Calabasas Inn will not be demolished, city officials say
By Joann Groff joann@theacorn.com

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers STILL AROUND—Instead of being razed, the nearly 40-year-old Calabasas Inn will be saved as part of a condominium and business development. Plans, however, aren’t finalized.

Latest plans for the Calabasas Inn property show that the developer now intends to save the 40yearold structure instead of demolishing it as originally planned.

The Inn sits on a 5.43-acre piece of land at 23500 Park Sorrento Drive near Calabasas Lake. In July, the City Council and planning commission looked at a plan submitted by Calabasasbased builder D2 Development that proposed tearing down the Inn and developing condominiums and businesses.

More than half the 114 units proposed were slated for senior or affordable housing, and 30 percent of the project would be stores and businesses.

“The Calabasas Inn is actually going to stay a part of the project now,” said Glenn Michitsch, a senior planner for the city of Calabasas. “It was originally going to be demolished and made into something else, but the latest plans demonstrated the Inn serving as some type of meeting or assembly hall.”

Council members and the public asked questions and expressed concerns regarding traffic impacts, connector trails, building aesthetics and how the project might affect nearby McCoy Creek.

After a technical review by the city and outside agencies, developers reworked the plan.

The revised submission outlines just 75 units and designates no affordable or senior housing.

“The project is very similar,” Michitsch said. “It includes condos that are, as of right now, undefined, whether they are senior, affordable or regular market rate. I think the plan is to have some form of affordable or senior.

“The condos are mixed with commercial retail, including restaurants and a grocery market, but not a mega store, some smaller type market.”

But the revised proposal still does not fit into General Plan and zoning designations, according to Michitsch, who cited problems with parking space and density ratios.

“It will probably get revised,” Michitsch said. “I think certain components will need to” be changed.

City planners are reviewing the project and environmental and design reviews will be performed. The plan will then be resubmitted to the planning commission and City Council.

“We just need to nail down a footprint and one that will work with the code, and then we can set some more timelines,” Michitsch said.

Larry Dinovitz of D2 Development has said he wants to create a pedestrian-friendly project with connections to The Commons, Old Town and the Calabasas Tennis and Swim Club.

Dinovitz said D2 wants to build a river-walk style pathway, but Michitsch said no plan for such a feature has yet been developed.