Firm Chosen for Harbor Development

Preferring a company with modest building plans and years of experience dealing with the Coastal Commission, the Port District has chosen a Marina Del Rey-based firm to help develop a prime spit of land in Ventura Harbor.

Douglas Ring of Sondermann Ring Partners of Marina Del Rey said he was “the most surprised person in the room” when the commission chose his company.

A recommendation by a subcommittee favored Sondermann Ring over two other firms, based on the company’s knowledge of the Coastal Commission and the waterfront communities the firm built in Southern California, Michigan and Washington state.

Port District officials plan to build 300 apartments, retail shops, parks and public meeting rooms on the land, about 20 acres in the northeast section of the harbor.

The other companies, Avalon Bay Communities and Polygon Ventura Partners, had garnered local support by hiring Ventura residents and working in partnership with local businesses. They also presented the commission with detailed presentations.

Sondermann Ring by contrast had no local representatives and made comparatively minimal presentations, saying it was premature to say what could be built on the land until the Local Coastal Plan can be amended.

“I believe your Local Coastal Plan is seriously flawed,” Douglas Ring told the commission. “I didn’t see a point in putting together a picture of something that wouldn’t get built.”

The company’s proposal also indicated a higher profit from rent for the Port District than the other companies, as well as a $1-million holding fee.

The commission seemed to prefer the Marina Del Rey company’s conservative approach.

“Sondermann Ring was the most experienced with the type of project we plan to do out there,” said Commissioner Sandford Waddell.

Development in the harbor is expected to begin in late 2001.