Developer OKd for Civic Center Site

The Los Angeles City Council unanimously voted Wednesday to accept the selection of the Voit Cos. to redevelop the aging and earthquake-damaged Van Nuys Civic Center.

The Voit Cos., which built the Warner Center skyscrapers in Woodland Hills and are developing the GM plant site in Panorama City, were chosen by a panel of city officials to revitalize the Civic Center.

The council vote also provided Voit Cos. of Woodland Hills a $75,000 pre-development loan to begin the initial work on the project.

Voit Cos. beat out three other finalists to build a $35-million, 210,000-square-foot municipal building with retail shops, a market plaza and a 300-space parking structure on a 2.3-acre city site.

The long-awaited Civic Center project has been the brainchild of retiring City Councilman Marvin Braude, who represents part of the Van Nuys community.

Because of his support for the project, the council also voted to name the office building the “Marvin Braude San Fernando Valley Constituent Service Center.”

Groundbreaking is scheduled for January 1999, with completion of the office building expected in December of that year. Other improvements will follow immediately, and the building is due to be ready for occupancy in May 2000.