Panel Backs New Valley Civic Center in Van Nuys

A new civic center for the San Fernando Valley moved a step closer to reality Wednesday after a panel recommended that the City Council should go ahead with the $34-million construction of a new office building in Van Nuys.

The council’s Information Technology and General Services Committee endorsed the Marvin Braude San Fernando Valley Constituent Service Center to be built by the Voit Cos. and leased back to the city for about $3.8 million annually.

Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas said the project will consolidate city offices spread throughout the San Fernando Valley into one location, where residents will find it more convenient to acquire building permits and other city services.

“This has been a rather impressive project conceptually from the very beginning,” Ridley-Thomas said.

Councilwoman Cindy Miscikowski said the project will also serve as an economic engine for Van Nuys’ commercial core, which has suffered economic hard times in recent years.

“I think it will not only spur economic development at the administrative center, but also along Van Nuys Boulevard,” Miscikowski said.

Three years in the making, the project was originally proposed by Braude when he was the councilman representing the Van Nuys civic center area.

The private developer would build a three-story building with 128,000 square feet for city offices and 9,000 square feet for retail shops.

The city will have to pay $3.8 million to lease and maintain the office annually, some of which will be offset by canceling private leases in other parts of the Valley.

Still, the City Council will have to come up with about $750,000 annually from the general fund to close the gap, because the project cost is about 50% higher than originally estimated.

One option would allow the city to buy the building from the Voit Cos. when construction is completed in August 2001.

Legislative analyst Gerry Miller suggested the city lock in interest rates for a possible purchase by setting the financing aside in an escrow account, in case the council decides in two years to buy the building.

The building will include a one-stop service center for planning and building permits.

“We believe what we’ve designed here is a customer service center customized to the needs of the San Fernando Valley,” said project manager Claire Bartels.

The office building will not replace the earthquake-damaged old Van Nuys City Hall, which the city still plans to renovate and use for additional city offices.