STUDIO CITY : Expansion of CBS Facility Studied

CBS officials are studying the feasibility of building seven sound stages--including one that would rank among the largest in Southern California--at the company’s production center in Studio City, the company said Thursday.

“We are in the early investigation stage of this,” said Michael Klausman, president of CBS Studio Center. “This hasn’t even been approved by the board of directors.”

Klausman met Wednesday with area home and property owner groups and representatives from the Studio City Chamber of Commerce to discuss the proposed addition, which would require a special permit from the city.

Tony Lucente, president of the Studio City Residents Assn., said the association has not taken an official stand on the project.

Klausman would not discuss the specifics of the project.

But Lucente said he has been told that the stages, which would be used to produce television shows and motion pictures and would employ up to 750 people, would be built on the northwest portion of the CBS facility. Also under consideration, he said, are several parking structures that would accommodate up to 800 cars.

Lucente said the project would be built in three phases, beginning as early as May and lasting about three years.

The 40-acre CBS compound, wedged between the Los Angeles River and Ventura Boulevard and bordered by Colfax and Radford avenues on the east and west, is used to produce television shows including “Roseanne” and “Seinfeld.” Polly Ward, vice president of the residents association, said the major impact of the expansion would be increased traffic, which could be offset by studio workers’ irregular hours.

“I think this is a proper and good use of the lot,” Ward said.