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California
Transit Hub or Traffic Magnet? Congestion Concerns at Proposed Universal City Project Trouble Neighbors, Some L.A. Officials
Characterized by Thomas Properties senior vice president Ayahlushim Hammond as ''smart growth, green growth and transit-oriented development at its height,'' a proposed $800-million, 1.5-million-square-foot complex of offices, stores, housing units and NBC studios near a Metro station in Universal City, two miles north of Hollywood, troubles neighborhood activists and some Los Angeles officials for its traffic impact, with the city's newly released environmental study projecting at least 14,000 additional car trips throughout the already clogged area.
In the first construction phase, which would last till late 2011, reports Los Angeles Daily News writer Connie Llanos, the company would complete a 24-story office tower, a five-story NBC production building, and 1,900 parking spaces, including 800 for the station.
In the second phase, by 2015, it would add either a 24-story office tower or a 34-story hotel, with 300 rooms and 400 residential units, up to 11,000 square feet of retail, and almost 1,800 parking spaces.
Ready to spend $30 million for traffic flow improvements, the company vice president promised to promote transit use by future employees, while other options would include flex cars and guaranteed ride homes.
''This encourages people to live the way we need to in the future,'' he observed, with NBC Universal spokeswoman Cindy Gardner emphasizing economic benefit of the project, expected to bring $3 billion in area construction within 25 years.
''NBC Universal's West Coast News Center represents a significant investment in the future Los Angeles,'' she said, ''creating an entertainment and transit hub and a new center for production jobs and employment growth.''
Nevertheless, with the city study estimating that transit ridership would reduce additional car trips by only about 2,000 a day, NBC/Universal Community Working Group chairman Richard Bogy said, ''What they are proposing is a 1970s project, not a 21st-century project.''
City Councilman Tom LaBonge and County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky echoed his concerns.
''What has been proposed is too intense,'' said the former. ''This is not a New York City block. This is an odd-shaped parcel in the San Fernando Valley. It's a dream to think you can fit so much onto one little banana-sized lot.''
The latter agreed.
''You can't compare this project to other transit-oriented developments,'' he pointed out, calling the area much more auto dependent, expressing willingness to work with the developer to downsize the plans, and adding, ''I am not opposed to a responsible development on either the MTA or the studio lot, but this is not responsible.''
Valley Industry and Commerce Association (VICA) President Brendan Huffman said his group supports the development concept and sees its benefits, including ''jobs and tax revenue for the city and strengthening the Valley's base for the entertainment industry,'' but because of potential traffic, it must evaluate all pros and cons to take a formal stance.
Los Angeles Deputy Mayor Bud Ovrum, the writer reports, reiterated Mayor Antonio Villaraigossa's support for the project as alleviating more concerns than it raises.
''The truth is we are in an almost life-and-death struggle to preserve and grow our entertainment jobs in Los Angeles and particularly in the Valley,'' he stressed. ''We can always have less traffic -- we just won't have any jobs.'' -- Daily News 8/26/2008
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