Land Deal Clears Way for Grand Entrance to Arts Plaza

Clearing the way for a grand entrance to the Civic Arts Plaza, Thousand Oaks officials announced late Tuesday plans to purchase a long-coveted strip of land owned by Robert Heggen.

The deal--reached after months of contentious negotiations--will allow the city to build a wide driveway into the Civic Arts Plaza along Oakwood Drive, by paving over part of Heggen’s half an acre of property.

The city had been prepared to build retaining walls roughly two stories high around Heggen’s property to hide his home and maintenance yard from public view.

Instead, the city has agreed to pay Heggen $600,000 for his rectangular lot, which until recently was cluttered with earth-moving equipment and construction materials.

Heggen, a general contractor, will receive an additional $10,000 if he fulfills his pledge to clean up his unkempt yard. By March 1, he must clear away his heavy equipment, tear down his two-story home and cleanup toxic patches of dirt created when oil dripped into the soil in the maintenance yard, City Atty. Mark Sellers said.

After issuing several city ultimatums, negotiators agreed to a price between Heggen’s most recent demand of $1 million and the city’s standing offer of $420,000. At an estimated cost of $300,000, building the retaining wall would have been cheaper than buying Heggen’s property.

But city officials had been reluctant to erect imposing concrete block walls right next to their $64-million facility, which will house both a performing arts center and government offices.

“It would have looked pretty ridiculous to have walls up all around that property and his house sitting in the hole there,” Sellers said.

Councilman Frank Schillo, who helped negotiated the settlement, flashed a thumbs up sign upon hearing the news at Tuesday night’s City Council meeting. “We’re sure going to have a beautiful entrance,” he said.

Heggen, who had floated grand plans of building a restaurant or retail shops on his narrow property, said he could not comment on the negotiations. “I’m glad it’s over--I can’t say any more at this time.”

City officials signed a written agreement with Heggen on Tuesday and Sellers said he expects escrow to close within 10 days.

The city faces a tight schedule for constructing the Oakwood Drive entrance by next fall, when the Civic Arts Plaza is scheduled to open.

Times staff writer Carlos V. Lozano contributed to this story.