San Fernando Valley : NEW OWNERS

Dirk Perriseau, a Calabasas-based contractor, and his wife, Jeannine, have agreed to purchase the site of the Northridge Meadows Apartments complex, which collapsed during the Northridge earthquake, killing 16 people.

Perriseau has applied to the city of Los Angeles for a low-cost earthquake-recovery loan to finance construction of a 155-unit building on the site.

Although they acknowledged the property’s sad history, Jeannine Perriseau said she and her husband “are totally confident that that land is no different than any other piece of land in the San Fernando Valley.”

“There is no reason to think any other disaster is going to happen there,” she added. “Besides, this will be . . . ironically, one of the safest buildings people can live in.”

The Perriseaus, in partnership with Los Angeles investor Joseph Cohen, made a $300,000 deposit on the property Friday afternoon, she said. Escrow is expected to close Tuesday.

The seller is First Nationwide Bank of San Francisco, which has been holding the property for its previous owners, Shashikant and Renuka Jogani, who were beset by lawsuits and financial problems after the quake. Ownership of the property reverted to the bank, said Robert Freedman, an attorney for the defendants in numerous civil lawsuits filed after the collapse.

The Perriseaus have applied for a $5.7-million loan to develop the site. Interest payments would be 3%, provided the Perriseaus abide by several restrictions, including one stipulation that 20% of the units be set aside for low-income tenants.