More Bids Received for RFP on City-Owned Webb Way Building

More Bids Received for RFP on City-Owned Webb Way Building

BY BILL KOENEKER

The Malibu City Council is expected to talk about proposals it has received for the commercial building it owns on the corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Webb Way at a closed-door session on Tuesday, May 26 before its regularly scheduled meeting.
Three more bid proposals for the building formerly occupied by Coldwell Banker have been received by municipal officials.
The Request for Proposal schedule was extended after the city received only one bid from Anawalt Lumber that was deemed too low by the staff. It will be the first time the council has discussed the Anawalt bid.
Anawalt wanted to open up a 4000 square foot full service hardware store and use the rest of the half-acre property utilizing temporary structures to store lumber and other lumber products.
Since then, responses have been received by Tony Dorn, a broker with Beitler Commercial Real Estate. Dorn said he represents two longtime local businesses, including Malibu Urgent Care Center and another full retail operation that would share the space. “It would be finding a home for two long-term local businesses,” said Dorn, who indicated he could not release the name of the retail operation at this time.
Richard Weintraub, of Weintraub Financial Services, which has partnered with the municipality on the Malibu Lumber Yard shopping center, has also submitted an offer. He is considered the front-runner by some because of his close ties to municipal officials. Weintraub was not immediately available for comment.
Mike Tuchman and Marty Olejarczyk, representing Ace Hardware, also responded to the RFP.
In its RFP, the city requested a minimum rental amount of $428,000 per year, which is $7.37 a square foot and seeks a long-term partnership of 20 to 35 years for the stand-alone building consisting of 4949 square feet.
The council held a special closed door session last week to talk again about acquiring property for a city hall.
City Manager Jim Thorsen huddled with the council on Wednesday morning to talk about the price and terms of payment for acquiring the Malibu Performing Arts Center, at one time owned by the Vineyard Christian Fellowship. There was no reportable action taken, according to City Clerk Lisa Pope.
The council has had a series of closed sessions to talk about the property, which is located just north of the current City Hall.