Senior Housing Plan Draws Fire

A proposed senior housing project on part of the Studio City Golf and Tennis complex has led residents to protest the threatened loss of open space and recreational facilities in the densely developed community.

The 240-unit independent living project for seniors would use four or five acres of the 17-acre golf and tennis center on Whitsett Avenue, likely requiring one hole of the nine-hole golf course to be relocated and eliminating many of the tennis courts, officials said.

“This is one of the crown jewels of Studio City, so this is one of those ‘chain yourself to the bulldozer’ kinds of development,” said Tony Lucente, president of the Studio City Residents Assn.

Although the association has not yet taken a position, individual members expressed grave concerns about the project after meeting with representatives of the development firm, Homeplace Retirement Communities of America Inc.

Homeplace is a 3-year-old company founded by partners with experience in housing development. The firm is currently building projects in Northridge and Placentia.

“Frankly, our strong preference is to maintain the entire site as permanent recreational open space, and this proposal wouldn’t do that,” resident David Burg said.

Residents said they worry that another developer could take over the property and pave over much more ground.

A Homeplace spokesman said the project would maintain a golf course, even if it must be reconfigured.

He said the company has proposed donating the course to the city Recreation and Parks Department so it can continue to be enjoyed by the public.

“That’s a central component of the neighborhood,” said Jim Schmitz, senior vice president for the Del Mar-based development company. “We absolutely have a sincere interest in seeing that the golf course stays there.”

Burg said that in presentations by the developer, residents have been told that 12 of the 20 tennis courts may be eliminated by the development.

“This is the only tennis facility open to the public in that area,” Burg said.

Schmitz said the development firm, in talks with the city Recreation and Parks Department, has suggested that some of the tennis courts might be replaced with new courts in the area.

Burg said one proposal would put them on top of a parking garage.

The land for the golf and tennis facility is owned by Weddington Investment Partnership and leased to the golf course operator. The lease expires in four years.

Homeplace has tentatively agreed to buy the property, and has scheduled a community meeting for Feb. 26 at CBS Studios, Burg said.

Los Angeles City Councilman Mike Feuer is considering the proposals with an interest in preserving as much open space as possible, an aide said.

There is a strong demand for the kind of independent-living residential facilities planned by Homeplace in Studio City, Schmitz said.

A similar, 386-unit retirement complex planned by the company for Northridge already has received 3,500 inquiries.

The Studio City project would provide food and health care facilities on-site.

“We are filling a great void for this kind of facility,” Schmitz said.

“We are building a community so grandpa or grandma, or mom and dad, can stay in the community near their children.”

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Housing projects big and small are coming on-line to serve an expected surge in seniors as baby boomers near retirement. Valley Business, B4