Kaplan Survives Appeals Against Woodland Hills Development

Kaplan Companies has beat back two appeals to block its plan to replace a defunct Fry’s Electronics store in Woodland Hills with a 1.2-million-square foot hotel and housing project.

The Los Angeles City Planning Commission voted to reject the appeals against the Houston-based developer’s 8.8-acre project at 6100 North Canoga Avenue in the Warner Center, Urbanize Los Angeles reported.

The appeals by the West Valley Alliance for Optimal Living and Jeff Bornstein, who both hired the same lawyer, argued the project needed further environmental review. They also wanted the developer to give land for a park, rather than pay fees to the city.

Kaplan Survives Appeals Against Woodland Hills Development — Rendering of plans for 6100 North Canoga Avenue, Los Angeles (AO)

The 114,000-square-foot Fry’s closed in early 2021 during a shutdown of 31 stores by the San Jose-based electronics retailer, which went out of business. Kaplan bought the site a year earlier for $48 million.

The mixed-use project, to be called District at Warner Center, would include two 11-story apartment buildings with 852 units and a 2,200-square-foot market. A 12-story building would house a 204-room hotel and bistro.

The complex, to be built in three phases, would include parking for 1,400 cars. Construction would take four years.

The project, designed by Orange-based AO, would include 316 live/work units surrounded by plazas and greenery. A project site plan shows two courtyards with pools.

District at Warner Center would be built across Canoga Avenue for the former Anthem Blue Cross office building, which Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke bought last year for $175 million.

Kroenke has since proposed turning its parking lot into a temporary practice facility for the Rams ahead of the potential redevelopment of 96 acres he acquired in Warner Center.

Kaplan Companies, doing business as Kaplan Multifamily, has offices in Irvine and Phoenix, according to its LinkedIn page. Since it was founded in 1978, Kaplan has developed, managed or bought more than 35,000 apartments.

— Dana Bartholomew