New furniture center provides revenue cushion

SHOPPING MECCA–The proposed Agoura Hills Design Center will be 116,000 square feet and contain several different stores. Neighboring cities may be flush with tax revenue from auto malls, big chain stores and shopping promenades, but Agoura Hills has taken another path to riches and may become the Conejo Valley’s furniture store Mecca.

The Agoura Design Center, planned for the corner of Canwood St. and Derry Ave., will be the city’s largest retail project since it incorporated, according to city officials. Ethan Allen, an upscale furniture chain, will be the centerpiece of the project.

“Beautiful, beautiful,” said Denis Weber, Agoura Hills City Council member, as plans were being discussed.

The center, which is being developed by Adler Realty Investments, Inc., brings the total number of large, brand name furniture and home décor stores in Agoura Hills to seven—not counting the home décor sections of antique stores and other smaller establishments.

Company president Michael Adler is a resident of Agoura Hills.

Currently, the city is home to such national furniture chains as Thomasville Home Furnishings, Reeds Furniture, Neuvie, La-ZBoy, Basset Furniture Direct, and the Sleep Shoppe. Many smaller furniture stores and home décor businesses are also located within the city, including NW Rugs, Warehouse Discount Center, custom cabinetry shops, window design stores, and other specialty shops.

Adler anticipates leasing part of the 116,000 square feet of retail space to other high end furniture stores, including Lane Home Furnishings, Drexel Heritage, Stickley and Treasures.

Mike Kamino, Agoura Hills director of planning and development, said the demand for furniture stores in the Conejo Valley is strong.

“They wouldn’t be building here if that wasn’t the only reason they were building,” Kamino said.

“I think that the Adler project specifically will be an attractive addition to the community that will provide for the residents and the region while also providing sales tax to the city,” said Dan Kuperberg, Agoura Hills council member. “If Agoura Hills becomes known as an area to shop for furniture related products, and people want to buy in Agoura Hills, that’s exactly what we’ve been looking for.”

The Agoura Hills planning commission approved the project in May after two public hearings.

The city council reviewed the project when Kuperberg filed an appeal based on its size, the distance between buildings, parking considerations, landscaping and other aesthetic issues.

The furniture center was reduced from 130,000 square feet to 116,000 square feet and will be constructed as three separate buildings on more than seven acres. And even though the developer downsized the project it will still be larger than the Agoura Hills City Mall, the Twin Oaks Plaza and the Agoura Meadows Shopping Center, officials said.

Measure H, an initiative that was passed by voters in 2002 to limit big box commercial property within the city, prohibits an individual tenant from occupying more than 60,000 square feet. To comply with the measure, the developer configured the project to allow for up to seven furniture and retail tenants.

City officials were concerned that the three Adler buildings would look like one sprawling warehouse.

Daniel Chudnovsky of DCA Architects said the buildings were designed with an eye toward “flexibility in the future” for other tenants. He said the design was modified to include 72 feet between the buildings and that the parking would be raised and not be visible to people driving on the freeway.

Council member John Edelston called the project “appropriate and important,” and said he was happy that more than just office buildings are coming to Agoura Hills.

The project is expected to be completed by next summer.

Adler announced May Realty Advisors Inc. will handle the tenant leasing.

“A key ingredient to the success of the Agoura Design Center is the attention placed on ensuring the buildings reflect the style and specific needs of highend furniture retailers,” said Matthew May, company president. “Since the average annual income of the area is more than $100,000, the nation’s leading furniture chains are eager to serve the lucrative Los Angeles and Ventura County markets.

“The Agoura Design Center is anticipated to be the perfect combination of demographics, exposure and high-quality product,” May said.