On Sept. 18, Westfield Topanga opened its most recent and most dazzling renovation: The Village. Located between the Westfield Promenade and the Westfield Topanga shopping mall, The Village brings elements of street retail and local dining that the San Fernando Valley has been lacking.  The friendly atmosphere and inviting ambience are targeted to attract visitors of all ages. Enhanced with fire pits, koi ponds, airy patios and shaded pathways, The Village is the Valley’s newest location for hanging out and enjoying oneself. Additionally, the creative minds behind The Village hoped to design a destination that would differ from its surrounding shopping outlets. Since The Village is expected to be Los Angeles’ newest hotspot, it has attracted a wide variety of venders. With over 75 tenants, The Village is a brilliant collection of diverse retail and dining options.

“I am really excited about the local flavor, in the sense that the village has an authentic experience here that will be a great place for people to be,” said Senior Vice President of Development Larry Green.

Westfield spent around $15 million in traffic renovations to ensure that drivers would not suffer in horrendous traffic jams.  Lanes were added to Topanga Canyon Blvd., Victory Blvd., Erwin St. and Owensmouth Ave. Additionally, sidewalks, lights and other traffic assistants were added to aid the flow of traffic and pedestrians surrounding The Village. According to Green, the project consisted of a community-wide effort to satisfy local residents and outside visitors.  Westfield aimed to work alongside neighborhood councils during the planning process to receive their inputs. With their suggestions, The Village was shaped to meet the many desires of local communities.

“This project was about an eight year discussion we were having with the community. We went through the planning process while working with all of the neighborhood councils and getting all of their input,” said Green. “And for us, their input is really important because it does shape the project and we get to hear what people really want.”

In order to capture the essence of the Valley, the development decided to box up trees that had been living on the lot before the project was started. They have now re-planted the trees back into their home roots, and the beautiful sycamores that tower over The Village tie the new project and the original land together.

The Village is also an environmentally-friendly center. Southern California’s blistering four-year drought has taken a toll on everyone, and Westfield is committed to aiding water conservation. The Village uses a unique recycling system to ensure that water is not wasted. One of Westfield’s environmentally-friendly projects is the underground pools that are designed to collect and filter rainwater. An innovative new type of asphalt absorbs and filters rainwater downward, where it collects in one of four cisterns. This water is then used to irrigate the landscape and power the decorative fountains.  Furthermore, plans to install solar panels over the parking garage have already been set in motion. Within the next two years, the entire parking garage will be powered by solar energy.

A variety of new restaurants and eateries cater to any craving. For a casual dining experience, Panera Bread, Pieology Pizzeria, Slaw Dogs, Eureka! Gourmet Burgers and Craft Beers and others will all open new locations within The Village. To bring a finer dining experience to the Valley, The Village will also offer Larsen’s Steakhouse, Le Pain Quotidien, Sushi Katsuya and Il Fornaio Cucina Italiana. Additionally, retailers such as Sloan’s Ice Cream, Confexion Cupcakes & Cake, Susie Cakes and Yogurtland provide options for satisfying a sweet tooth. Overall, the diversity of food and drink options within The Village make certain that everyone will be able to find somewhere to dine.

“I’m very excited to spend time in The Village because it offers a variety of new options that weren’t previously found in the San Fernando Valley,” said senior Gabby Polyakov. “I’m especially looking forward to shopping at the new Costco. If I ever go missing, check Costco.”

In an effort to make the customers’ shopping experiences more enjoyable, Westfield will also be providing a trolley system to shuttle people between the Westfield Promenade, the Westfield Topanga Mall and The Village. This important addition will allow customers to experience the benefits of each Westfield location while simultaneously reducing traffic. Through the Westfield’s smartphone application, customers will be able to track the schedule and location of the trolley.

As the newest hotspot of the Valley, The Village is sure to please local residents and visitors and will change Westfield Topanga forever.