HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-10-10 - AGENDA REPORTS - PROPTY ACQUISITION 26326-26330 CITRUS STO
Agenda Item: 1
1. CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
AGENDA REPORT
NEW BUSINESS
14)
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL: '
DATE: October 10, 2023
SUBJECT: REAL PROPERTY ACQUISITION OF A +/- 15,000 SQUARE -FOOT
COMMERCIAL FACILITY LOCATED AT 26326 - 26330 CITRUS
STREET
DEPARTMENT: City Manager's Office
PRESENTER: Michael Villegas
RECOMMENDED ACTION
City Council:
1. Approve the real property acquisition of a +/- 15,000 square -foot building and associated
land in Valencia, Assessor's Parcel Number 2861-009-040, commonly known as 26326 -
26330 Citrus Street, at a total cost of $5,590,373, which includes $5,550,000 for the purchase
price, $15,000 for title, escrow, due diligence, and $25,373 for reserves owed to seller.
2. Authorize the transfer of $4,178,160 from the General Fund (1009500-710130) to the Citrus
Facility Fund (130-600100) and $1,412,213 from the Public, Education, and Government
Fund (3309500-710130) into the Citrus Facility Fund (130-600330).
3. Appropriate $5,590,373 from the Citrus Facility Fund (Fund 130) to Property Acquisition
Expenditure Account (1309008-520105), for the purchase price of the property and related
costs.
4. Increase Rental Income Revenue Account 130-431107 by $206,130 (Citrus Facility Fund).
5. Authorize the transfer of $1,412,213 from the General Fund (1009500-710330) to the Public,
Education, Government Fund (330-600100) to reimburse the PEG fund for the purchase of
the Roger Dunn Property in Fiscal Year 2017-18.
6. Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to enter into a Purchase and Sale Agreement to
acquire the property and to execute any amendments and documents needed for the purchase
of this property, subject to City Attorney approval.
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BACKGROUND
The City of Santa Clarita (City) has long partnered with SCVTV through the Santa Clarita Public
Television Authority to provide operational management, production, and oversight of video
programming for the City's Public, Education, and Government (PEG) Channel. SCVTV's
production and operations are currently conducted in an approximately 3,542-square-foot facility
located at 22505 14th Street. While the facility has been home to SCVTV for several decades,
SCVTV has expressed the need for a larger, more modern facility for several years, as the
current studio is approximately 670 square feet. A larger studio space would allow SCVTV to
offer greater opportunities to collaborate and offer studio space for local schools and universities,
as well as local professionals.
With the current six -year lease on the 14th Street facility expiring this year, City staff and
SCVTV have actively looked into various rental opportunities for a potential relocation for
SCVTV. Several sites were explored early in the year, however, the rental costs deemed them
infeasible. In May 2023, City staff were notified of a vacant 9,500-square-foot suite located on
Citrus Street adjacent to Westfield Valencia Town Center, just north of City Hall. The facility
(Citrus Building) is owned by, and is the current headquarters of, Lundgren Management
(Lundgren), a long-standing, local construction management firm who played a critical role in
the construction of Valencia High School and several buildings at College of the Canyons.
The entire facility totals approximately 15,000-square-feet and is currently subdivided into three
units. Approximately 5,500-square-feet of the frontage of the building is currently leased to two
tenants, MEND Health & Wellness and a local dentist office, with both tenants having executed
10-year leases. The remaining 9,500-square-foot unit, located in the rear of the facility, currently
houses Lundgren's administrative staff. The unit is an open warehouse format, with 14 offices,
large removal cubicles, several conference rooms, and plenty of storage area.
City staff across several departments completed inspections of the facility and have found it to be
well -maintained and in excellent condition. In addition, SCVTV toured the suite on several
occasions and deemed it suitable for its operations. Further, based on preliminary design plans
provided by SCVTV, the facility would need minimal tenant improvements (TI) and would
provide a much larger studio space that would allow for more effective and efficient use of the
studio. While the suite was posted for lease, Lundgren expressed its desire to sell the entire
facility at a sale price of $5.8 million. Upon receiving this information, City staff completed
initial due diligence for the property, including an appraisal, which valued it at $5.72 million.
In July, the City Council provided direction to pursue the purchase of the facility. Since then,
City staff have been actively negotiating with Lundgren representatives for the purchase of the
facility as well as completing additional due diligence, as done with all acquisitions. In early
September, a conditional offer was accepted by Lundgren, pending City Council approval, for a
sale price of $5.55 million, in addition to a few other detail points.
Purchase Agreement
In addition to a sale price of $5.55 million, Lundgren and City staff worked out three deal points.
The first is associated with the tenant improvement allowance (TIA) owed to the dental office as
part of the executed lease agreement. The dental office is currently completing the TI work to
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become operational, with an anticipated completion timeline of late 2023. Given that the TIA is
part of the existing lease agreement and work is underway, Lundgren has agreed to satisfy the
TIA obligation, estimated at $72,000, directly with the dental office through a separate
agreement.
Lundgren is in the process of ceasing operations permanently and has requested to lease back the
suite through December 31 at no cost. Given that the TI needed for SCVTV will not be
completed for several months, as they will require the City to go through a bidding process and
present a contract for City Council approval, City staff agreed to the lease back. While no rent is
being assessed for the unit, Lundgren will be responsible for covering any standalone expenses
associated with operating the facility. Lastly, the facility is located within a larger plaza that has
shared maintenance expenses managed through an association. As part of the deal, Lundgren has
expressed its desire to receive a credit for its share of the reserves in the association, which
amount to $25,373.
Funding for the Citrus Building
In January 2018, the City Council authorized the purchase of the old Roger Dunn building along
Main Street for $1.4 million using PEG Funds, with the intent of relocating SCVTV to that
location. However, after conducting an analysis on the TI needed to complete the move and
adequately meet the needs of SCVTV, the site was deemed infeasible and cost prohibitive. For
this reason, City staff is recommending to reimburse the PEG Fund in the amount of the original
purchase price.
With a reimbursement to the PEG Fund, staff is also recommending the City Council use the
same $1.4 million that has already been committed to public television and use it towards the
acquisition of the Citrus Building, as SCVTV will use the majority of the facility. The
approximate $4.175 million contribution from the General Fund will be provided in the form of
an internal, one-time loan to be repaid using rental income from tenants of the Citrus Building,
inclusive of interest at a rate of three percent.
Next Steps
Upon approval of the recommended actions, City staff would work with Lundgren to finalize the
purchase of the Citrus Building, while also assisting SCVTV with its current lease at 14th Street.
In addition, staff will work with SCVTV to complete architectural designs for the TI needed and
complete a formal bid process. An agenda item to approve the construction contract and funding
needed to facilitate the move for SCVTV will be brought forward for City Council consideration
at a future date.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION
Other action as determined by the City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT
Upon approval of the recommended actions, sufficient funds totaling $5,590,373 will be
available in the Property Acquisition Expenditure Account 1309008-520105 (Citrus Facility
Fund, Fund 130) to facilitate the acquisition of the facility. Funding will be used for the punccase
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of the building and associated land, administrative costs associated with the acquisition, and
reserves owed to the seller. Additional funding necessary to maintain and operate the facility will
be requested at a future date, once the City takes ownership of the facility and completes a full
assessment.
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