The city of Santa Clarita is looking to spend about $5.6 million for a new home for the area’s local public-access television station, which is expected to significantly expand the station’s studio space over its current headquarters.
Right now, the station’s office and studios are packed into a 3,542-square-foot facility adjacent to a coin-operated laundry facility and liquor store a few blocks from downtown Newhall.
Between offices, servers and equipment needs at 22505 14th St., there’s only about 670 square feet of studio space.
The new building in the 26300 block of Citrus Street is nearly triple the old square footage.
“The larger studio space will benefit the community of people who utilize this resource,” said Susan Shapiro, president of Santa Clarita Public Television, “and the additional room will allow for new uses more collaboration, additional learning opportunities for nonprofits, businesses and community producers to create programming there and get their messages out.”
The effort to find a more appropriate space for the studio has been in the works for years, but most recently in May, city staff became aware of a vacant 9,500-square-foot suite on Citrus Street adjacent to Valencia Town Center, just north of City Hall.
The facility, which the city referred to in its agenda as the Citrus Building, is owned and operated by Lundgren Management. City officials noted in the agenda report that the company “played a critical role in the construction of Valencia High School and several buildings at College of the Canyons.”
The vacant space is part of a 15,000-square-foot building with two other tenants, according to city officials, MEND Health and Wellness and a local dentist office.
The city’s report describes the space as an open-warehouse format with 14 offices, large removable cubicles, several conference rooms and plenty of storage area.
The city originally purchased the former site of the Roger Dunn Golf Shop in January 2018 for about $1.4 million for the same purpose.
Once the facility was inspected for the potential tenant improvements necessary to make it into a studio, city officials deemed the studio conversion not financially feasible, leading to the latest effort.
Lundgren is expected to stay in the building while the city negotiates the tenant improvements necessary for the Citrus Street building. The other current tenants are currently on 10-year leases, according to city officials.
City officials did not respond to an email Monday seeking information regarding the city’s new plan for the former site of the Roger Dunn shop along Main Street.
