Four Buildings Near Completion : First Phase of Simi Valley Business Park Moves Ahead

Completion of the first four buildings of the $100-million Simi Valley Business Center is scheduled for Oct. 15, according to Robert D. Voit, president of the Voit Cos., developers.

The center, which will be developed in two phases, is located immediately southwest of the Simi Valley Freeway and Madera Road in the Simi Valley West End industrial area.

The $50-million first phase will consist of 17 buildings totaling 500,000 square feet on 38 acres. Voit expects this phase to be completed in 1988.

In addition, a family restaurant is scheduled to open on the site next summer.

Tree-Lined Streets

A $2-million landscaping program has been designed to afford a campus-like setting and extensive open space. Included is a quarter-acre park-like area, featuring a water cascade, for employee lunch-time recreation. A grove of transplanted oaks will greet visitors at the main entry and all streets will be tree-lined.

There will be surface parking, with three spaces allotted for each 1,000 square feet leased.

The first four buildings total 153,353 square feet and range from 32,350 to 43,000 square feet. They are all of sand-blasted tilt-up concrete with full-height black glass curtain wall accents and colored window trim.

While all of the buildings will be primarily industrial, there will be an opportunity for partial conversion into office or research and development use. Each building will be able to accommodate multiple tenants.

Bob Hunt, Simi Valley deputy city manager/economic development, estimates that the project will generate about 2,000 jobs and about $950,000 in additional tax revenue.

Cooperation by City

While many of the new jobs are expected to be filled by Simi Valley residents, Voit said that those coming from outside the city on the Simi Valley (118) Freeway will not add materially to the rush hour traffic since most will be moving in the opposite direction from the main flow of traffic.

Voit praised the city administration for its cooperation in developing the project, while Hunt said the city is delighted with the high quality, “first cabin” approach of the Voit Cos.

The city cooperated with Voit and Copley Real Estate Advisors, Voit’s joint-venture partner, to obtain $24-million in municipal bonds for the acquisition of the land.

Voit is the third developer to start construction in the West End industrial area. The others are Astral Properties International, developing 110,000 square feet, and Rio Hondo Development Co., with 115,000 square feet.

Joint-Venture Project

Simi Valley Business Center is being developed by the Voit Cos. in a joint venture with Copley, a subsidiary of New England Mutual Life Insurance Co.

Greg McClelland is project manager. He formerly was with Schneider/Hutton Associates, an Orange County-based commercial real estate developer.

Architects are Ware & Malcomb Architects Inc., Irvine, and landscape architects are the Runa Group, Newport. Engineers are Haaland & Associates, Thousand Oaks, and the building contractor is Valley Construction Co., Woodland Hills. Leasing will be handled by the Voit Cos.