After making some promises to the riverfront bike path crowd, the huge NBC Universal Evolution Plan (a massive makeover for Universal City) is now on its way through the approval process, getting signoff yesterday from the City Planning Commission. The plan includes expanded studio space, production facilities, offices, an overhaul of the Universal Studios theme park, and a couple of hotels. NBCU axed plans for housing this past summer. It also, as the Daily News notes, includes "$100 million in local transportation fixes" (including improvements to the Red Line stop and the 101 on-ramp).
Several planning groups were fighting the project earlier this week because it didn't include a firm plan for a bike path between the studio and the LA River; NBCUni says it plans to "create a continuous bicycle and pedestrian path from Griffith Park to the 101 Freeway" and announced yesterday that "it would contribute $3 million toward a county riverfront trail, $500,000 toward city bike lane improvements and $375,000 toward bike path planning." Meanwhile, the CPC punted for now on a new sign district for the project (that'd allow loads of billboards) "until a review of how new movie and other signs might effect residents."
· NBCUniversal's $1.6B studio, park expansion OK'd by Los Angeles Planning Commission [LADN]
· Hearing Tomorrow for NBC/Uni Plan, River Advocates Oppose [Curbed LA]
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