For decades, the Westwood Village community has fought with
various developers regarding a potential commercial project on
Glendon Avenue. Now, as a result of a Los Angeles City Council
vote, that project will come to fruition.
During an Aug. 18 land use management and planning meeting, the
city council voted 13-0 to allow developer Alan Casden to build a
$100 million retail and restaurant establishment in Westwood.
Previously, Westwood residents and business owners staunchly
were opposed to the project.
Yet now some Village officials approve of the project due to
various concessions agreed to by Casden.
Within the last few months, the debate between those in the
Village and Casden’s representatives has been characterized
by compromise.
The compromise has brought relief to Casden representatives.
Howard Katz, vice president of the company, told the Daily Bruin in
a July interview that he was happy each time an understanding was
reached.
In July, Katz agreed to keep Glendon Avenue partially open
during construction ““ when he originally wanted it completely
shut down.
Katz also told the Los Angeles Times that the project would
begin in a couple of months and would take two and a half years to
complete.
Among the agreements made between the two parties, one regarding
an increase in parking provisions sealed the deal at this
month’s council planning meeting, said Steve Sann, a member
of Save Westwood Village.
Both sides came to an understanding minutes before the meeting
began as they had discussions off to the side of the council
table.
The future retail and restaurant establishment, called Palazzo
Westwood, will be located on the corners of Glendon and Tiverton
avenues.
In essence, Palazzo Westwood will have to participate in a
Village-wide parking validation program in perpetuity once the
project is completed. But, if no such program exists at the
completion of the construction, Palazzo Westwood for one year only
will have to provide two hours of free parking.
“Now the merchants and Casden have a strong incentive for
getting a validation program in place. “¦ It will set the
stage for a broader parking program, which is exactly what the
Village needs,” Sann said.
The agreement concludes a long and arduous path that began in
1980s with developer Nansy U.S.A. That project fell through because
when it finally received approval from the city in the early 1990s,
the economy had worsened and the project lost its financial
backers.
Later, developer Ira Smedra talked about building a mixed-use
entertainment project that ended up being vehemently opposed by
Westwood residents. Then, in the late 1990s, Casden bought the
property from Smedra, and the battle between the Village and Casden
ensued.
“Initially, the project received fierce opposition and was
not able to go forward. “¦ Now the community feels
they’ve won some major concessions,” Sann said.
Among the concessions Westwood residents and business owners
gained is the guarantee that Glendon Avenue will remain at least
partially open during construction and that Glendon Manor will not
be demolished, said Sandy Brown, president of the Holmby-Westwood
Property Owners Association.
Glendon Manor has been the source of much contention since the
historical landmark built in the 1929 was first marked to be
demolished.
“We think we got something that is better than when we
started. “¦ You hope to find a place where you’re
reasonably satisfied,” Brown added.
Though the overall assessment of the situation by Westwood
residents is positive, some still say Casden has gotten away with
too much.
For Casden Properties, in addition to gaining approval for their
project, the city council granted the developer the right to build
a tunnel underneath Glendon Avenue ““Â an action that has
some Westwood residents concerned.
In a letter to the Editor of the Los Angeles Times, Morgan &
Co. Jewellers President Marcus Rosner publicly condemned the
actions of Casden by writing, “How does a near-billionaire
get the city to give him what I believe amounts to a free private
tunnel in violation of both public and private
easements?”
“We are angry with our councilman for orchestrating this
giveaway to his campaign benefactor (with our) getting nothing in
return,” the letter also states, referring to City Councilman
Jack Weiss’ connection to a jury indictment of Casden’s
vice president for illegal campaign contributions to Weiss’
office.
The controversy added another layer to the heated debates
between Village officials and Casden’s representatives.