For Immediate Release

Plaza Pacoima Breaks Ground, Pursuing LEED Silver Certification

PACOIMA, CALIF. (Jan. 9, 2009) – Plaza Pacoima, a 209,000-square foot retail development in California's San Fernando Valley – celebrated its groundbreaking on January 9 with the support of various community leaders and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

The $78 million project of Primestor Development will include a Best Buy for which Perkowitz+Ruth Architects recently entered the construction document phase. Best Buy is volume certified by the USGBC for LEED Commercial Interiors (LEED CI) and this store is expected to achieve LEED-Silver certification thanks to its energy efficient management systems, skylights, fuel-efficient parking and low emitting materials such as paint, carpeting and adhesive.  

Plaza Pacoima is being developed on a former brownfield site (a former manufacturing plant) and will also seek a LEED-Silver certification for the whole development upon completion. It is being built as a public/private partnership with Prudential, the Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency and the city's Community Development Department, with New Market Tax Credit allocations from Genesis LA for revitalizing the neighborhood by creating new jobs.

In addition to Best Buy, Plaza Pacoima also will include Costco, a nearby Lowe's and 4,000 square feet of retail, restaurant and office space. It will occupy a 17.5-acre site at Paxton and Sutter avenues and is slated to open in early 2010.