Michael Gazzano, project manager for Caruso’s Palisades Village Project, said that the excavation is nearly complete for the 2-1/2-story underground parking lot between Swarthmore and Monument.
He provided a project update at the Pacific Palisades Community Council meeting on March 23.
“We’re at the bottom of the parking lot [30-40 ft. deep],” Gazzano said, noting that this winter’s numerous rainstorms caused nearly 40 days of delays. “It sometimes took two or three days after a rainfall before we could go back in.”
However, he assured council members that “We’re still on schedule for the grand opening: summer 2018.”
Photo: Bart Bartholomew
Gazzano said that more soil needs to come out, specifically where the ramp is, but “it will be more of a surgical removal,” with an April through May time frame.
Initially, the hauling hours were 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, but “now we start at 9 a.m. and end at 5 p.m.,” and deploy shorter trucks. This should mean about 90 percent fewer truck trips in a day, and “a lot of days there will be no hauling,” Gazzano said.
Foundation pouring started last week, with cement trucks making round trips from their staging area along Temescal Canyon Road to the construction site, via Sunset.
Gazzano was asked if this might conflict with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s plan to dig an underground vault on Sunset from Temescal Canyon up towards Gelson’s, in order to connect the new pole-top distribution station on Temescal to the vault. A posted sign warns that traffic delays will occur from now through June.
Gazzano said he was unaware of the LADWP’s construction plans.
PPCC member David Card asked if something could be done on Sunset at Swarthmore because eastbound trucks making a left turn onto Swarthmore, back up in the turn lane and then encroach into the number one lane on Sunset. Gazzano said there was nothing that they were required to do.
Another member, Rick Mills, asked if Gazzano could say more about incoming stores for Palisades Village.
“We have come to a leasing agreement with Benton’s,” he said. “Nothing else has been finalized yet.”
Donna Vaccarino asked what the arrangement would be when Caruso brings in the steel to reinforce the garage and if cranes would be used.
“We’ll come back to you and give the logistics when it’s closer to that time,” Gazzano replied.
He was also asked if the construction office would now be located in the empty PaliSkate store, adjacent to the Caruso construction wall on Swarthmore. “Probably,” he said.
Community member Daphne Gronich wanted to alert the Caruso team that people who live west of Temescal Canyon are often stuck on Sunset in heavy traffic because of the construction. “People can’t get their kids to school,” she said.
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