Office Helps Firms Lease in West Valley

Showcasing a new resource center designed to assist businesses seeking to lease space in the west San Fernando Valley, City Councilwoman Laura Chick will host an open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony this morning in Reseda.

Dubbed the Centralized Leasing Office, the center actually has been open since July 1 at 19040 Vanowen St. Today’s ceremony will begin at 8:30 a.m.

Created by Chick and the Community Redevelopment Agency to attract businesses to the West Valley, the office includes a database of properties in the CRA’s Earthquake Recovery Project Area, which includes Woodland Hills, Tarzana, Reseda, Canoga Park and Winnetka.

P.J. Cochran, a veteran commercial real estate broker who will serve as executive director of the office, said that it provides a valuable service for property and business owners, since listings of retail vacancies have never been consolidated at one location.

As of Wednesday, Cochran estimated that at least 300 properties are available in the West Valley.

On Aug. 1, the office will launch an online component on the Internet at https://www.larmall.com/leaseline/, an electronic version of the property database available to anyone with a computer and modem.

“Twenty-four hours a day they can access it,” Cochran said. “It’s not something they have to do during the business day.”

In addition to the database, the center will also offer information on new-business incentives and the CRA’s financing programs.

The office is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, call (818) 756-8094.