City of Culver City, California
Redevelopment Agency Agenda Item Report
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the Culver City Redevelopment Agency (the “Agency”) (1) select
Washinela L.P. as developer for the northwest and northeast corners of Washington
Boulevard and Centinela Avenue; (2) authorize the Executive Director to commence
negotiating a Disposition and Development Agreement with Washinela L.P.; and (3)
reject all other developer proposals.
BACKGROUND:
As part of the Agency’s goal of eliminating blight within the Redevelopment Project
Area, staff identified a number of blighted and underutilized properties that have
potential for redevelopment. Among those properties identified were the northeast
and northwest corners of the intersection of Washington Boulevard and Centinela
Avenue (the “Sites”). In 2006 and 2007, the Agency completed the Sites property
acquisition efforts and relocated all the businesses within them. Below is a
description and map of the two corners that comprise the Sites:
• Site A, over one acre in size, is the northwest corner located at 12403-12427
Washington Boulevard, 4064 Colonial Avenue, and 4061-4069 Centinela
Avenue.
• Site B, approximately 20,000 square feet in area, is the northeast corner located
at 12337-12343 Washington Boulevard.
Meeting Date: 1/07/08 Item Number: A-1
AGENDA ITEM: Consideration to Select Washinela L.P. as Developer for the
Washington/Centinela Redevelopment Project; Authorization to Commence
Negotiation of a Disposition and Development Agreement with Washinela L.P., and
Rejection of All Other Proposals.
Contact Person/Dept.: Joe Susca Phone Number: (310) 253-5763
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [X] No []
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: [X]
Public Notification: Businesses and Residents within 500 feet of the surrounding area
(12/14/07); The Culver West Neighborhood Association, The Herbert Street Neighborhood
Association, the Culver Triangle Neighborhood Association (12/19/07); Members of the
public who have previously pulled speaker cards regarding the project over the past two
years, Rethink, Second Street Ventures, Crimson Holdings, Washinela L.P., The Advisory
Committee on Redevelopment (12/19/07), Viking Equipment Corporation (12/20/07); and
the Master E-mail Notification List (01/02/08).
Department Approval:
Sol Blumenfeld (12/31/07)
Fiscal Impact Review:
Jeff Muir (1/2/08)
Executive Director Approval:
Jerry B. Fulwood (01/02/08) City of Culver City, California
Redevelopment Agency Agenda Item Report
During the meeting of April 16, 2007, the Agency approved a Termination and
Release Agreement of the Exclusive Negotiation Agreement with the former
developer of the Sites and instructed staff to issue a Request for Offers to secure
another developer.
In May 2007, staff released a Request for Offers and on June 18, 2007 eleven
responses were received. Working with the West Washington Subcommittee, five of
the eleven responders were rejected due to their low offers to purchase the land.
On September 10, 2007, staff requested additional information from the six
remaining developers including the submittal of conceptual plans and a pro forma
financial analysis for their proposed projects. The request also announced that the
4063 South Centinela Avenue house was now a part of Site A and included
sketches and photos for reference in designing public spaces, along with desirable
project design features to consider integrating into their design that advance the
City’s goals of good urban design.
Four of the six developer finalists responded to the request with very positive
proposals that reflect a high level of attention to their project’s design. A summary of
their responses is outlined below. City of Culver City, California
Redevelopment Agency Agenda Item Report
Developer Proposal Description
Washinela L.P.
(see attached
conceptual
plans)
Goal: A design that deploys green building principles and a symmetrical design
on the two opposing corners, that includes dramatic entryway plazas, enhanced
public art, and a colonnade comprised of a 5’ wide setbacks on the first floor.
Project: A low-density, neighborhood friendly multi-use project comprised of
separate residential and commercial buildings. Five 3-story Townhomes (rental),
2-story commercial with ground floor retail/restaurants and upper floor offices (for
lease). 14K square feet of ground floor restaurant, 11K square feet of ground floor
retail and 23K square feet of upper floor office space.
Parking: 1 level of subterranean on Site A; at-grade parking on Site B.
Tenants: Coffee house (Site B), one or two unique full-service restaurants (note
Beachwood/Alibi Room/The Brig/The Del examples) on Site A, and quality
retailers.
Other: Gold or Platinum LEED Certification. Partial Green (Sedum) Roofs with
Solar roof panels.
Crimson
Holdings
Goal: Motivated by the Place Vendome in Paris, the Piazza de Popolo in Rome
and St. Peters at the Vatican, their contemporary design deploys green building
principles and landmark status architecture whereby its male/female components
compliment the two opposing corners. (The rotunda was inspired by the Museum
of Television and Radio in Beverly Hills)
Project: Culver Green; a Crown Jewel: 43’ high, (with 56’ high rotunda on Site A),
a multi-commercial use comprised of 106K square feet of upper floor office
condominiums and 55K square feet of ground floor retail.
Parking: 2.5 levels of subterranean, with 30 additional in excess of Code required
Tenants: Ground floor coffee house, restaurant and retailers with two upper floor
technology and financial firms.
Other: LEED certified, with a large green roof (30K s.f.) on Site A.
Second Street
Ventures
Goal: A contemporary pedestrian-oriented project.
Project: Mixed Use with 40 dwellings units per acre. A 3-story, 35’ high building
with 20K square feet of ground floor retail/restaurant/office and 64 one, one+den,
and two-bedroom upper floor condominiums or apartments. A 10’ setback is
included on the upper two floors.
Parking: One level of subterranean parking for tenants; and at-grade parking for
customers and visitors that meets Code requirements.
Tenants: Restaurant, coffee shop, and other retailers.
Rethink in
cooperation
with Trans-
western
Goal: A contemporary design that deploys green building and landmark status
architecture with contemporary clean lines, polar canopies that protect rays from
the south facing sun and large expanses of operating windows, with solar glazing
for natural heating and cooling.
Project: A village atmosphere with internal and external courtyards equipped with
water features. 43’ high, 3-story Mixed-Use with 55 condominiums, 3 townhomes,
10 live/work units with 8K square feet of retail. Each residential unit is 800 square
feet up to 1,200 square feet (1, 2, and 3 bedroom units).
Parking: At-grade and tuck under that meets Code requirements.
Tenants: Coffee shop, small restaurant, retailers and live-work businesses.
Other: Silver LEED Certification.
City of Culver City, California
Redevelopment Agency Agenda Item Report
DISCUSSION:
Washinela L.P. is 50% owned by David Paris and 50% owned by David Reiss. In
combination, the two partners have several years of experience with similar projects
both separately and as a team (see attached list of developer experience). Their
experience includes creation of unique and popular restaurants and night clubs such
as The Alibi Room, The Del, The Brig, and Beechwood. David Paris also has
experience with office, hotel, shopping center, and housing development projects, in
addition to offering developer financing and property management services to his
clients. Washinela L.P. has hired Dex Design Studio as their architect for the Sites
and has employed them for a number of their other retail and restaurant projects,
including Beechwood and The Alibi Room. (See attached examples of Dex Design
Studio work).
Staff recommends Washinela L.P. be selected as the developer for the Sites for the
following reasons:
• Staff believes the neighborhood will welcome their proposed project since it is
low in height and density, and will contain desirable neighborhood-serving
businesses, including a coffee house and one or two unique restaurants that
offer outdoor dining.
• In addition to the five townhomes along Colonial Avenue that will create a
transitional buffer between the adjacent single family homes and the project
on Site A, the location of the at-grade parking areas on both corners creates a
set back to the buildings footprint. These setbacks will act as a buffer to
adjacent residential uses.
• The project will be LEED Gold or Platinum certified, and will promote green
building principles, including a “green” roof and pervious paving.
• Their project includes upper floor plazas, dramatic public art elements along
with large, opposing corner plazas designed for outdoor dining and as public
open space.
• The Developer has a history of creating unique, high-quality restaurants that
attract desirable retailers and coffee houses who want to be near them.
• The Developer has prior experience in partnering with cities and agencies on
large scale projects.
• The Development Team has a good track record of implementing successful
redevelopment projects.
• Staff believes their proposed project will become the catalyst that stimulates
private redevelopment activities in the area.
• Dramatic evening lighting will highlight the project roofline and landscaped
plazas.
City of Culver City, California
Redevelopment Agency Agenda Item Report
Staff and Advisory Committee on Redevelopment Recommendations
In preparation of presenting their conceptual designs for the Sites this evening, staff
has worked with Washinela L.P. to refine and enhance their original version. To aid
in this effort, staff presented the four developer finalists proposals to the Advisory
Committee on Redevelopment (“ACOR”) during their meeting of December 6, 2007.
(For a detailed list of the ACOR recommendations, see their draft meeting minutes
attached.)
Upon conclusion of the presentation, focus was directed on how to enhance
Washinela L.P.’s design. Together, staff and the ACOR committee members
outlined a number of desirable features, many of which have or will be incorporated
into the building’s design to create a more pedestrian-oriented commercial center. A
few of the changes to their initial design include:
• Increasing the size and public space access to the two corner plazas
• Use of patterned pavement
• Pitching the roofline higher to increase its dramatic affect
• Additional landscaping features.
Next Steps:
Design Refinement:
Since the plans are conceptual at this stage, if the Agency approves selection of
Washinela L.P. this evening, staff will continue working with the developer, Project
Review Committee, the West Washington Subcommittee, and the neighborhood to
enhance and refine the plans prior to Planning Commission submittal for
entitlements.
Neighborhood Meeting:
Staff will also commence negotiation of a Disposition and Development Agreement
(“DDA”) with Washinela L.P. containing all the terms and conditions for the sale and
subsequent development of the project. If those negotiations are successful and
both parties agree to those terms and conditions, then a neighborhood meeting will
be scheduled to present the proposed project to the community for review.
Relocation and Demolition:
During their meeting of September 18, 2006 the Agency approved a multi-phased
agreement with Viking Equipment Corporation for demolition of both Sites’ City of Culver City, California
Redevelopment Agency Agenda Item Report
improvements. Subsequently, most of the improvements at the two Sites have been
demolished. Staff is in the process of relocating the last remaining tenant of Site A
and once completed, the last phase of demolition activities will be performed to
remove the remaining improvements on Site A.
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
Washinela L.P. is offering $8,500,000 for the land that comprises the Sites. In
addition to the land sale proceeds, future revenue to the Agency through incremental
property tax revenue generated from the two Sites are estimated at $57,500 in the
first year, which are anticipated to grow at a minimum of 2% per year thereafter.
Revenues to the City’s General Fund are harder to predict at this early stage, but
sales tax, business gross receipts tax, and utility user’s taxes are estimated to be
$63,000 for the first year.
ATTACHMENTS:
• Washinela L.P.: Conceptual Plans for the Project
• Washinela L.P.: List of Developer Experience
• Dex Design Studio: Samples of Architectural Work
• December 6, 2007: Draft Advisory Committee on Redevelopment Minutes
MOTION:
That the Culver City Redevelopment Agency:
1. Select Washinela L.P. as developer for the northwest and northeast corners
of Washington Boulevard and Centinela Avenue;
2. Reject all other developer proposals;
3. Authorize the Executive Director to commence negotiating a Disposition and
Development Agreement with Washinela L.P.
MEETING DATE: 01/07/08
AGENDA ITEM:
Consideration to Select Washinela L.P. as Developer for the
Washington/Centinela Redevelopment Project; Authorization to
Commence Negotiation of a Disposition and Development
Agreement with them, and Rejection of All Other Proposals.
ATTACHMENTS
Pages
1 Washinela L.P.: Conceptual Plans for the Project
December 10, 2007:
1-5
2 Washinela L.P.: List of Developer Experience
6
3 Dex Design Studio: Samples of Architectural Work
7-11
4 December 6, 2007: Draft Advisory Committee on
Redevelopment Minutes
12-14
DN
DN
DN
10,230 SF OFFICE
950 SF OFFICE
7,220 SF OFFICE
SEDUM ROOF
PLANTER AREA
WASHINGTON-CENTINELA PROJECT
SECOND LEVEL PLAN
1/4" = 10'-0"
REISS-PARIS JOINT VENTURE
WASHINGTON BLVD
CENTINELA AVE
COLONIAL AVE
1657
OFFICE OR MEZZ
3,800SF OFFICE
1,274SF OFFICE
LINE OF 1ST FLOOR BELOW
SEDUM ROOF
UPPER PLAZA
LINE OF ROOF OVERHANG
HANGING ART PIECE FROM
OVERHANG HIGH ABOVE
PROPERTY LINE
HANGING ART PIECE FROM
OVERHANG HIGH ABOVE
LINE OF OVERHANG BELOW LINE OF ROOF OVERHANG
ABOVE2,890SF RETAIL
11,257 SF RETAIL
5,330 SF
RESIDENTIAL
8,308SF RETAIL
WASHINGTON BLVD
CENTINELA AVE
COLONIAL AVE
GREEN WALL
WASHINGTON-CENTINELA PROJECT
GROUND LEVEL PLAN
1/4" = 10'-0"
REISS-PARIS JOINT VENTURE
PERMEABLE PAVING
ALLEY
WASHINGTON BLVD
PROPERTY LINE
WASHINGTON BLVD
GREEN WALL OVER STORM
WATER RETENTION SYSTEM
GREEN WALL
PROPERTY LINE
ALLEY
3,030SF RETAIL
HANGING ART PIECE FROM
OVERHANG HIGH ABOVE
RAMP TO UNDERGROUND
PARKING
PROPERTY LINE
LINE OF ROOF
OVERHANG ABOVE
BENCH SEATING
BENCH SEATING
LINE OF 2ND FLOOR
ABOVE
ELEVATOR AND STAIR
ACCESS ALL FLOORS
LINE OF ROOF OVERHANG
LINES OF STORE SHADES
HANGING ART PIECE FROM
OVERHANG HIGH ABOVE
LINE OF ROOF
OVERHANG ABOVE
LINE OF ROOF OVERHANG
ABOVE
LINE OF ROOF OVERHANGWASHINGTON-CENTINELA PROJECT
REISS-PARIS JOINT VENTURE
RENDERING SITE B
SHEET METAL ROOF
OVERHANG
GLASS WINDOW WALL WITH
BRONZE ALUMINUM
MULLIONS
SMOOTH TROWELLED
PLASTER
GLASS WINDOW WALL WITH
BRONZE ALUMINUM
MULLIONS
PAINTED STEEL STORE
SHADES
BENCH SEATINGWASHINGTON-CENTINELA PROJECT
REISS-PARIS JOINT VENTURE
RENDERING SITE A
SHEET METAL ROOF
OVERHANG
BRONZE ALUMINUM AND
GLASS MULLIONS
SMOOTH TROWELLED
PLASTER
BENCH SEATING
GLASS WINDOW WALL WITH
BRONZE ALUMINUM
MULLINSWASHINGTON-CENTINELA PROJECT
BASEMENT LEVEL PLAN
1/4" = 10'-0"
REISS-PARIS JOINT VENTURE
RAMP TO ABOVE
STAIR AND ELEVATOR TO
PLAZA ABOVEReiss-Paris Joint Venture
Development Experience
12/11/2007
Product Development
Type Size Skills Employed
Reiss-Paris Joint Venture Projects
Alibi Room, Culver City Restaurant/Bar 1,600 SF Building purchase, major exterior and interior remodel
Beechwood Restaurant, Venice Restaurant/Bar 4,900 SF Leasehold, major exterior and interior remodel
The Del, Playa del Rey Restaurant/Bar 8,500 SF Leasehold, major exterior and interior remodel
The Brig, Venice Bar 2,500 SF Building purchase, change of use, major construction, exterior and interior remodel
Dave Reiss Projects
Sugar, Santa Monica Nightlclub 4,500 SF Leasehold, major exterior and interior remodel
Red, Los Angeles Restaurant/Bar 4,250 SF Leasehold, exterior and interior remodel
Red, Santa Monica Restaurant/Bar 4,000 SF Leasehold, exterior and interior remodel
The Olive, Los Angeles Restaurant/Bar 2,000 SF Leasehold, exterior and interior remodel
Paris West Co. Projects
520 Sepulveda, Westwood Office Building 20,000 SF Building purchase, exterior and interior remodel, mgmt & leasing
Stone Oak Park, Brentwood For Sale Housing 32,000 SF Land acquisition, ground-up design, construction and sale
Olympic Bundy Ctr, West LA Office/Retail 55,000 SF Building purchase, mgmt., leasing, sale
Central Plaza, Carson Shopping Center 15,000 SF Building purchase, mgmt, leasing, sale
6th St. Prop., Downtown LA Office Buildings 100,000 SF Management, leasing & sale
Standard Oil Bld, Downtown LA Office Building 85,000 SF Management & leasing
Robertson Bld, Beverly Hills Office/Retail 30,000 SF Building purchase and sale
Western Av. Bld., Gardena Office/Retail 5,000 SF Building purchase, mgmt, remodel and sale
Piuma Parcel, Malibu Vacant Land 5 acres Land acquisition and sale
Carl's Jr., Auburn Restaurant 3,500 SF Building purchase and sale
Omni Hotel, Downtown LA Hotel 300 rooms Financing, development management pursuant to DEV. AGREEMENT WITH CRA/LA
Commerce Place, Baltimore, MD Office Building 300,000 SF Financing
The Breakers, Long Beach Senior Housing 200 rooms Financing
The Carlisle, San Francisco Senior Housing 125 rooms Financing
Ramada Disneyland, Anaheim Hotel 300 rooms Financing
Paris Family Business (Paris Development) in Ohio
Beta Business Park, Mayfield Office park/ 200 acres Land development pursuant to DEV. AGREEMENT WITH CITY
Office Bldng 50,000 SF ground-up building design, construction, mgmt, leasing & sale
Resource Drive, Valley View Office park/ 150 acres Land development pursuant to DEV. AGREEMENT WITH CITY
Office Bldng 40,000 SF ground-up building design, construction, mgmt, leasing & sale
Brooklyn Airport, Brooklyn Office/Retail Park 100 acres Land development pursuant to DEV. AGREEMENT WITH CITY
Stonewater Golf, Highland Golf Residential 300 acres Ground-up land development, golf course development, lot sales
pursuant to DEV. AGREEMENT WITH CITY
Jennings Park, Cleveland Office park/ 75 acres Land development pursuant to INDUSTRIAL REVENUE BOND SALE BY CITY
Office Bldng 200,000 SF ground-up building design, construction, mgmt, leasing & saleDex Design Studio Architect Experience
Mesa Restaurant/Lounge Goodfood Kitchen: Smashbox Studios The Alibi Room Ginger Showroom Beechwood Restaurant
Pink Mascara ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON REDEVELOPMENT
MEETING MINUTES
December 6, 2007
Call to Order: The meeting of the Advisory Committee on Redevelopment
was called to order at 6:40 p.m. in the Patio Room, third floor
of City Hall, 9770 Culver Boulevard, Culver City, California.
Roll Call: Roll call was taken:
Members present:
Paul Struhl
John Derevlany
Pierre Joujon-Roche
Stephen Paddock
Scott M. Voelz
Members with
Excused absence: Joel Forman
Arthur Garcia
Amy Rosenstein
Vernon Taylor, Jr.
Staff:
Joe Susca, Project Manager
Alice Prasad, Associate Analyst
Project
Manager’s
Report:
Approval of
Minutes:
It was moved (Mr. Joujon-Roche) and seconded (Mr.
Derevlany) and passed by a vote of 5-0 (Forman, Garcia,
Rosentein and Taylor absent) to receive and file the Project
Manager’s report of the posting of the agenda for the meeting.
It was moved (Mr. Voelz) seconded (Mr. Paddock) and passed
by a vote of 5-0 (Forman, Garcia, Rosentein and Taylor
absent) to approve the Minutes of the meeting of November 1,
2007.
Audience
Participation:
Mr. Struhl announced that members of the audience who
desired to participate would be recognized at the time the
agenda item is called. An additional opportunity for audience
participation on non-agenda items will also be provided. Dr. L.
Henderson arrived during the presentation of the Proposed
Washington/Centinela site as an audience member.
Minutes of Advisory Committee On Redevelopment
December 6, 2007
Page 2 of 3
Review of
Designs
Proposed for
the Washington/
Centinela Site
Mr. Susca provided a presentation of the four competing
developers for the Washington/Centinela project, providing
pictures and maps of each. He answered questions in detail
for each of them, explained the history surrounding their
submittals and focused on why staff was recommending David
Paris and David Reiss as the recommended developer.
The Committee then focused on staffs recommended
developer and made the following recommendations and
comments to their conceptual plans:
Angle the pitched roof more and allow it to be even
higher than the rest of the building to create a more
dramatic impact to better define the two corners.
No roof design is included in the conceptual plan
submittal. If a green roof is to be built, how much of the
roof area will it cover? If solar is proposed, how much
of the roof will be covered with those panels as well?
Consider creation of a low-height hedge or other type of
landscaping that will provide a buffer for outdoor diners
to the adjacent traffic. The low-height hedge would
obstruct views of the street by diners who are sitting,
but not be so high as to prevent those standing up from
seeing over it.
ACOR concurred with staffs recommendation that the
two opposing plaza’s on the corners should be larger
and not dedicated solely to outdoor dining, but should
include open space for pedestrian use.
Will valet parking be provided for the restaurant? If so,
how will it operate?
Installation of additional planter areas along the
sidewalk and retail entryways creating a “green
walkway” would be nice.
Concern has been raised regarding exiting onto
Colonial Avenue. There may be an insufficient amount
of room between the driveway and the Washington
Boulevard/Colonial Avenue intersection to safely do so.
This should be evaluated by a traffic engineer.
How will late night noise stemming from the restaurant
be controlled?
The proposed stairway could be a safety issue if not
well lit
If excess parking spaces are created for the area, the
City/Agency should consider metering them and
perhaps enter into a revenue sharing agreement with
the developer to encourage their creation. Minutes of Advisory Committee On Redevelopment
December 6, 2007
Page 3 of 3
Upon conclusion of the discussion, Joe Susca announced that
the developer will be recommended for selection at the
Agency’s upcoming January 7, 2008 meeting.
Adjournment
It was moved (Mr. Joujon-Roche) seconded (Mr. Struhl) and
passed unanimously to adjourn the meeting at 8:02 p.m., to
the next regularly scheduled meeting on January 3, 2008, at
6:30 p.m. in the Patio Room, third floor, City Hall.
John Fisanotti, Redevelopment Project Manager