Worst Nightmare
One of his opening steps was a slippery one leading to a patch of foul luck that is bound to leave City Hall in an awkward position if not worse.
City Halls most feared nightmare evidently is about to become true.
A rival businessman, with hefty plans of his own, has beaten out the developer at his own game.
The Prize
The businessman was reported this afternoon to have acquired a prized stretch of land at the far west end of Phase II of the South Sepulveda project, from right under the developers nose.
The storyline is that two titans relatively new to Culver City dove this spring for the same highly desirable spot of Jefferson Boulevard property.
They clashed because they are traveling in opposing directions.
High Noon Arrives
The monster contest pitted the nominated South Sepulveda developer Bob Champion against the enormously ambitious, fast-rising auto dealer Hooman Nissani.
Originally, it was reported that the owner of the parcel of property that begins at 11469 Jefferson Blvd., and proceeds west, could not make not make up to her to whom she would sell.
Should she choose the very youthful, Persian-born Mr. Nissani? Or the Yankee, the smooth middle-aged veteran from Wilshire Boulevard, Mr. Champion?
Mr. Champion made several important revelations this afternoon:
I have met with Hooman, he said. He told me he was in escrow with the land beneath seven businesses.
He asked me if I would delete this property from the (South Sepulveda) project. I told him it was not my decision.
His Opening Salvos
Commercially speaking, Mr. Nissani, a young man only in his late 20s, has hit town like a fireball.
Before he opened Hooman Buick GMC of Culver City several years ago at the corner of Slauson and Hannum, the property was a revolving door, businesses moving in and out.
Nobody was standing in line to compete with Mr. Nissani when he made a deal to go into business there.
How and Where
He appears to have demonstrated that success in commerce is linked as much to how you do business as it is to where you do business.
Mr. Champion said that Mr. Nissani who also has acquired the nearby Firestone property plans to build a 50-foot auto dealership where the seven businesses, a flower shop, a nail salon, a buffalo wings eatery, a hair salon, a Chinese restaurant, an interiors store and a business office, presently stand.
Hands-in-the-Pocket Time
From City Hall, Project Manager Joe Susca of the Community Development Dept., described City Halls neutered, palms-up position.
During the period of our Exclusive Negotiating Agreement with Mr. Champion, we are not able to prevent any owners from doing anything they want with their properties, he said.
Battle of Wills?
One of the next logical steps for City Hall is to engage in a to-the-death battle of wills with Mr. Nissan over his new Jefferson Boulevard property if City Hall has the stomach for such a fight.
Eminent domain, Mr. Susca noted, is a tool City Hall could wield.
As of late this afternoon, no one could be found who would predict such match.
Circles of Doubts
For all of the doubts that surround Mr. Champions commitment to build all four phases of the South Sepulveda project, there is a secondary chorus of skeptics who are not sure the rebuild ever will start, let alone reach Phase II.
