SUN VALLEY : Office Center Draws Several Civic Groups

A de facto Sun Valley community center is being created in a building on Sunland Boulevard, thanks to a variety of civic organizations that have decided to locate their offices there.

The Sun Valley Chamber of Commerce and the North Hollywood division of the Los Angeles Police Department lease space in the building in the 8100 block of Sunland Boulevard. City Councilman Richard Alarcon said he also plans to lease space.

The facility has a community room for meetings, workshops and social events for up to 50 people.

“I would want to have a deputy there who would have a very close relationship with the community,” Alarcon said. He said he had an oral agreement with the building owner to use the space but a firm contract has not been settled.

While the meeting room is available, it is still not furnished, said Doriane Lee Parker, president of the Sun Valley chamber. She said the purpose of the room is to give local groups a central meeting place, she said.

“Nobody knows what anybody else is doing and there is no way to get the word out,” Parker said.

The chamber is leasing the new office space and will be managing the use of the community room. A small cleaning fee may be charged to those who use it, Parker said. A grand opening for the new center is tentatively planned for April 21.