STUDIO CITY : MCA Launches Campaign to Relocate Subway Station

MCA Inc. has launched a direct-mail campaign to garner public support for its proposal to relocate a planned Metro Rail station closer to the entertainment giant’s CityWalk and Universal Studios amusement park.

In a letter urging neighbors to send postcards of support for the location, MCA officials maintained that the station--now planned for Lankershim Boulevard--would add to traffic congestion along that roadway and displace about 200 families.

“Obviously, the support of the homeowners in the area has to weigh heavily on any decision that’s made,” MCA spokeswoman Christine Hanson said. “So we feel it’s important to get as broad a spectrum of opinions as possible.”

Hanson said the prepaid cards will be used in a report to be presented to transportation officials.

The 8.4-acre site suggested by MCA would be located beneath the Hollywood Freeway.

The planned Lankershim station would encompass 24 acres, including a six-acre parking lot on Ventura Boulevard that would be connected to a six-lane bridge over the Hollywood Freeway. A decision by the MTA board of directors is expected next month.

The president of one local residents association said he is taking a wait and see approach before deciding whether to endorse the project.

“We’re waiting to see how Studio City is going to benefit from this,” said Tony Lucente, president of the Studio City Residents Assn. “Both stations will have a large impact.”