Shock ‘n awe at the good news coming from Disney today:
The Walt Disney Co. today filed plans to build a sprawling soundstage and production complex on the northwest corner of its Golden Oak Ranch in the Santa Clarita Valley.
The proposed Disney/ABC Studios at the Ranch would occupy 56 acres of the sprawling, 890-acre ranch just off Route 14 at Placerita Canyon Road, just south of Santa Clarita. Plans call for six pairs of soundstages, talent bungalows, administrative and production offices, storage and a commissary and other amenities.
Meanwhile, the Signal says:
The Disney | ABC Studios at the Ranch, planned for the western edge of Disney’s Golden Oak Ranch, would create about 2,854 full- and part-time jobs, with about 1,000 of them on-site, Disney-ABC officials said.
A City of Santa Clarita Tweet says “Disney/ABC Studios at The Ranch in Santa Clarita = new soundstages resulting in 1,000s of jobs & $100s of millions in economic activity.”
This is really really good news for our valley. It’s easily on par with Princess Cruises’ decision to move from Culver City to Santa Clarita about 10-11 years ago (and bring with them 900+ high paying, white collar jobs). Without Princess moving here, Town Center Drive wouldn’t exist today, so imagine what kind of investment and infrastructure will be built to support Disney’s move here?
Some renderings from Disney:
The entrance
Another shot looking toward Placerita Creek:
And finally, the layout of the project itself. It’s entirely on a parcel of land right next to Highway 14 (the orange outline), so it’s not built back into the hills on the rest of the property. Disney calls them “barren parcels”.
Talk about a pleasant surprise. I try to stay in touch with the business papers and I didn’t see this coming at all. Did anyone? They must be popping the champagne at the Chamber and at City Hall.
The location is outside the City of Santa Clarita but doubtless we’ll benefit from the proximity. I don’t see any reason why SCVers would oppose this- it’s far enough away from Placerita Canyon Park and on the other side of the 14 from the rich & picky people in P-Canyon, so win win for everyone right?
Time to polish up my resume!
Update: This could also provide a boost for Old Town Newhall in my opinion since it’s the closest community
Update 2: There’s an entire website already built studiosatthreranch.com with an interactive site plan
Update 3: What will be the reaction from Placerita Canyon homeowners?
Update 4: Reaction from City Hall:
“The City of Santa Clarita is proud to announce Disney/ABC Studios at The Ranch, a new proposed project that will bring a dozen soundstages and new production facilities to Disney’s Golden Oak Ranch in the Santa Clarita Valley. The project will create thousands of new jobs, energizing business throughout Los Angeles County and the Santa Clarita Valley. The project is expected to generate $522 million in direct economic activity throughout LA County during construction and $533 in annual economic activity throughout LA County at full build out.”
Update 5: Jason Crawford, City economic development guy, says the City has been working to attract Disney for a year KHTS
Great news, but don’t get your hopes up yet. Bossert will surely blackball you.
What a shame. Too bad they will destroy such a scenic area. The Environmentalist should/will come out of the woodwork against this one.
If the local “environmentalists” come out against this they will be outed finally as Malthusian no-growthers. They just don’t want people around if they are going to oppose thousands of high paying jobs (which could reduce lots of local people’s current commutes) from an industry with a very low carbon footprint.
Is this within the city or the county? Or it will it be one of those situations, that upon completion it will annex into the city?
That property is just outside the City limits. It will be a great addition to the area. Much of it will not even be very visible given the topography of the canyon. Kudos to Jason.
mikec:
They would probably want to annex to the City to avoid the County utility tax. There is not a significant amount of local tax revenue to be gotten from this, the jobs are the REALLY good thing.
Wow, serious jobs. Great news.
I doubt the environmentalists will object to this plan as it doesn’t look like it is in a stream bed (Riverpark) and doesn’t look like it would require ridge-line or oak tree removal (Masters College). My guess is that they will ask to preserve a few oak trees and hope for green building which Disney is already pretty good at.
Other developers should take note.
Disney says the buildings will be LEED certified
Oak trees….
I hate oak trees…
The parcel in question would no doubt benefit from improvements called for by the plan. Currently, it’s a predominantly dirt lot that is used for parking during productions on the ranch.
My only concerns are traffic mitigation on the 14. In the mornings, that route is already congested enough with the crowds from the AV, and without question, Sierra Highway will see an impact. I’d be very curious to see the draft EIR.
As for annexation, as was pointed out, they’ll want in to avoid the UUT. They pay mucho tax (at least $10k/month) on their power bills to Burbank Water and Power, and they don’t have half the stages they’re planning for SCV on Buena Vista.
Todd:
Traffic will be mitigated on the 5, because I would bet a substantial number of people working at the new site already work for Disney in Burbank AND drive in from the SCV.
Todd, the AV traffic comes from a separate direction. Workers will come from the SCV or south. A negligible amount will come from the AV.
Those are some assumptions…. but really need detailed exploration. I know a number of people who work “in the biz” who live in the AV…. I think they’d rather live in SCV…. but they bought out there for a lot cheaper…
And like I said, intra-valley traffic could still be trouble on Sierra Highway. Or folks getting on at Sand Canyon or Princessa and off at Placerita…
Fact is, adding 6000 vehicle trips minimum (employees alone… not to mention deliveries, transient visitors, etc) through that area on a daily basis, will definately have some impact…. and its already one of the most congested areas in the valley…
I’m not opposed to the project, not by a long shot… but they need to mitigate the impacts. The Newhall Pass can’t handle much more.
take that, cash!
This is where/why e-d dollars matter. Yes, we grit our teeth through the other teets at the trough, but you have to ask: why here? I get they owned the land already, but Disney owns a lot of land. And dirt is cheap in quite a few places … economic development was no doubt part of the equation.
this is where I don’t mind having the city issue tax credits – I can draw a clear benefit to me as a resident, homeowner, and potential employee.
So many people without a clue as to what sound stages are.
They are empty buildings with caretaker crews until they are rented. Then the outside crews get trucked into the zone and do their work and leave.
If craft services and catering use local business is up to them. No gurantees. Even fuel may or may not be purchased locally.
Repair and maintenance facilities are usually not located on a remote location but may have a skeleton crew.
What’s the excitement about again?
Hey Brian,
Why would Disney build if they weren’t going to film here ?
Jeff,
Thanks for the great article and pictures! You had this before today’s editions of the Times and Daily News.
I really appreciate the Daily Brief, I know it takes a lot of effort!
Unfortunately, I think the shopping center at Golden Valley will benefit more than Old Town, because it is in closer proximity (about a two minute drive) from the proposed Disney location.
Brian-
They specifically cite a number of production offices and facilities on site, not just the sound stages.
And, at best case scenario, every stage booked every day… either with set construction, production, or teardown… those are still people coming and going from the facility.
If it were just a bunch of stages, I’d agree… but its not. It is more involved (by what Disney is saying) that that.
Any of you guys actually in the industry?
Studios are shutting down many in-house services and using contractors and rental houses which are non-union.
I agree that this is a good thing having Disney bring a green industry local, just don’t expect manna from heaven because of it.
BTW, 24 years in the industry but what do I know!
Let me see, are we upset because they are empty sound stages that bring no jobs to SCV or are we upset at the loads of car traffic on our streets?
Sheesh
It’s the overblown expectations, that’s all.
Has anyone considered that Republican Santa Clarita is inviting the elite liberal Hollywood right wingers to come here?
Oh my!
Oops. Hollywood LEFT wingers!
Maybe we’re not so Republican anymore?
Maybe this is a dividing line between an old, insular and cloistered SCV community that moved here in the 70s, 80s, and 90s, and a new, 21st century SCV that just a tiny bit more cosmopolitan.
I don’t think it is about being Democrat or Republican. I think if we are inviting anything in, it is a business which will bring much needed jobs. I think people want to live in Santa Clarita because they want a certain quality of life they could not have where they moved from. I know I did. I wanted a nice affordable small house that I could afford on my own, in a decent neighborhood, with pretty scenery, clean streets, less crime, friendly people, and responsive government. I was able to find most of what I wanted right here. I personally vote my conscience and not by party affiliation. Both parties have things I agree with and both have things I disagree with. So I guess you could say I am a Demolican.
You all know that was a joke, right?
Offering Economic development incentives to Disney is like offering money to wall street. It is a an inappropriate use of taxpayer dollars. Plain and simple.