The Thousand Oaks City Council has approved a major green light on the road to an estimated $123.2 million expansion of the Civic Arts Plaza and its potential to boost downtown.
The vision has grown clearer since the council awarded a contract in 2019 for a consultant to prepare a master plan for the 20-acre site at 2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd.
Council members voted unanimously on May 7 in favor of issuing a request for proposals for a project that features a new $50.5 million City Hall building along with retail space, restaurants and housing on a nine-building campus.
The action moves the city from the conceptual stage to calling for bids for preliminary design work, Deputy City Manager Akbar Alikhan said last week. Responding consultants would likely include architects, engineers and planning professionals.
Contracts are expected to be awarded in the fall, Alikhan said.
The Civic Arts Plaza currently features two connected buildings: the Janet & Ray Scherr Forum Theatre and the larger Fred Kavli Theatre. City Hall is in the building with the Scherr theater, which doubles as council chambers.
After the new City Hall is built, the current venue would be remodeled for retail on the ground floor and commercial offices on the second and third floors, Alikhan said.
The expansion would add seven new structures, including three mixed-use buildings with retail on the ground floor and apartments or condominiums on possibly three upper floors, he said. The remaining buildings would be retail.
Other components in the mix include a short Main Street where farmers markets and street fairs could take place, an indoor public market and an amphitheater.
Mayor Al Adam said last week the expansion would give the council separate chambers in the new City Hall, which would be less of a labyrinth and more accessible than the current facility.
During the meeting, the mayor made note of the overall project's significance.
“I see this as the most consequential decision this council has made since the building of the Civic Arts Plaza 30 years ago,” Adam said.
Downtown boost
Supporters say the project could help revitalize downtown.
An expanded civic center could create momentum for future commercial growth and housing on Thousand Oaks Boulevard, said Danielle Borja, president and CEO of the Greater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce, when discussing the project last week.
People could go to a wine bar or restaurant at the plaza before heading to a play or concert, she said. The expansion could inspire new restaurants at the adjacent mall, The Lakes at Thousand Oaks.
Adam said the goal is to make the Civic Arts Plaza a place for activity throughout the day and evening.
“Right now, people go to the theaters, come for the show and leave," the mayor said. "We would love to see people get there early and stay late."
Alikhan said the Downtown Core Master Plan, adopted in 2018, set in motion the vision for the Civic Arts Plaza and adjacent properties. Progress on the project was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The city has already set aside $35 million to launch the expansion, the deputy city manager said. The finalized proposal could go before planning commissioners and the council in 2026.
If there are no more significant interruptions, construction could start around the end of 2027 or early 2028, Alikhan said. The new City Hall building could be finished by 2030, with the overall center complete by 2032.
Future funding could include cash allocations or, if interest rates fall, lease revenue bonds used for construction, he said. Private developers are expected to build the mixed-use structures.
At the May 7 meeting, more than 15 residents and business representatives spoke in favor of the proposal and the council received more than a dozen letters and emails in support. No one voiced opposition.
Simi Valley resident Lauren Lerch told the council as the owner of a Thousand Oaks business and the mother of three kids she favors the civic center's expansion.
“We’re always looking for fun, outdoor local attractions that we can enjoy as a family,” Lerch said.
Dave Mason covers East County for the Ventura County Star. He can be reached atdave.mason@vcstar.com or 805-437-0232.
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