield Topanga. There is supposed to be a lawsuit to stop the construction work by the Woodland Hills Homeowners association but I believe that suit may have been dropped. Does anyone know the current status of the lawsuit?

Demo work has also begun on the other side on Erwin Street where the former Froch's Woodcraft Shop has been demolished located at 21919 Erwin Street. 

Image courtesy Tree.com

The one thing that I want to know is what happened to the Millard Sheets inspired mural by Marlo Bartels and Astrid Preston originally designed in 1989 for the Home Savings Bank (shown below) depicting Warner Center and was most recently occupied by FedEx Office? Did Westfield Company destroy this great piece of art without consideration for saving? I hope not. 

Also, what is going to happen to the creek at the corner of Victory and Owensmouth?

And here is one bonus. The Rocketdyne site is set to be demolished too to make way for more apartments and other housing/retail stuff. Cant wait to drive through this area!

I have talked at length about this project in the past which I believe was first conceptualized in 2006.

1. Small Creek Threatened near Topanga Mall.....March 3, 2011.
2. BTTF Series #5: The Promenade Mall at Woodland Hills....May 19, 2011.
3. Voice Your Concerns for the Proposed Village at Westfield Topanga.....August 2, 2011. 
4. The Village at Westfield Topanga is Coming....Hang Onto Your Hats....March 1, 2012.
5. Woodland Hills Homeowners File Lawsuit over Westfield Topanga Village.....April 17, 2012.
6. Westfield Begins Preparation for The Village at Topanga.....January 29, 2013. 

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Unknown Astrid Preston, Marlo Bartels, Millard Sheets, Promenade Mall, Village at Westfield Topanga, Westfield Promenade, Westfield Topanga, Woodland Hills

Westfield Begins Preparation for The Village at Topanga

In case you missed it back on January 22, the Daily News reported that 'Preliminary Work Begins on The Village at Westfield Topanga in Canoga Park' which surprised the heck out of me that I had to visit this location in person late at night. I was rather shocked considering that the Woodland Hills homeowners filed a lawsuit back on April 16, 2012 which in turn caused the Woodland Hills/Tarzana Chamber of Commerce to kick that group out since the Chamber is huge proponent of this project; really, you dont say! 

The good news is that this 'preliminary' work is only to remove trees and no other projects are scheduled at this time. At any rate, big corporations always win (courtesy of fancy dinners with the city council) and I expect this project to proceed as planned. I mean how can anyone say no to this project that is going to bring so much tax revenue and jobs but yet we cant get historical status for Henry's Taco stand in Studio City on top of other historical sites that closed in 2012. 

So what concerns me is the fact that there are two items of significance on this site that I believe will be demolished. The first is a cool little creek at the corner of Victory and Owensmouth that you dont normally see in this concrete jungle and I dont think many people walking by even notice.

The second item is a Millard Sheets inspired mural by Marlo Bartels and Astrid Preston designed in 1989 for the Home Savings Bank. There are other examples of these murals throughout the Valley and SoCal as well as the rest of the nation. These are unique pieces of art that you dont see anymore with the 'big box' and strip mall designs. I hope this mural is saved because its a piece of Valley history depicting Woodland Hills back in the late 80's. 

My other concerns are the massive apartment development in this tiny area of the West Valley. In addition to the The Village, there will be 2000 new apartment units added which I talked about previously taking place nearby the Orange line, at the former Valley Music Theatre (click here for updated pic), and former Catalina Yachts manufacturing site which are all shown in the map below. 

View Woodland Hills Development in a larger map

Good luck to the significant jump in traffic, the decay of small business, and a glut of available housing!

Below are more pics of the site. I am trying to remember what used to be here which I believe was the Topanga Theatre, Yankee Doodles, Coco's, and Black Angus. I know there were others but I cant remember. Anybody want to chime in?

Image courtesy Google Earth showing  October 2007

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Unknown Astrid Preston, Catalina Yachts, Home Savings Bank, Marlo Bartels, Millard Sheets, Valley Music Theatre, Village at Westfield Topanga, Woodland Hills