It looks like Voit Development Co. and Selleck Development Group will end the year by closing the book on The Plant, a development they began constructing in 1997. The joint venture has sold two of five facilities that comprise the final phase of the redevelopment of the former GM facility in Panorama City with the balance of the properties due to close shortly. The developers closed on one 200,000-square-foot building that was sold to Zodax and a 220,000 square foot property that was sold to Living Spaces Furniture, a retailer that will make its Valley debut with the transaction. The sale of a third property to Veratex is expected to close shortly as is a fourth, smaller property. The fifth building will be leased. The latest sales mark the completion of what has been considered one of the most successful redevelopment projects in the Valley and one that has been largely credited with helping to revitalize Panorama City. The first phase included an industrial complex and a retail shopping center. In all, The Plant comprises 1.75 million square feet of space. Living Spaces, which has two stores in Rancho Cucamonga and La Mirada, bills itself as the largest furniture store in Southern California. The showroom will occupy about 103,000 square feet with another 72,000 feet dedicated to warehouse space. Living Spaces’ business model offers furniture for immediate delivery. The retailer stocks a wide assortment, but does not offer custom orders. The store also distinguishes itself with a concept it calls “shoppertainment.” Customers are invited to peruse the offerings while sipping coffee or soda. There is a big screen TV with recliners for those who want to take a break from shopping, and the retailer provides a kid’s room equipped with books, movies and videogames. Zodax, a distributor of home accessories, and Veratex, a bedding and linens maker, both were among the earliest purchasers of properties at The Plant. The newest acquisitions comprise additional space for the companies. Zodax, which currently occupies a 100,000-square-foot building at The Plant, will occupy half of the new building and lease the balance. The Plant, a complex at Van Nuys Boulevard and Arminta Street, had been the site of a General Motors assembly facility that went dormant in the 1980s. Workers at the GM plant had once built the Panorama City area into a thriving suburb, but with the discontinuation of the operation, the area languished. GM initially sold a large portion of the property to the Selleck/Voit venture, resulting in the development of an industrial and retail complex. But at the time, GM retained the portion that comprised the second phase, including the 220,000 square foot building acquired by Living Spaces. Living Spaces is expected to demolish a part of that property to make way for a showroom and a warehouse. Calls to the company were not returned at press time. Neither Voit nor Selleck would comment on the price paid for the buildings. Brokers familiar with the area estimated that the Zodax property sold for somewhat less than $20 million. The Living Spaces property was listed at $24.2 million prior to the sale. David Hoffberg and Jerry Scullin, brokers with Delphi Business Properties, represented Zodax in the deal. Neither was available to comment for this story. John DeGrinis, Brent Weirick and Patrick Duross, brokers with Colliers International, represented the developers and Living Spaces. The team is also marketing the remaining building, a 17,000 square foot property that Selleck Development will offer for lease. They were not available for comment at press time. Burbank Office Building Sold A Burbank office building totaling 117,000-square feet has sold for $20 million. The property, at 2777 Ontario Ave., was acquired by a joint venture of Second Street Ventures and AEW Capital Management. Second Street Ventures, based in Marina del Rey, is a developer focused on urban infill projects along transportation corridors. The seller was Ken Holland’s Trust. Castaic Sale A shopping center in Castaic was sold for $15.4 million. The Castaic Town Center, at 27900 Sloan Canyon Road, sits on 11 acres of land and totals 40,100 square feet of space. It is anchored by Walgreen’s. The center was built in 2006. Bert Abel, John Cserkuti and Barry Rothstein, all with NAI Capital, along with Jeff Hanson and Ryan Gallagher, brokers with Grubb & Ellis, represented Castaic Town Center LLC in the transaction. Warner Area Sale A four-story office building in Canoga Park was sold for $14.75 million. The property, totaling 80,014 square feet, is located at 6800 Owensmouth Ave. It is 97 percent leased with about 27 tenants. Mark Leonard, a broker with Lee & Associates, represented the buyer, ECI Owensmouth LLC, and the seller, Weinreb Family Trust. Valencia Headquarters Underway Mechanix Wear, a maker of performance gloves used by motorsports competitors and others, is building an $11 million headquarters in Valencia. Under development by Sheridan Ebbert Real Estate Development, the project will comprise 75,000 square feet and sit on a five-acre site at 28525 Witherspoon Parkway. Oltmans Construction Co. is the general contractor. Simi Sale A five-acre parcel of industrial land has sold in Simi Valley for $5.45 million, a price the brokers say is the highest paid per-square-foot for Simi Valley. The property, at 4753 E. Los Angeles Ave., contains two 4,000 squre foot industrial buildings. Given that land availability in Simi Valley and surrounding regions is extremely tight, the land was sold at a premium price of approximately $25 per square foot,” said Darren Cline, a broker with Colliers International who, along with Colliers’ John DeGrinis, represented the seller of the property, Air Liquide America. The buyer was not disclosed. Senior reporter Shelly Garcia can be reached at (818) 316-3123 or by e-mail at [email protected] .

I used to think that we were all obsessed with sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll. I was wrong; we’re obsessed with numbers. It’s official: quantity has won out over quality. We decide on what films to see based on how they’re doing at the box-office as the media dutifully reports to us each Monday rather than how good we think they are. We check the weekly TV ratings to see if what we watch is “in” or “out.” And if I have to hear one more “Top Ten” list of things that happened this year I’ll Deep Six the whole list! When opening for holiday shopping at 9:30 a.m. the other morning, the manager of the Costco at Roscoe Boulevard. and Canoga Avenue loudly declaimed to those in line, “I only have 93 Playstation 3s.” Pity the 94th mother in line. And then, of course, there’s sports. My New York friend John Goodman lives and dies based on where his beloved Red Sox are in the baseball standings. But I have to admit it was nice to see that it was their index fingers UCLA basketball fans were displaying last week, not another digit, to designate their number one standing. But some numbers really are important (OK, being the number-one basketball team in America is important). Dec. 7 is a date that, as President Roosevelt told us, “will live in infamy.” When it comes to World War II, that is certainly true, but when it comes to the Valley’s progress, it was a very good day indeed. It was the day that the U.S. Census Bureau, for the very first time, revealed statistics related to us. That’s right, we’re now a separate statistical district. Roughly, the nation’s newest statistical district is that portion of Los Angeles north of Mulholland Drive, plus the cities of San Fernando, Burbank, Glendale, Calabasas, and even a bit of county land. And those of us who have used the line, “If the Valley was a separate city, we’d be the sixth-largest in the nation,” now have to change it to “the fifth-largest in the nation.” Because with a population of 1.74 million, the San Fernando Valley is behind only New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston. Based on the Census Bureau’s first look at the Valley, it is clear that this region has morphed dramatically from being a white, middle-class suburb of Los Angeles to a particularly diverse area. More than 40 percent of us are foreign-born. Diverse area According to the statistics released this month, 61.4 percent of the Valley is made up of white residents, 41.6 are Latino, 10.9 percent are Asian, and 4.3 percent are African-American. While that adds up to 118.2 percent, the Census Bureau explains that individuals could register under more than one category meaning that a whole lot of us identify ourselves as a member of more than one of the four groupings. How much more diverse could a community be? No longer merely a bedroom community for commuters who live here but work (that dreaded phrase) “over the hill,” the Valley is a job generator, and a potent and important one at that. Perhaps most surprising is how similar we are to the rest of the city. Yes, our median household income is higher than the rest of the city’s ($51,717 vs. $42,667); 52 percent of our resident are homeowners compared to the city’s 40 percent; and only(!) 12.9 percent of us are below the poverty level, compared to a shocking 20.1 percent in the city. But in most categories, there is great similarity. Result of secession The push for a separate census designation is a direct outgrowth of the secession movement. It’s sort of a sop: “You can’t be a separate city, but we’ll give you separate numbers.” But why should we care? The real answer is, it doesn’t matter at all unless we use these numbers to benefit ourselves. Now our elected officials can fight for funding for Valley transportation, social services, affordable housing, tax-incentive empowerment zones, and other government monies, based on the Valley being a distinct entity. Now we can provide businesses considering relocating to the Valley with real numbers regarding our well-educated and experienced workforce. We can prove that we have more than 107,000 residents with graduate or professional degrees and an additional 227,000 with bachelor’s degrees. “Businesses are looking for an educated workforce,” Congressman Brad Sherman correctly points out. Beyond that, according to Professor of Economics Dan Blake, Director of the San Fernando Valley Economic Research Center at CSUN, businesses can look at the characteristics of the area and see that this is a market that has a large middle-class, lots of homeowners, and a fluid population 13 percent of us move each year. Marketers, he says, can tailor their goods and services to who is actually here. Now we can prove that the San Fernando Valley is a diverse, vibrant, economically viable, and demonstrably important region with or without the rest of Los Angeles. Hooray for us! “We’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto.” Dorothy, in The Wizard of Oz Martin Cooper is Chairman of Cooper Beavers, Inc., marketing and communications. He is the Immediate Past Chairman of VICA, Past President of the Public Relations Society of America-Los Angeles Chapter and of the Encino Chamber of Commerce, and is Vice President of the Los Angeles Quality and Productivity Commission. He can be reached at [email protected] .

This regular feature focuses on philanthropic activities by Valley-area companies and businesspeople. The San Fernando Valley offices of Coldwell Banker took part in its recent “Day of Giving: From Our Hearts to Their Homes” food drive, donating 1,313 pounds of food to Valley area charities. The total amount collected and contributed by Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Southern California was an estimated 15,000 pounds of food and over $6,000 to assist families in need during the holiday season. “I applaud the generosity and efforts of the Coldwell Banker agents, managers, staff and local contributors who worked so hard,” said Betty Graham, president and chief operating officer of Coldwell Banker Greater Los Angeles and Orange County. “Without their help, this drive would not have been the overwhelming success it was.” Nursing Donation Encino-Tarzana Regional Medical Center and the Tenet Healthcare Foundation continued its support of the Pierce College’s Nursing Program by recently donating $50,000. The presentation of the contribution took place in Swisher Park on the Pierce College campus. In attendance representing Pierce College were Tom Oliver, vice president of administrative services; Mark Pracher, grant writer; Robert Garber, president; Christi Hamilton, nursing chair; Nabil Abu-Ghazaleh, vice president of academic affairs; and Dennis Washburn, executive director, foundation for Pierce College. Presenters from Encino-Tarzana Regional Medical Center included Dale Surowitz, CEO and Jody Junor, director of staff development. Community Support Employers Direct Insurance Company in Agoura Hills made philanthropy part of its year-long policy by making financial and volunteer contributions to various charities. Its 2006 donations included $10,000 to the Southwest Los Angeles Rotary Club to help inner city high school students; $10,000 to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Conejo and Las Virgenes as part of a program to build six clubs for children from Calabasas to Newbury Park; $25,000 to Casa de Amma, an apartment community which assists adults with learning challenges by providing vocational, residential and educational opportunities. Employers Direct employees also chose to forego their company picnic to participate in the Relay for Life of Conejo Valley, raising $30,000 for the American Cancer Society. Barbara Sheppard Research Fundraiser The Hyatt Westlake Plaza Hotel in Westlake Village hosted the Conejo Valley Chapter of Phi Alpha Kappa’s first holiday boutique. The proceeds will be donated to breast cancer research and the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation of the Conejo Valley. The event is just one of many fundraisers held throughout the year by the group including wine tours and cooking demonstrations which benefit these two charities. The 2006 total donations are estimated to be over $3,500 with the money being presented at a future convention. Barbara Sheppard

Here’s a scoop for you frozen yogurt is back in style. Not the sugary stuff that guilt-ridden noshers substitute for ice cream, but real, bacteria laced yogurt frozen into a naturally sweetened concoction and served up in the kind of caf & #233; that is usually reserved for $5 coffee drinks. The idea seems to have been imported from South Korea, where, curiously enough, the national staple kimchi is prized in part for a bacteria similar to that found in genuine yogurt cultures and thought to ward off a host of ills. This newly re-fashioned dish first appeared at a no-frills shop called Pinkberry, where it caused a sensation, not to mention a neighborhood parking scandal, when it opened in West Hollywood and converts clogged the streets looking for a parking space. The shop has since expanded to seven locations including one in Studio City. Another independent, Limelite, has opened in recent weeks in Sherman Oaks. But the real sweet spot of the newest trend may be yet to come. A South Korean franchisor with about 50 such shops throughout Asia, is getting ready to move into the U.S. market with a plan to open 30 stores in Southern California by early next year and 100 stores nationally by the end of 2007. “The conventional frozen yogurt, it’s 30 years since it started. They were basically a different ice cream,” said Jacob Yoo, general manager of Yogurberry U.S.A., which is seeking locations for about five or six shops in the greater San Fernando Valley for its launch. “Our food is more health conscious. Our frozen yogurt tastes more like yogurt that’s been frozen.” Frozen yogurt has been a staple at food courts, bakeries and quick-dining establishments for decades. Containers of frozen yogurt sit side-by-side with pints of ice cream in the grocer’s freezer section. A Fruit ‘N Yogurt Parfait is even on the menu at McDonald’s. So what’s the big deal about these new yogurt shops? The new dish being served up typically has no artificial flavors or sweeteners and it contains live cultures the same lactobacillus acidophilus bifidus that first put yogurt on the map at health food stores. Even with the addition of fruits and fruit sweeteners, fans say there is a tang to the yogurt or smoothies that are usually available as well that is distinctly different from the varieties that have dominated the American market. Lounge setting Limelite, whose owners first tried the dish in Korea, imports its base from Italy. But like Pinkberry, which is owned by Hyekyung Hwang, Limelite also offers its yogurt in plain and green tea flavors and serves it up in a slick neon green setting. “We’ll have a couch,” said Lana Chung, who opened the shop with Dennis La in November. “We want it to be as comfortable and lounge-y as possible. We wanted to create a caf & #233; type atmosphere.” The planned Yogurberry stores will be equally as contemporary, although not quite as elaborately designed as their Korean counterparts. As they moved into the mainstream, many yogurt products and frozen yogurt in particular have largely lost their original characteristics and health benefits. Which is not to say that they haven’t been popular. In 2005, sales of packaged yogurt totaled $4.9 billion with yogurt smoothies adding another $929.4 million, according to data compiled by Packaged Facts, the publishing division of MarketResearch.com. While the researchers project that solid yogurt will grow by a modest 3.5 percent between 2005 and 2010, yogurt-filled smoothies are expected to see a 37.7 percent growth rate compounded annually during that time. “While yogurt sales in the U.S. are at an all time high and the market has reached a certain level of maturity, there is still much potential for continued growth, potentially someday seeing consumption rates on a par with Europe, which is four to five times higher, the authors of the Packaged Facts study wrote. Various groups are touting dairy as an aid to weight loss and cultured dairy products are gaining a reputation for helping to combat diseases like diabetes, heart disease and even some cancers. Health factors The popularity of Yogurberry in Asia is at least in part due to the perceived health benefits of the yogurt. “Korean people have always been into organic food,” said Mike Choi, vice president of NAI Capital’s Pacific Rim Division, who is working with Yogurberry to find sites in this country. “They like any organic food.” But while the yogurt is typically all natural and low-fat, it is the taste that will have to win over the American palate. Another Asian-born food novelty, Boba, drinks made with tapioca balls, quickly fizzled in the U.S. market. But at Limelite, which is adding mango and chocolate flavors to its frozen yogurt offerings along with smoothies and a selection of teas, Chung says she is confident that the taste, coupled with the draw of fresh, natural ingredients, will win over customers. “This type of product is different,” Chung said. “It is lighter and more refreshing. And our toppings are freshly made every day. That’s what’s drawing people.”

The recent passage of ordinances requiring Century Boulevard hotels to pay “living wages” sounds fair. After all, how can you argue against paying employees a decent wage? My argument, though, is with “redlining.” That’s right, drawing a line around a business district and determining that those businesses will be required to pay wages determined by government. Of course, we all remember redlining as a process used by insurance companies to charge higher rates in certain areas based on the argument that “losses” were greater in the subject areas. Back then, the same held true for mortgages as well. Those days have gone by the wayside. But now we have a new type of redlining based on a flimsy argument that since the hotels benefit from the presence of the city-owned airport, the city can apply the same wage requirements they impose on businesses contracting directly with the city. Seems like a stretch to me. But then again, we all see the world differently. Only three council members opposed the ordinance Smith, Zine and Parks, and the mayor signed it into law. I guess the next step will be to claim that because businesses along Devonshire and Chatsworth Streets and for that matter, every other business street in the North Valley is flourishing because of their proximity to city-owned streets, government is therefore justified in dictating the wages those businesses must pay. After all, they benefit from the traffic on the city-owned roads. I guess the next step our wise elected officials will argue is that that since the streets are unquestionably newer and cleaner in the San Fernando Valley than in other parts of the city, let’s redline for increased salaries based on the economic vitality of select business corridors. Sounds ludicrous, doesn’t it? But if you accept the logic behind the council’s and the mayor’s recent action, rest assured that the latter scenario is consistent with their illogical thinking. If City Hall wants to get into the business of fighting poverty, it should do so with great deliberation, research, discussion and thought. Knee-jerk legislation may make them feel better, but nothing will be accomplished for anyone but the council members and the mayor. They get to claim that they’ve scored a victory on behalf of the “working poor.” And so, they’ve done the job. They can sigh in relief; avoid doing the really tough work of finding lasting solutions; and continue to perpetuate the fraudulent impression that they care and are addressing the issue responsibly. Shame on them! Wayne Adelstein is president and CEO of the North Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce

Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council Committee Meeting Planning and Land Use 6:30 p.m. Sherman Oaks Public Library 14245 Moorpark St. Sherman Oaks shermanoaksnc.org (818) 503-2399

The office manager for the Moorpark Chamber of Commerce has been elected the organization’s president and CEO. Lisa Masotti will take over running the day-to-day operations of the organization, which represents 340 business owners. She replaces Virginia Hayward, who stepped after five years in September. The 12-member board of directors selected Masotti unanimously for the position.

Warner Bros. Entertainment will invest in a leading European video game publisher that will create and distribute games based on Warner Bros. characters, the company announced Friday. Burbank-based Warner Bros. Entertainment will make a 10 percent investment in SCi Entertainment Group, the parent company of publishing label Eidos Interactive Ltd. Under the licensing agreement, Eidos Interactive will create games based on Batman, Looney Tunes characters, Hanna-Barbera characters and the television show “The OC.” Eidos and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group entered into a primary distribution agreement in which Warner Bros. provides warehousing, logistics merchandising and media buying services in the United States. Eidos will continue to run all other aspects of its U.S. operations including manufacturing, sales, marketing and public relations. through its U.S. publishing office. The investment, licensing and distribution agreements are all pending SCi shareholder approval. In a statement, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group President Kevin Tsujihara said the move solidifies the company’s commitment to the rapidly growing interactive and gaming space. “This deal is consistent with our core strategy of delivering high quality entertainment based on some of the world’s best-loved brands for all formats and channels,” Tsujihara said. “We look forward to working with SCi to build games the fans of these brands will truly enjoy.”

The Guitar Center said today it has pulled its offer to acquire The Woodwind & The Brasswind after another bidder emerged for the retailer. Guitar Center had offered $37.1 million as a stalking horse for the company, which is in bankruptcy. But soon after, Steinway Musical Instruments offered $40.5 million. The assets of The Woodwind & The Brasswind will be sold at bankruptcy auction on Jan. 24.

Electronic Clearing House Inc. has been acquired by Intuit Inc. for $142 million, the company announced Thursday. The purchase is the second in as many weeks of a San Fernando Valley company by Intuit, a provider of business and financial management solutions for small and mid-sized businesses. Camarillo-based Electronic Clearing House provides debit and credit card processing and check verification services to merchants, banks, and collection agencies. The acquisition expands Intuit’s reach and capabilities in the fast-growing payments market, said Intuit President and Chief Executive Officer Steve Bennett. “It will enhance our leadership position with small and medium-size businesses and accelerate growth,” Bennett said. While expanding the company’s customer base and sales and distribution channels, it also gives Intuit an expanding presence in the west Valley. Mountain View-based Intuit announced Nov. 30 the acquisition of Calabasas-based online banking software company Digital Insight for $1.35 billion in cash. The Electronic Clearing House transaction is subject to regulatory review, shareholder approval and customary closing conditions. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of calendar year 2007 at which time Electronic Clearing House becomes a wholly owned subsidiary of Intuit.