Van Nuys Airport May Oust Firm
Several non-aviation businesses could face eviction from Van Nuys Airport as the city’s Board of Airport Commissioners attempts to deal with what officials say is a huge demand for hangar space and aircraft parking.
The board is expected to vote today on proposals that would replace the ousted businesses with expanded airport operations.
Among those facing eviction are a company that converted a dilapidated World War II hangar into a popular filming studio, and Galpin Motors of North Hills, which stores a large number of new vehicles on airport land, city officials said.
Syncro Aircraft Interiors has battled for more than two years to stave off eviction after it became successful in renting out portions of its cavernous 3-acre hangar as sound stages.
The company and airport officials in May negotiated an agreement that would allow Syncro and its filming enterprises to remain in the hangar under a 10-year lease, said Syncro attorney Douglas D. Winter. But the deal has not been finalized and requires approval of the airport commission.
Airport staff members recommended a new policy late last week that encourages greater aviation uses for the four airports owned by the city’s Department of World Airports.
Citing a letter from the Federal Aviation Administration, airports spokeswoman Nancy Castles said a newly reorganized administrative staff is working to improve aviation activities. The pending eviction of Syncro and other enterprises “has come to a point where it’s a financial business decision,” she said.
Proposals before commissioners today involving three hangars at Van Nuys Airport could trigger the eviction of several other tenants, including Galpin Motors, which leases airport land to store hundreds of vehicles in its inventory.
The commission meets at 9:30 a.m. in the administration building at Los Angeles International Airport, 1 World Way.
The hangars and parking ramp areas “are public assets and we are obligated to maximize the assets at our city-owned properties,” Castles said.
In a clarification letter from 1998, Castles said the FAA ordered that the Syncro hangars and others be used only for aviation purposes.
“While [the FAA] did not specify exactly, we clearly understood that they have to stop shooting movies,” she added. She could not explain why airport officials continued negotiating with Syncro for hangar repairs and a long-term lease after receiving the FAA letter, dated June 15, 1998.
The airport commission three months ago approved spending an additional $3.6 million on repairs to two hangars, called 901 and 902, which includes the Syncro operation and which were damaged in the 1994 Northridge earthquake.
Commissioners in January 1998 approved without discussion $11.5 million in repairs to the two buildings, each the size of two football fields, and the most expensive project in the airport’s history.
A portion of the additional repair cost was to be used to allow Syncro to continue its operations while reconstruction was underway. However, Castles said Syncro caused delays to the project, forcing the city to pay penalties to the reconstruction contractor. The construction contract, as well as agreements with Syncro, were terminated July 29, Castles said.
“It was just very, very upsetting,” said Winter, attorney for Syncro owners Ed and Barbara Cesar. “We thought everything was finally going to be OK.”
Describing the months of negotiations, Winter added: “We’ve come so far, I thought, only to be put in a situation where, unfortunately, our offer is now being retracted.” He indicated Syncro may have no recourse but to file suit.
Items on today’s board agenda call for new leases and improvements to a hangar building and ramp space at 7501 Havenhurst Place and for the two massive hangars and ramp areas now partially leased to Syncro, at 7701 Woodley Ave. Both proposals cite “a demand for hangar and ramp space at Van Nuys Airport.”
The proposed conversion of properties for aviation uses would prohibit the addition of any older, noisier jets at the airport other than those based there as of July 1.
There is no limit on the number of newer, quieter jets that can be based at the airport, nor on the number of older aircraft flown into the airport for repairs and maintenance.
Requests for more aviation-related space at Van Nuys have been made by a number of companies, such as manufacturers, FAA testing and certification and other aviation services, Castles said.
Requests for proposals are typically advertised whenever an airport lease expires, she said. However, many tenants at Van Nuys have been operating on a month-to-month basis for years, because adoption of an airport master plan has been stalled for more than a decade.
