New offices dig in on Agoura Road
By Stephanie Bertholdo bertholdo@theacorn.com

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers GROUND CREWS- Work begins on a massive underground parking structure that will be used for a 76,710-square-foot office building on Agoura Road near the Agoura Hills City Hall.

A large project under construction across from the Agoura Hills city hall and library will become the new home for several high tech companies, communication groups and research and development firms, according to the developers.

The Agoura Hills Planning Commission approved the 76,710squarefoot, twostory office building in 2002.

Brian Poliquin of Poliquin Kellogg Design Group in Woodland Hills said the style of the complex will maintain Agoura Hills' preferred craftsman-style design but with a modern twist.

Craftsman styling includes exposed rafters, deep overhanging eaves, low-pitched roof lines or gabled roofs and plenty of stone and woodwork. The Agoura Hills library was constructed in the craftsman style, as were many other commercial projects in the city.

Realty Bancorp Equities in Woodland Hills is named as the applicant for the project. The planning commission granted the applicant a conditional use permit for the building and a variance to increase the lot coverage area from 30 to 34.6 percent. Mike Kamino, city director of planning and community development, said the building is not located in the Agoura Village Specific Plan area, where buildings' sizes and heights are much more restricted.

"It is in the business parkmanufacturing zone, which calls for larger scale businesses such as light manufacturing, research and development and offices," Kamino said.

The variance was approved, he said, because the applicant agreed to split the lot into two. Line 6 Inc., an industry leader in guitar amplifier and multieffects modeling technology, sits on 3 acres, and the new building is on the adjacent 4acre lot. Both buildings will operate as a single business complex and will share parking, Kamino said.

To avoid the visual blight of what Poliquin called a "big field of parking," the design calls for massive subterranean parking space. The underground parking is in its early stages of construction and currently appears as a sweeping, 30-foot-deep hole in the ground.

The building will include curved roof elements, parapets, "punchout" windows with mullions, balconies, architectural railing, stone accents and other unique design features. "It's a pretty cool project," Poliquin said.

"It will be more in the vein of THQ remodel with a modern look," Poliquin said. Poliquin's design firm also handled the THQ Inc. remodel. He said the design took a modern view of the craftsman style to reflect the function of the company, which produces video games.

"The detailing takes its roots from craftsman, but has a modern flair," he said, adding that Agoura Road is becoming a "tech center."

"We try to design buildings to reflect those types of users," Poliquin said.

The new building will not be "looming," he said, but will be tapered into the hill. Entrances will be at the side.

The property is owned by Norman Cravetz and Doug Jacobson Family Holdings and Realty Bancorp Equities.

Steve Rice, owner of RCI Builders in Thousand Oaks, said it is estimated the project will cost $15.5 million.

Poliquin said the building should be completed and ready to lease within 10 to 11 months. "It's a pretty top shelf project," Poliquin said. "There's flair to it."