Westfield Discloses Plans for Valley Lifestyle Center
Shopping-center developer The Westfield Group disclosed plans to connect its Topanga and Promenade malls in California’s San Fernando Valley with a third yet-to-be-constructed center to establish the largest retail complex in the country.
The new project, called The Village in Warner Center, is a $750 million lifestyle shopping center that will bring 550,000 square feet of retail space, a 300-room luxury hotel and 150 condominiums to the Valley. Westfield officials disclosed the plans following a July 17 filing of an environmental-assessment petition for the project with the city of Los Angeles. Construction is expected to begin in about two years.
The three centers, viewed as a single shopping entity, would comprise 3.8 million square feet, making it the largest shopping center in the United States, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers. California’s largest shopping centers are South Coast Plaza in Orange County with 2.7 million square feet and Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance with 2.5 million square feet.
Westfield executives estimated that the trio of centers could draw up to 35 million visitors a year. Plans call for connecting the malls with some type of transport system, possibly a trolley or train.
The new addition will focus on specialty stores, entertainment and dining venues. To alleviate parking concerns, Westfield plans to add 4,100 subterranean and ground-level parking spaces.
City of Los Angeles officials, including Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Council member Dennis Zine, have spoken on the record in support of the project, as it is estimated to bring approximately 2,500 temporary and 7,500 permanent jobs to the region in addition to $6 million in tax revenues —Robert McAllister
