DEVELOPERS LINING UP TENANTS FOR EX-GM PLANT.Byline: Rick Orlov Orlov (Орлóв) is the name of a Russian noble family which produced several distinguished statesmen, diplomatists and soldiers. The family first gained distinction in the person of four Orlov brothers, of whom the senior was Catherine the Great's Daily News Staff Writer Developers of the former General Motors plant in Van Nuys said Thursday Thursday: see week. that they have secured letters of intent to lease about two-thirds of the site, including space for a planned 14- to 16-screen cinema. Daniel F. Selleck of Selleck Properties would not disclose names of individual tenants, noting that the sale of property to his firm and the Voit Voit , Carl von 1831-1908. German physiologist known for his studies on metabolism. Cos. must still be given final approval by General Motors' board of directors. But Selleck said the planned tenants include an office super store, a pet super store, a supermarket, a family-style restaurant, apparel stores for men, women and children, a children's furniture store, a party supply store, a video store and a multiscreen theater. ``We think this will be a real attraction that will be a regional draw from throughout the Valley,'' Selleck said. ``With 4,000 seats, it will be second only to the theaters at CityWalk.'' Cineplex Odeon O`de´on n. 1. A kind of theater in ancient Greece, smaller than the dramatic theater and roofed over, in which poets and musicians submitted their works to the approval of the public, and contended for prizes; - hence, in modern usage, the at CityWalk has 6,000 seats for the 18 screens it operates. Selleck said preliminary plans call for 14 to 16 screens on the GM site. Selleck and Councilman Richard Alarcon gave reporters an update on the development Thursday in response to intense community interest in the project, which is expected to revitalize re·vi·tal·ize tr.v. re·vi·tal·ized, re·vi·tal·iz·ing, re·vi·tal·iz·es To impart new life or vigor to: plans to revitalize inner-city neighborhoods; tried to revitalize a flagging economy. the Central and Northeast Valley. Selleck and the Voit Cos. reached a preliminary agreement earlier this year with GM to purchase the property at a price estimated between $20 million and $30 million. The final sale, however, was contingent on Adj. 1. contingent on - determined by conditions or circumstances that follow; "arms sales contingent on the approval of congress" contingent upon, dependant on, dependant upon, dependent on, dependent upon, depending on, contingent receiving environmental clearances from the the city and obtaining other agreements. Those clearances hinge on Verb 1. hinge on - be contingent on; "The outcomes rides on the results of the election"; "Your grade will depends on your homework" depend on, depend upon, devolve on, hinge upon, turn on, ride the site getting a clean bill of environmental health following almost 50 years of heavy industrial use. Selleck said he expects those clearance to be secured within 75 days, and that the sale could be completed by early 1997. Opening of the center is targeted for fall of 1997 to take advantage of the holiday sales season. Alarcon said the city is prepared to move ahead with its part of the deal once the final environmental documents are approved. ``Everywhere I go in my district, people ask me about the GM project,'' Alarcon said. ``It is one of the most important things we are doing.'' ``This is not just another development. I think the opening at the GM site sends a tremendous message of recovery for the Valley and the entire city,'' he added. In addition to approvals from the city's various agencies, Alarcon said plans are moving ahead to apply for $4 million from the federal Economic Development Administration to cover some of the infrastructure costs, such as the extension of Arminta Street to the back of the property. The project has been slowed some because of the extra time that was needed to demolish de·mol·ish tr.v. de·mol·ished, de·mol·ish·ing, de·mol·ish·es 1. To tear down completely; raze. 2. To do away with completely; put an end to. 3. the existing plan. Originally, it had been estimated that the demolition Demolition is the opposite of construction: the tearing-down of buildings and other structures. It contrasts with deconstruction, which is the taking down of a building while carefully preserving valuable elements for re-use. of the project would have been completed in May. But Selleck said it took longer than expected because of the concrete bases and pilings that had to be removed. When it opens, Selleck said he believes it will be a phased development with the stores and restaurant opening around the same time next year, with the movie theater to follow in early 1998. The project is different from most others in that it is considered a power center with several large stores in separate buildings that could draw customers from as far as five miles away. On the remaining space, Selleck said he hopes to draw other major retailers, such as an electronics store, but has no plans for a department store that could be competition for the Panorama Mall. Selleck estimated that once construction is completed, the commercial development alone will account for 2,000 new jobs. While Selleck is handling the commercial portion of the property, the Voit Cos. has been talking to Noun 1. talking to - a lengthy rebuke; "a good lecture was my father's idea of discipline"; "the teacher gave him a talking to" lecture, speech rebuke, reprehension, reprimand, reproof, reproval - an act or expression of criticism and censure; "he had to a number of industrial firms about developing the back portion of the land. Selleck said Voit has found wide interest by a number of firms, although he saAid he could not identify any of them. The 100-acre site, which once employed more than 2,700 workers, has been idle since 1992. Voit and Selleck are buying about 67 acres. General Motors is keeping approximately 27 acres of the land for a testing facility and about five more acres is being donated do·nate v. do·nat·ed, do·nat·ing, do·nates v.tr. To present as a gift to a fund or cause; contribute. v.intr. To make a contribution to a fund or cause. for use as a police station or substation. |
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