LOCAL : Plans Unveiled for Controversial Sherman Oaks Retail-Office Project

Plans were unveiled today for a controversial retail and office complex in Sherman Oaks that would replace a 46-year-old row of one-story storefronts, including the popular Scene of the Crime mystery bookstore.

Benjamin M. Reznik, attorney for the developer, Jama Construction Corp., said the three-story center, on the 13600 block of Ventura Boulevard, would be about 85,000 square feet and have two levels of underground parking.

The complex would be oriented to pedestrians, Reznik said. A large open courtyard in the center would provide access to shops and restaurants on the ground floor. He said the complex would be designed so traffic from Ventura Boulevard would not extend into the adjoining residential neighborhood.

“There are no tenants planned at this time,” Reznik said. “The developer has not had time to solicit anyone.”

Homeowners in the area oppose the project because of its size and its effects on the neighborhood. Los Angeles City Councilman Michael Woo has called for an environmental impact report on the project, saying it would create an “out-of-scale development” in Sherman Oaks.