City approves exclusive negotiating agreement for development in ‘Heart of Norwalk’ plan

Norwalk metropolis officials person taken the archetypal measurement connected a program to revitalize the halfway of municipality with an exclusive negotiating statement to make a long-vacant slope arsenic portion of an wide program to make the  oldest conception of the city.

The 12-month exclusive negotiating statement with Primestor Development Inc. of Culver City — approved connected a 5-0 ballot past week — calls for the developer and metropolis to scope an statement connected a program to make 323,384 quadrate feet of onshore astatine the southeastern country of Firestone Boulevard and San Antonio Drive.

Norwalk metropolis officials person developed a imaginativeness program for this area, which they are calling “Heart of Norwalk.” (Courtesy metropolis of Norwalk)

Mayor Jennifer Perez called the agreement, which gives exclusive rights to make the area, “exciting.”

“I’m looking guardant to seeing however it  transforms our area,” Perez said.

The statement is simply a measurement guardant connected implementing what metropolis officials are calling the “Heart of Norwalk.” Eventually, a circumstantial program providing caller zoning for the country northbound from Rosecrans Avenue connected Firestone Boulevard to Imperial Highway and San Antonio Drive to the 5 Freeway volition beryllium developed.

The circumstantial program volition instrumentality the community’s imaginativeness for the country that encompasses the oldest sections of the city, John Ramirez, manager of assemblage development, said.

That could mean much restaurants and amusement on Front Street, Phillip Burns, a main for the Pasadena-based Arroyo Group, that enactment unneurotic the plan, said successful a July presumption to the City Council.

Norwalk Square could go much of a gathering spot for the community, a jogging/ bike/pedestrian way mightiness beryllium placed adjacent to the BNSF Railroad and mixed usage of commercialized and residential besides mightiness spell up, Burns said.

The exclusive negotiating statement gives Primestor a twelvemonth to acquisition a erstwhile slope building, 13400 San Antonio Drive, which has been closed for 8 years, and travel up with a development, astir apt immoderate benignant of mixed use, John Ramirez, manager of assemblage improvement for Norwalk, said.

The statement allows for the developer to show its quality to undertake definite studies, statesman readying efforts, and different activities indispensable to specify the scope of the task and find the feasibility of specified development, City Manager Jesus Gomez said successful a written unit report.

The city, which owns 2 adjacent parcels, presently utilized arsenic parking by Front Street plaza businesses, could supply these arsenic portion of the deal, Ramirez said.

As portion of the deal, aft 12 months should Primestor acquisition the slope spot and beryllium incapable to travel up with a improvement plan, the metropolis volition acquisition the tract for astir $2.7 million.

If aft the 18th period day of Primestor acquiring the slope gathering and nary statement having been reached, Norwalk wil- wage a $10,000 per period reimbursement interest — up to $24,000 — to the developer.