4 Off-Campus Sites Studied for CSUN Stadium

With the blessing of the university administration, an advisory committee is exploring off-campus sites for Cal State Northridge’s new 15,000-seat football stadium.

The four locations the group is considering are Pierce College in Woodland Hills, College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, Valley College in Valley Glen and Birmingham High School in Van Nuys, CSUN officials said.

A preliminary report on Pierce College as a potential site was given Thursday night at a meeting of the CSUN Athletics Facilities Siting Advisory Committee.

The 12-member committee, named by CSUN President Blenda Wilson in August, is charged with identifying the best location for the stadium by Dec. 1.

CSUN is not bound by the panel’s recommendation.

Wilson authorized the committee to consider on- and off-campus locations for the stadium, said committee member Judith Nutter, director of community relations for CSUN.

“We have to find a place for the stadium and options on campus are limited,” Nutter said.

CSUN is obliged to expand its stadium capacity as part of its contract with the Big Sky Conference. The existing stadium holds 6,000.

The university had planned to build the facility at Lassen Street and Lindley Avenue on the North Campus or at Lindley Avenue and Halsted Street on the South Campus. CSUN was forced to abandon those sites after neighbors threatened to sue.

A lawsuit would have delayed construction on the North Campus of a biotech park now being planned in partnership with the Sylmar company MiniMed.

So the stadium was pulled from the campus master plan prior to its approval by the California State University trustees.

Homeowner groups strongly oppose building the large, multipurpose stadium on campus because of traffic and noise.

Pat LoPresti of the Lindley West Homeowners Assn. said her group is pleased that the committee is actively seeking off-campus sites.

“We’re hopeful that they are giving it serious consideration,” LoPresti said. “We think Pierce would be a great location.”

A new stadium would require five acres and cost an estimated $13.5 million, said Tom Tindall, director of facilities planning for CSUN.

Tindall, a committee member, said consideration of off-campus sites for the stadium has just begun. While the off-campus search is an “open possibility,” he said the group is not leaning one way or the other.

“It’s too early to say,” Tindall said.

The committee is made up of university officials, local business owners and members of homeowner groups who oppose a large stadium near their residences.

The idea of locating a stadium off campus is not universally popular, said committee Chairman David Honda, a Northridge businessman.

“Some alumni and students are concerned if you have a team, [the stadium] should be on campus,” he said. “But UCLA doesn’t play on campus, or USC. It’s not a new concept.”

Honda said the responsible thing to do is to review all options.

After a preliminary inspection, a subcommittee reported to the group that the existing Pierce College stadium would have to be improved to meet CSUN’s requirements, Tindall said.

The other three locations have not been reviewed, Tindall said. Other sites may be added to the list.

In addition to Tindall and Nutter, CSUN representatives on the siting committee are Paul Bubb, athletic director; James Bracy, professor of Pan-African studies; and Ann Stutts, professor of kinesiology.

Community members include Honda, president of D. S. Honda Construction Inc.; Gerald Picus, CSUN community advisory board representative; Howard Keubler, owner of My Hero Sandwiches; and Barry Pascal, president of the Northridge Chamber of Commerce.

Robert LoPresti of the Lindley West Coalition and Roger S. Waldbaum of the Northridge Estates Homeowners Assn. represent the homeowners.

The 12th member is a student, whose name was unavailable Friday.

Times staff writer Hill-Holtzman prepared this story, to which correspondent O’Neil contributed.