April 20, 2024 Your Source for Brentwood News

Berggruen Opponents Voice Concerns

More than 400 people attended a public forum at the Skirball Center on Jan. 21 to learn about the Berggruen Institute’s (BI) plans to build a think tank in the hills above Brentwood, between Mt. St. Mary’s College and Mountaingate.

The 447-acre site sits atop old landfills that emit methane gas. Nicholas Berggruen wants to tap into this methane source and use that to help power the Institute.

Twelve years ago, the site was zoned to allow developers Castle & Cooke to build 28 mansions, but an agreement was also forged with local environmental groups to keep the hiking trails in the area open in perpetuity.

While the housing project was eventually abandoned, the right to build the 28 mansions still exists. However, Berggruen recently purchased the property and is hoping to receive variances that will allow him to build his Institute.

There has already been pushback in the community over the proposed Institute and BI Executive Vice President Dawn Nakagawa said she hoped attendees would keep an open mind. The primary mission of the Institute, she said, is to help society adapt to the challenges of the 21st Century. She added that BI scholars were working on important issues like climate change, reducing taxes for the middle class and improving governance.

Plans for the Institute reveal a place for a helipad, which several people objected to, especially when it came to the noise issue, but Nakagawa said the helipad was included at the request of the LA Fire Department, and the Institute has no plans to use helicopters.

Among those who voiced their concerns was John Binder, who feared a fire at the site could quickly sweep west into Bundy, Kenter and Mandeville Canyons.

Travis Longcore, an expert on the impact of architecture on wildlife, said the Institute would eliminate an important corridor that allows animals, including mountain lions, to cross back and forth beneath the 405. He also called the Institute’s planned use of big glass panels “a bird killer,” because birds would fly into the glass because they can’t see it.

Despite the fact that Nakagawi said hiking trails in the area would not be closed, three attorneys in attendance – Eric Edmunds, Tom Freeman and Mike Leslie – all said they feared the trails would be closed by BI or that additional security could detract from hikers’ experiences.

The new trails would be in a different location than the trails envisioned in the original plan, Nakagawi said, but BI’s plans would spare 300 trees that would have been buried in a landfill if the original Castle & Cooke plan was adhered to.

“It’s hard to believe that 12 years later, after settling all this, here we are again,” said Edmunds. “We fought before, and we will fight again.”

 

 

 

Related Posts

June 2, 2023

June 2, 2023

Payment Mobile Apps for Fast Payouts in Online Casinos When gaming online, the thrill of winning is often matched by...

Report Shows Two-Thirds of Short-Term Rentals Violators in LA Operating Without Consequences

April 4, 2023

April 4, 2023

Better Neighbors LA report highlights the inadequacies of enforcement measures for short-term rentals in Los Angeles, calling for increased regulation...

Downtown LA Office Tower Defaults Raise Concerns, Westside Executives May Be Contributing Factor

March 5, 2023

March 5, 2023

Brookfield fails to pay a $465 million loan package for the Gas Company Tower at 555 W. 5th St. and...

Non-Profit Helping Relieve Financial Burden For Cancer Patients

November 16, 2022

November 16, 2022

Cancer Cartel is helping cancer patients focus on their treatment, not the financial stress of living with a diagnosis. Learn...

City Council Wants to Add 100 Miles of Bus-Only Lanes in Five Years

October 17, 2022

October 17, 2022

L.A’s public transportation network is known for being slow due to traffic congestion. A new motion by L.A. City Council...

What New Technologies are Used in Gambling: Canada 2022

April 1, 2022

April 1, 2022

The gambling industry is regulated with high-end technology worldwide, Canada has been one of the biggest provinces in the betting...

Stunning Music Academy in Brentwood will celebrate its Grand Opening, Sunday, February 20th.

February 18, 2022

February 18, 2022

Introducing the second location of the highly successful Angeles Academy of Music, which has become an icon of Westwood Village.  ...

Montalvo: Brentwood’s Newest Men’s Boutique

February 15, 2022

February 15, 2022

Montalvo Menswear & Custom Clothing has expanded into a bigger location in Brentwood after over 30 years in Santa Monica!...

Name Revealed for Alice Waters’s Westwood Restaurant

October 20, 2021

October 20, 2021

Westside Dining Scene October 21, 2021 By Dolores Quintana Esteemed chef Alice Waters’s upcoming Westwood restaurant’s and the name has...

Community Volunteer Patrol Program Brings Civilians New Insight Into Law Enforcement

October 19, 2021

October 19, 2021

The West LA Police Department has a community patrol program bridging the gap between civilians and law enforcement. Video brought...

San Vicente Encampment Update & Sheriff Encampment Clean Up

August 20, 2021

August 20, 2021

Submitted by Brentwood Community Council The latest update on the San Vicente homeless encampment in Brentwood, which last weekend was...

IPO Cosmetics Launches The World’s First 4Step Facial Kit

July 30, 2021

July 30, 2021

What if you could get quality skincare formulas in eco-friendly, space saving packaging?Meet It’s Perfect On (IPO) Cosmetics. With Korean...

Conscious Designs That Drive The Message Home

June 15, 2021

June 15, 2021

“Black Lives Matter” – The rallying cry that went from a hashtag to a global movement, and a designer that...

Edify TV: Closing Expo Line Bike Path Gap?

June 15, 2021

June 15, 2021

Plans are in the works to close a frustrating gap in the Expo Line Bike Path. Learn more in this...