Plans Submitted for The Avenue at Santa Clarita
Mixed-Use Village proposed for Smiser Ranch
11/20/07…Santa Clarita, California…Entitlement application documents have been submitted to the City of Santa Clarita for The Avenue at Santa Clarita, a mixed-use “urban village.” The 37-acre development, which incorporates high-end office, retail, hotel, entertainment and residential uses in a pedestrian-focused village setting, is proposed for the site of a long-defunct mule farm, commonly known as Smiser Ranch. The property is located at the entrance to the City of Santa Clarita and the greater Santa Clarita Valley, along Interstate 5 at Calgrove Boulevard. It is generally bounded by the freeway and Wiley Canyon Road and extends northward to an existing mobile home community. The plan was submitted on behalf of Monteverde Companies on November 20, 2007.
The heart of the village is planned as a vibrant marketplace with destination retail and restaurants, entertainment venues and a fitness center. A 300-room hotel with conference center and three office locations offering approximately 750,000 square feet of Class A office space are situated near the freeway. Two residential communities, totaling 800 residences, are located at both ends of the property. Some 250 of the homes are proposed as age-qualified residences. An interior water-themed walkway, enhanced by wood, stone and native landscaping, will run the length of the property and feature gathering places, outdoor living rooms, and trees and foliage that reflect the area’s heritage and topography.
Santa Clarita Valley’s population is expected to grow by 60% over the next twenty years. Concurrently, office and retail demand is predicted to continue its steady rise; as employers are attracted by the region’s expansion opportunities and labor pool. With prime frontage along the Golden State Freeway, the 2.4 million square foot mixed-use center’s design provides a tremendous opportunity to thoughtfully address future demographics, employment and lifestyle needs of the Santa Clarita Valley. At build-out, The Avenue at Santa Clarita could bring an estimated 4,000 new jobs, upscale shopping, dining, recreation and entertainment venues, along with an important mix of residential opportunities, to the community.
Calgrove Boulevard will be widened from the freeway to Wiley Canyon Road, allowing easy access into the center from Interstate 5 and discouraging non-resident entry into neighboring communities. A landscaped median, sidewalks and a bike path will be incorporated along Wiley, which will also be widened to its full width of four lanes. Signature theming will enhance three at-grade crossings along Wiley leading to adjacent neighborhoods and provide easy pedestrian access to both the center and a new one-mile extension of the City’s trail system that will be built along the perimeter of the village.
Monteverde Companies is a Santa Clarita based land development company established in 1971. Company representatives have met with residents of surrounding neighborhoods prior to plan submittal to provide information and receive input. “We are committed to continuing these conversations and expanding our community outreach throughout the planning and development process,” explained company spokesman Jeffrey Lambert. “As the key entry to our city, we recognize how important this location is to our community. We want to communicate its tremendous potential as a dynamic statement of arrival and a vibrant sense of place and ensure that it is developed in a manner that provides a range of lifestyle benefits to those living and working here now and in the future.” A website, www.TheAvenueatSantaClarita.com has been created to provide information regarding the project on an ongoing basis.
