Central Leasing Office to Push Valley Space
Responding to a report on ways to revitalize business in the west San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles city officials announced plans Monday to open a “one-stop” office to provide information on retail leasing space in the area.
Los Angeles City Councilwoman Laura Chick and the Community Redevelopment Agency have teamed up to open the Centralized Leasing Office at 19040 Vanowen St. beginning Monday. Leasing space information will also be provided on an Internet site.
“Today, there is no single office aggressively marketing our West Valley business districts to prospective new businesses,” Chick said. “The Centralized Leasing Office will change that.”
The office will serve Reseda, Canoga Park, Winnetka, Woodland Hills and Tarzana.
Although similar offices exist in areas such as Santa Monica, West Hollywood and Long Beach, it will be the first of its kind in the Valley.
The office is one of several recommendations made in a January report by Linda S. Congleton & Associates on ways to improve the retail shopping districts in the West Valley. The study was paid for by the CRA, which formed an emergency redevelopment area in the West Valley after the Northridge earthquake.
The CRA will provide $25,000 in seed money to start the Centralized Leasing Office for six months.
After that, city officials hope the office will be funded through fees charged to businesses who list their leasing space with the office.
Among other recommendations, the Congleton report proposed developing a parking management plan, eliminating meters from parking lots, increasing sidewalk and alley sweeping, and improving street landscaping and security.
