City Panel OKs Project in Westwood

A contentious $100-million project in Westwood cleared an important hurdle Wednesday after community activists and the developer resolved a final divisive issue.

In last-minute negotiations refereed by Councilman Jack Weiss’ office, developer Alan Casden’s representatives bowed to community insistence that Glendon Avenue remain open during construction of the mixed-use project in Westwood Village.

The deal put to rest the largest remaining controversy involving Palazzo Westwood, a 446,700-square-foot complex with 350 apartments and about 50,000 square feet of retail space. Many merchants had complained that closing the street for as long as a year, as Casden had proposed, could put them out of business.

With that issue resolved, the City Council’s Planning and Land Use Management Committee, of which Weiss is a member, voted 3 to 0 to send the matter to the full council. The Planning Commission approved the project in March, with conditions, but foes appealed over the street closure and other issues.

“I feel good,” said Laura Lake, co-president of Save Westwood Village, which had challenged the project. Weiss, who was aided by his staff, “hung in there for the community,” she said.

Calling the process arduous, Weiss said the community prevailed. “It’s the community’s blueprint for the future of Westwood,” he said.

A few smaller disputes remain. But Howard Katz, a Casden representative, and city planning officials vowed that those would be resolved before the council vote, which is scheduled for Aug. 3.