Hilton Foundation gets final approval in Agoura





The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, a multimillion-dollar, worldwide charitable organization received final approval from city officials March 9 to build a new headquarters in Agoura Hills.

The foundation, which was established in 1944 by the founder of the Hilton Hotels, carries approximately $2 billion in assets and each year gives away more than $100 million to a variety of charitable organizations in the U.S. and globally.

The building will be sited on Agoura Road, west of Reyes Adobe Road and at the base of Ladyface Mountain. The project will be built in four stages over 25 years.

Approval was give despite the discovery of a rare plant species on the property, the Ojai navarretia, a white flowering plant native to Ventura County and the western edge of Los Angeles County. Botanists feared the 1,000 navarretia plants, which were found where a parking structure is to be built, might not be able to be transplanted.

The Hilton Foundation will be required to save between 30 and 50 percent of the plant population.

Council members said they were pleased to hear that an above-ground tram to be built to move workers between office buildings will allow wildlife to roam across the grounds. The tram is need to carry people up and down the 80-foot grade between buildings.

The grounds will be landscaped with native Californian plants, trees and shrubs. Stormwater will be treated on site. The flat roof will be planted with vegetation, and solar panels will generate heat and operate the buildings’ cooling system.

According to president and CEO Steve Hilton, the project will go beyond the highest environmental standards and give the community a “ net- zero” building, which means all energy used will be renewable.

Councilmember Bill Koehler said the Hilton Foundation was one of the “ most significant projects to come before the City Council in some time.” Koehler approved of the project’s using only 3 percent of the land in the 66-acre property. Much of the Hilton-owned land will be granted to the city as permanent open space.

“If this project doesn’t meet all the criteria we’ve talked about for years, then I don’t know what does,” said Denis Weber City Council member. “You could have gone anywhere and bought a building . . . but you chose our city.”

“I couldn’t be more excited,” Councilmember Dan Kuperberg said of the project.

Mayor Harry Schwarz said Agoura Hills always stood for “serenity” and the Hilton project will demonstrate the city’s commitment to the environment.

Hilton said his foundation chose to make Agoura Hills a home for the same reasons other people do.

“It’s a great place to live and raise a family,” he said.



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