CIVIC CENTER PROPOSAL GOING PUBLIC.

Byline: Deborah Sullivan Daily News Staff Writer

Conceptual drawings of a proposed Van Nuys Civic Center building, featuring sweeping arches and a style reminiscent of Frank Lloyd Wright, will be submitted for a public hearing in February and a City Council vote in March, officials said Thursday.

Drawings obtained by the Daily News offer a sneak preview of the proposal that will be publicly unveiled at an open house Feb. 11.

Intended to replace cramped, quake-damaged city facilities, the 132,000-square-foot building would house a one-stop city services center, enabling the public to obtain permits and get answers to questions from such agencies as Building and Safety, the Fire Department and Public Works.

The structure at the southeast corner of Van Nuys Boulevard and Sylvan Street also would house the Mayor's Valley office and City Council offices, said Rosalind Stewart, a deputy to Councilwoman Cindy Miscikowski.

The L-shaped building would open onto a landscaped public plaza featuring artwork and public benches, creating a community gathering spot that officials hope will revitalize the heart of the Valley.

``It will contribute immeasurably,'' Miscikowski said. ``It will be such a tremendous value and sign of the Valley as a city center.''

Given that it will neighbor the historic Van Nuys City Hall building, now undergoing seismic retrofitting and repair, the new building is designed in a style ``that blends but doesn't mimic City Hall,'' said Claire Bartels, project manager for the city.

The design mixes the graceful arches of mission architecture with the wide, sweeping roofs of prairie style - a form developed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright to provide shelter from heat and sun.

A 200-car subterranean garage and 100-car surface lot would provide parking space, Bartels said.

The Voit Co. of Woodland Hills would build the structure, then lease it back to the city for 30 years. Previous estimates have placed the project's cost at around $30 million.

Bartels said the city is negotiating a guaranteed maximum cost - a figure that is not yet available - to prevent excessive change orders from inflating the final dollar amount.

The proposal will be aired publicly at an open house Feb. 11 at 6:30 p.m. at the Van Nuys Library, 6250 Sylmar Ave., on the Erwin Street Mall.

On Feb. 18, the city Planning Commission will hold a public hearing at the Sherman Oaks Woman's Center, 4808 Kester Ave., and vote on the plans.

The proposal is expected to go to the City Council for approval in March.

Construction is slated for completion 24 months after council approval is given.

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PHOTO Conceptual drawings show the proposed 132,000-square-foot Van Nuys Civic Center building.