The Sportsmen’s Lodge sits at a crossroads, a meeting place of the Los Angeles River and Coldwater Canyon, that has been a center of social activity and an icon of Ventura Boulevard throughout the history of the San Fernando Valley. Historically, movie and television stars gathered at the Lodge and legends say that many even taught their children to fish in some of the ponds at Sportsmen’s Lodge in the 1930s.
Through several eras of significance, the Sportsmen’s natural springs have drawn people to this place, and its 21st-century reimagination builds on this tradition.
The Shops are set within a larger set of parcels that the team master planned. The retail project is the first completed project and future projects include additional housing, affordable housing, retail, and food and beverage.
At the shops, the main social space is the Canyon Pass through the new retail development, which celebrates the charismatic geography of the valley, river, and mountain landscapes. The design creates a landscape that magnifies the most historic qualities of the Sportsmen’s Lodge, an inviting, visually rich, and tactile open space through the creative use of water and lush plantings.
The Sportsmen’s Lodge required detailed understanding of historical structures and cultural significance. The team worked to define what was historically significant and how to celebrate those elements in the design. In the future at full build out, the site will include the shops and over 500 units of housing, including affordable and market-rate units.
