Picus’ Drive to Curtail Building Is Not Aimed at Mall : Warner Center: The councilwoman says she doesn’t want to block expansion of the Promenade, despite her efforts to delay four major projects.

The Promenade Mall in Woodland Hills is planning a multimillion-dollar expansion in an area where Los Angeles Councilwoman Joy Picus wants stricter building controls applied, but the councilwoman said Monday she doesn’t want to block the shopping mall’s plans.

The proposed expansion, on the present mall’s parking lot, would increase its indoor area by about one-third.

Picus said last week that she wanted to impose stricter limits to delay four major projects in Warner Center until they could be covered by a master plan for growth that is expected to be unveiled in July. Robert Sutton, a top city planning executive, later identified the Promenade expansion as one of the projects targeted by the Picus initiative. The four are now undergoing environmental scrutiny by city officials.

But late Monday, Picus said her action “was not directed specifically at the Promenade expansion.”

The intent of her measure was to block “high-rise, high-density uses and hotels,” she said. “The expansion of a department store is one of the most desirable uses.”

However, Picus conceded that she did not know if her proposed interim control measure was so worded that it would affect the Promenade plans. Asked to name the projects her measure is aimed at, Picus replied: “I don’t want to talk specifics . . . because I’m not sure I’d get it straight.”

The Picus proposal was referred to the City Council’s planning committee for study. It would not go into effect until it was approved by the full council. But Picus’ district includes Warner Center, and the council traditionally goes along with the views of the local council member on such land-use questions.

Kimberly D. Solomon, the Promenade’s general manager, would not comment on the issue except to say that “we will work cooperatively with Councilwoman Picus’ office and the city of Los Angles, since it is our intent to create a retail environment which is of value to the community.”

The financial terms and other details of the expansion plan cannot be revealed, said Solomon, speaking for The O’Connor Group, which took over management of the facility two years ago for New York-based Shopping Center Associates.

The building project is expected to increase retail sales and lease income at the center, which has lagged behind sales income at newer malls in the area, she said.

The expansion plan, the mall’s first major renovation in 17 years, would include new Bullock’s and I. Magnin stores, Solomon said.

Bullock’s, which will contain about 180,000 square feet of floor space, will join Robinson’s, Saks Fifth Avenue and I. Magnin as anchor stores. I. Magnin’s new facility will cover 90,000 square feet, and its current 85,000-square-foot site will be divided and leased to smaller specialty stores.

The mall renovation, which is expected to be completed by the fall of 1994, will also include a new entrance, interiors of granite, etched glass and wood, vaulted skylights, marble staircases, new seating areas and indoor palm trees.

The Promenade Mall was only 70% occupied last year, down from 80% in 1989, Solomon said, attributing the vacancies to plans for the renovation.

“We allowed certain vacancies to happen because we needed the space for the changes,” Solomon said. She acknowledged that the Promenade has lower sales income per square foot than either Topanga Plaza or Northridge Fashion Center. She would not disclose sales figures for the Promenade but said that the facility “was above average” for the industry as a whole.

Shopping Center Associates purchased the Promenade two years ago from Pan American Properties Inc.

Edward S. Finkelstein, chairman and chief executive of New York-based R.H. Macy & Co., which owns Bullock’s and I. Magnin, said in a statement, “There is a strong consumer demand in the Woodland Hills market for the kind of merchandise and shopping experience” that the two stores provide.

The stores are part of a planned 13 stores to be built by Macy’s by mid-1995, including five new Bullock’s in Southern California and two replacement stores for I. Magnin.