I'VE BEEN AN ENTHUSIASTIC supporter of the Working Artists Ventura (WAV) Project Downtown since I went to the first fundraiser for the development several years ago. It encompasses everything Ventura needs right now: a tourist attraction, a cultural center and performing arts space, both affordable and upscale living, new retail plus aid for homeless families -- all in one green, innovative, and beautifully designed package. It's just plain cool.
So I was really happy yesterday to trail along on the project director's first official tour since the West Ventura development began construction. Wearing hardhats and dodging construction debris, we listened to Chris Velasco excitedly rattle off some of the development's amenities.
"This artists' community is one of a kind," Velasco said. "There's nothing else like it anywhere on earth as far as I know." The project is generating worldwide interest, Velasco said. (As an aside, today I talked to Jerry Breiner, the broker handling sales of the project's market-rate penthouse condominiums. He is also finding interest is high in the WAV. "Every day I get at least two to three inquiries," he said.)
Among the tidbits I picked up on the tour:
• A fiber optic system will run through the complex with cameras hooked up to various artists' studios, allowing them to be filmed while working. The video will be shown in the ground-floor cafes.
• An enormous solar-collection sculpture will be placed on the roof which will provide energy to the building as well as shade for theater patrons.
• The 99-seat performing arts theater will have retractable seats which can be adjusted for smaller audiences and folded up entirely for large art exhibits.
• The outdoor area will have a garden and Wi-Fi plus space for artists who need to do their work outside. The artist's quarters near this area will have garage-like doors which will roll up and down to allow studio access.
• If all goes well, the first residents will move in Sept. 1 with the rest in by mid October.
• There will be 15 residences for homeless families. "We're trying to do something to help end homelessness and like everything else we have a state-of-the art solution," Velasco said. The rents will be offered on a sliding scale and Project Understanding will coordinate all social services. Some space will be reserved for young people just emerging from the foster care system.
• The non-profit in charge of the project will ensure the rents remain fairly stable and affordable. The retail rent will also be below market, Velasco said. "We want to go out and hand pick who we think will be a good fit for this project."
• Construction was slowed by the tremendous amount of water that flowed beneath the project, Velasco said, which added to the project's costs. A million gallons of water a day were pumped out from beneath the project for four months. This water was treated and released.
I will continue to provide updates on the WAV as it progresses.
I'VE BEEN AN ENTHUSIASTIC supporter of the Working Artists Ventura (WAV) Project Downtown since I went to the first fundraiser for the development several years ago. It encompasses everything Ventura needs right now: a tourist attraction, a cultural center and performing arts space, both affordable and upscale living, new retail plus aid for homeless families -- all in one green, innovative, and beautifully designed package. It's just plain cool.
So I was really happy yesterday to trail along on the project director's first official tour since the West Ventura development began construction. Wearing hardhats and dodging construction debris, we listened to Chris Velasco excitedly rattle off some of the development's amenities.
"This artists' community is one of a kind," Velasco said. "There's nothing else like it anywhere on earth as far as I know." The project is generating worldwide interest, Velasco said. (As an aside, today I talked to Jerry Breiner, the broker handling sales of the project's market-rate penthouse condominiums. He is also finding interest is high in the WAV. "Every day I get at least two to three inquiries," he said.)
Among the tidbits I picked up on the tour:
• A fiber optic system will run through the complex with cameras hooked up to various artists' studios, allowing them to be filmed while working. The video will be shown in the ground-floor cafes.
• An enormous solar-collection sculpture will be placed on the roof which will provide energy to the building as well as shade for theater patrons.
• The 99-seat performing arts theater will have retractable seats which can be adjusted for smaller audiences and folded up entirely for large art exhibits.
• The outdoor area will have a garden and Wi-Fi plus space for artists who need to do their work outside. The artist's quarters near this area will have garage-like doors which will roll up and down to allow studio access.
• If all goes well, the first residents will move in Sept. 1 with the rest in by mid October.
• There will be 15 residences for homeless families. "We're trying to do something to help end homelessness and like everything else we have a state-of-the art solution," Velasco said. The rents will be offered on a sliding scale and Project Understanding will coordinate all social services. Some space will be reserved for young people just emerging from the foster care system.
• The non-profit in charge of the project will ensure the rents remain fairly stable and affordable. The retail rent will also be below market, Velasco said. "We want to go out and hand pick who we think will be a good fit for this project."
• Construction was slowed by the tremendous amount of water that flowed beneath the project, Velasco said, which added to the project's costs. A million gallons of water a day were pumped out from beneath the project for four months. This water was treated and released.
I will continue to provide updates on the WAV as it progresses.
"A million gallons of water a day were pumped out from beneath the project for four months. This water was treated and released."
No wonder it's called the WAV(e) project.
Here are some questions that weren't answered:
1. Who profits from the 99 seat performing arts theater?
2. Will the artists remember that they are being filmed and keep everything G-Rated?
3. Will Velasco's "hand picked" retail tenants actually materialize or will we have yet another 'mixed use' building with no business use? (a building on Loma Vista comes to mind).
1. A non-profit oversees the theater and the project itself. It is my understanding it will be rented out to local artists and groups. It is going to be a really great space.
2. They're artists. One never knows.
3. Chris says he is negotiating with tenants but won't tell me who until the contracts are signed. I imagine the spaces will be popular because the rents are below market and it is a high-visibility, high-traffic area.
Marie, thanks for the info on this unique project. I'm very much looking forward to seeing how it turns out.
Re: projected revenues... Do you know if the city did any projections on how long it will take to recoup money spent, including the value of the donated land? The Star article says the project will "eventually" add "$100 million to the local economy," but I wonder what the total is net of construction expenditures, and over what time period.
Are the building contractors local?
I am not sure about projections. Sid White would be able to answer that. I know they put up a little money in upfront costs and there was a small loan from the public art fund.
Part of the impetus for this project is that it satisfies state mandates for low-income housing. In this case it does it in a way that will also generate revenue for the city in terms of a cultural tourism destination and retail and art sales.
We are short of performing arts space here and this will also help in this regard. Alas, the Cultural Arts Village with its performance venue was not to be.
The contractors are not local. It's an outfit which Chris called "A-list" and they have worked on projects all over the world. PCL Construction. They're LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) experts, apparently. I Googled them and they have done really impressive work.
I love this project. I'm excited for us to have something of this caliber here.
I participated in reviewing the plans when on DRC. It will be a great project visually and from the street, but it could have been better. It does have some flaws, but the powers that be have pushed it through anyway. I would suggest the taxpayers are entitled to a full report, as they have money invested.
1. The projected pre-construction cost was
announced to be $57
million. I do not know what it is at this
time.
2. Troubled youth, homeless families,
"artists", high-end
condo owners ( viewing a sea of solar
panels below ), concert-goers and retail
operators under one venue ( multiple roof
system ) will be an interesting combination,
with 27 parking spaces between them. Yep,
this will be the first of its kind
anywhere.
3. Only a restaurant with a ventless hood,
ground level HVAC, & offsite parking (
apparently
at the fairgrounds ) can
work in the proposed retail spaces. No
roof duct locations were shown ( at least
initially ). as they would exit into a
rooftop condo. Addresses will be hard to
locate. Security will be an issue.
4. Some of the initial design quality,
particularly in the initial rooftop "wave"
element, which liked, has gone and morphed
into something boxier.
5. Local GC's could have built this. It would
have helped the local economy.
S. L. Leonard & Associates, Inc. is the construction manager and they are local. Obviously local workers are being hired.
In my notes I have 102 parking spaces for the WAV. There is a remote lot near the project for visitors. It was pointed out to us on the tour.
I can clarify and get back to you.
The parking spaces face the alley side on the street level. The count of 102 is simply untrue and deserves a response from the developer, unless the plans have been revised after the final approval. I recall spending nine hours last Christmas going over the final set of drawings of over 200 sheets. One does not forget something as noticeable as the parking count on a project of this size.
That's what's in my notes. I will follow up.
I heard from Chris Velasco and the project will indeed have at least 102 parking spaces. He said it could grow to as much as 130. I'm happy to forward his email to you, if you'd like.
Thanks. Nothing speaks louder than a copy of an approved floor plan with the parking count. I assume most of these spaces will be offsite and down the street, as there is no room on the proposed plan we were shown.