FASHION SQUARE EXPANSION PLANNED COUNCILWOMAN, RESIDENTS WANT POTENTIAL TRAFFIC WOES PREVENTED.

Byline: JULIA M. SCOTT

Staff Writer

SHERMAN OAKS -- The Westfield Group is planning a big expansion at Westfield Fashion Square, and residents worry that it will further clog already congested streets.

By building south toward the 101 Freeway, Westfield would add 280,000 square feet and 80 stores to the 120 stores already there. The $200 million proposal, which would increase the mall's size by one-third, is prompting residents' concerns about traffic jams on Riverside Drive, Hazeltine Avenue and Woodman Avenue.

"That project has insufficient mitigations for the project of that size," said Ellen Vukovich, a member of the Sherman Oaks Homeowners Association board.

The company disagrees. Westfield officials have factored in community concerns about the traffic flow and plan new left-turn lanes, traffic lights and signs, said spokeswoman Katy Dickey.

"It's being worked on with staff and officials," she said.

The expansion is part of Westfield's business model to reinvest in its property, Dickey said. Currently, the mall is anchored by a Macy's and a Bloomingdale's. The company has not announced any new retailers.

The company is waiting for approvals from the city, a process that could take months.

The center covers 840,000 square feet in its current configuration. The latest application seeks approval to add 170,000 square feet; Westfield already obtained approval in 1994 to add 110,000 square feet of retail space.

New mall space would replace part of a two-story parking deck at the east end of the property, while a new, five-story parking deck would be built next to Macy's.

Plans call for four new restaurants and a revamped food court, similar to the upscale dining terrace at Westfield Topanga in Canoga Park. The proposal also outlines a new mall entrance from Riverside Drive, just east of Matilija Avenue.

Construction would take 24 months to 36 months, Dickey said.

City Councilwoman Wendy Greuel, who represents the area and chairs the council's Transportation Committee, termed traffic around Fashion Square a "disaster." A solution lies in listening to locals, she said.

"I am cautiously optimistic that if they move forward working with us in the community, they can design ingress and egress that will improve the traffic there" and benefit the neighborhood, she said.

Art Howard, president of the Studio City Residents Association, said residents in communities surrounding the mall are also worried about busy streets.

"If there is a lot more business, there will be a lot more traffic going there," said Howard, "and they will be using our streets."

julia.scott(at)dailynews.com

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Photo:

This rendering shows the proposed mall expansion from Riverside Drive looking west, just east of Matilija Avenue.