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Monday, Mar 18, 2024

Macy’s Closure Opens Door for NoHo West

Macy’s Inc. has announced it will close its North Hollywood location this fall, bringing an end to Laurel Plaza’s tenure as a shopping destination and opening the door for the development of NoHo West. Store employees learned of the closing on July 25. Those who are not offered jobs by other Macy’s locations in the region will be offered severance pay, according to a company spokeswoman. The store will shutter its operations at the end of a final clearance sale in late September or early October. Meanwhile, developers Merlone Geier Partners and GPI Cos. have released a fly-through video of the concept for NoHo West, the mixed-use “lifestyle center” they have proposed for the property, located at the corner of Oxnard Street and Laurel Canyon Boulevard and adjacent to the 170 freeway. If approved, the complex will include over 142,000 square feet of retail space and 742 apartment units, as well as restaurants, a theater and a gym. The retail sector would compromise 10 buildings, with some office in the Macy’s building and on the second story above the multiplex. Merlone Geier, which is handling the leasing, hopes to land both national and local retailers as tenants, according to the project’s website. Saks Off 5TH Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5TH rolled out the pink carpet to welcome shoppers to the grand opening of its store in Woodland Hills on Aug. 4, luring in guests with a DJ, sweet treats and the chance to win a $100 gift card. The Saks Fifth Avenue outlet offers discounted designer fashion for men, women and children at its 30,000-square-foot location in the Woodland Hills Shopping Center at 21500 Victory Blvd. The new store is the second Saks Off 5TH in the Valley and the 18th in California. Saks is a unit of Hudson’s Bay Co. in Toronto. Mark Woody, regional vice president at the retailer, said the location brings 60 new jobs to Woodland Hills. The store will receive new arrivals almost daily, he said. “We expect to see shoppers here from our Beverly Connection location,” Woody said. “A lot of our customers at that store drive in from the Valley to shop there – now, they can come here instead.” Calabasas’ Hotel Vote The fate of a controversial proposed hotel and residential development in Calabasas will be decided by voters who head to the polls for the general election on Nov. 8, the Calabasas City Council has said. The decision comes after a petition against the project was deemed valid by Los Angeles County officials. Despite concerns that the issue would be overshadowed by the roster of other measures on this year’s ballot, officials at the city council meeting on Aug. 10 were eager to put the matter to rest. The proposal, submitted by Aliso Viejo-based New Home Co., calls for development of a three-story hotel, 67 single-family homes and two duplexes to be built on 16 acres at 4790 Las Virgenes Road. The rest of the 77-acre property is committed to open space. The Calabasas City Council voted 3-2 in favor of the plan on May 31, and an ordinance revising the zoning code to permit hotel development was adopted on June 22. However, a group called Save Malibu Canyon has protested against the proposal for months, believing it would disrupt the scenery of the area and pose a threat to wildlife. The group’s petition to overturn the zoning amendment was signed by more than 1,800 residents, surpassing the 1,500 necessary for validation by L.A. County. It was accepted by the recorder’s office on Aug. 5. Save Malibu Canyon has also filed a lawsuit against the city of Calabasas as a back-up measure to halt the project if it is approved by voters. ‘Blue’ Shoppers Labor 411 is asking shoppers to “buy blue” this Labor Day to support union workers. The Canoga Park nonprofit organization, which traveled to the Democratic National Convention in June to participate in the first-ever “Labor Caucus,” is running a campaign to encourage local consumers to spend their money on union-made goods and services. Labor 411 compiles and distributes lists of retailers who meet their pro-worker standards and have demonstrated an interest in promoting labor rights. Area businesses on the list include Aava Dental, Albertsons and Costco. Shoppers are expected to spend up to $76 billion this back-to-school season, according to the National Retail Federation, up from $68 billion last year. Staff Reporter Helen Floersh can be reached at (818) 316-3121 or [email protected].

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