Nearly three months after signing off on Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield's proposal to redevelop the Westfield Promenade shopping mall in Warner Center, the Los Angeles City Planning Commission has voted to reject two appeals seeking to block a similar development less than one mile southeast.

In March, the Los Angeles Planning Department issued a determination letter to Adler Realty Investments approving a master plan for the redevelopment of Warner Corporate Park, a 24-acre office park at the intersection of Burbank Boulevard and De Soto Avenue.  The proposed project calls for the phased construction of 12 buildings containing:

  • 841 rental apartments; 
  • 168 condominiums;
  • 1.14 million square feet of office space;
  • approximately 80,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial space; and 
  • a 228-room hotel.

VTBS Architects designed the project's master plan, which calls for cutting pedestrian paseos to create a campus-like setting.  New buildings would consist of both high-rise and podium-type buildings, including towers ranging between 15 and 24 stories in height.

Construction is expected to occur in eight phases, with completion anticipated in 2035.  Portions of the project site are likely to be sold to other entities which would carry out the development, according to a staff report.

The Planning Commission considered three appeals of project entitlements, one of which was submitted by project applicant Adler Realty Investments, which sought to alter conditions of approval placed on the project.  In its appeal, Adler argued that several conditions of approval placed on the project were too restrictive, given that the project is intended to be built in multiple overlapping phases, with certain components likely to be built by different entitiess.  While the developer succeeded in obtaining some of its requested changes, Commissioners also voted to require that the project set side 10 percent of the 841 proposed apartments as deed-restricted workforce housing.

The latter two appeals were submitted by the Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters and Gina K. Thornburg, who identified herself as the Executive Director of an organization called Coalition for Valley Neighborhoods.

The Carpenters Union, represented by attorney Mitchell Tsai, argued that the project's environmental mitigation measures are inconsistent with those required in the Warner Center 2035 specific plan.  Additionally, several union members voiced concerns that Adler's other Warner Center projects have been built without adequate safety measures to protect workers from coronavirus.  The union requested that the Commission should table consideration of the project to implement prevailing wage language into the conditions of approval.

Thornburg's appeal argued that the project, if built, would overwhelm city services and infrastructure, while also increasing traffic congestion.  Additionally, Thornburg argued that the project would increase segregation and homelessness in the San Fernando Valley.

Commissioners voted to reject the latter two appeals, affirming a recommendation from the Planning Department.