NO ROOM AT THE PLANT; MAKER OF HOME DECOR TO FILL FINAL SPACE.

Byline: Gregory J. Wilcox Staff Writer

In a deal that just about slaps a ``no vacancy'' sign on The Plant, a home decorative products maker will lease nearly 100,000 square feet at the former General Motors car assembly facility in Van Nuys, officials said Tuesday.

Zodax, whose product line includes aroma therapy candles, picture frames and light furniture, will consolidate operations from four buildings in the 16000 block of Raymer Street near the Van Nuys Airport to a 98,000 square-foot structure being designed to meet the company's needs.

The company, which has 100 employees, hopes to move in by December. Terms were not disclosed.

The lease is for 10 years and Zodax has an option to buy the building.

Zodax's deal signals a build-out of the industrial portion of the site. And more than 99 percent of the retail component has been leased.

The company imports a variety of decorative items - candle holders, photo frames, fruit bowls and accent furniture. It sells its products wholesale and operates a retail outlet called Ci at the Beverly Center.

John Amiri, vice president of sales and marketing at the 10-year-old company, said the move to a bigger facility will make for a more efficient operation.

Zodax did not consider leaving the Valley.

``It's just convenient. We have a fairly loyal employee base at both the warehouse and office level,'' he said of the company's new location. ``We all live in areas which are accessible to Van Nuys. It's a nice central location.''

And he said Zodax considers itself lucky since there is not a lot of prime industrial sites left in the Valley.

``It was just a matter of finding the right kind of space and environment and price. We didn't want to move to Vernon or the Antelope Valley,'' he said. ``We really wanted to stay near here.''

Grading has already started at the site.

David Hoffberg and Jerry Scullin of Van Nuys-based Delphi Business Property represented Zodax and S & V Van Nuys Associates, the landlord.

Hoffberg said the Plant's industrial component reached full occupancy in just less than a year.

Nor does he think that the market will have much trouble absorbing the buildings that Zodax is vacating since they are near Van Nuys Airport, considered a prime location.

``We'll have no trouble leasing those out because of the tight market. And that is high-quality product,'' he said.