Culver City : Developer for Drive-In Site

Moving quickly to pick a developer for the Studio Drive-In site after its first choice pulled out of the job last month, the City Council decided this week to enter into exclusive negotiations with D&S; Corp. and its partner, Ring Financial.

The vote by the council, acting in its capacity as the city Redevelopment Agency, was 4 to 1, with Mayor Steven Gourley opposed.

D&S; lost out to Watt Homes Inc. in a design competition for the city-owned site. But Watt backed out last month after a disagreement with the Redevelopment Agency over building the project in phases.

The D&S; proposal calls for 190 units of housing on the 9.5-acre site at Sepulveda and Jefferson boulevards. The complex would include 91 townhouses, 48 condominiums and 51 senior housing units built around courtyards, underground parking and a day-care center. D&S; estimated the average cost of the units at $270,000.

Gourley said he was opposed to the D&S; proposal because it was mediocre, “like something we’d see in Orange County.”

“I think we should have the crown jewel,” Gourley said. “I think we deserve some creative ideas for this project, and we don’t have that here.”

He suggested that more ideas be solicited for the development.

But other council members said it was better not to delay choosing a plan for the site.

“I also like to dream, but dreams are not constrained by financial conditions or housing needs,” Councilman Paul A. Jacobs said.

But he added: “This certainly isn’t . . . my idea of spectacular.”