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The Guardian (08/Dec/2006) - But will they take a shower? Houses to replace Psycho motel

(c) The Guardian (08/Dec/2006)

But will they take a shower? Houses to replace Psycho motel

Universal Studios film lot to make way for homes, hiking trails and offices

It is one of the most famous properties in Hollywood history. A dark, spooky house on a hill overlooking a shabby motel. The lure of the Bates Motel and the house from Alfred Hitchcock's thriller Psycho has brought thousands of visitors to the site since Janet Leigh first stopped off for a quick shower in the 1960 film.

But now the Bates are to move on, and new homeowners will have the chance to occupy the site - provided they are not too unnerved by the reputation of the previous occupants.

The two properties, mainstays of the Universal Studios tour, are to be moved to make way for housing in the biggest production in the history of Universal Studios. The Hollywood goliath plans to spend $3bn (£1.53bn) on what is provisionally titled the Vision Plan.

The Vision Plan aims to redevelop and expand much of what is the largest film studio lot, creating 2,900 new homes, 11,000 jobs and generating more than $4bn in annual economic activity. There will also be new office space and entertainment facilities.

"This is a blockbuster," the Los Angeles mayor, Antonio Villaraigosa, said at the unveiling of the plan, "a transformative project, a city-making project, and it will ensure Los Angeles remains the entertainment capital of the world."

The push for growth in Los Angeles has seen several plans for the 391-acre site, but none of them has come to fruition. Most recently, in 1995, a plan to build a theme park on the site failed in the face of community opposition.

Promising that the new project would be a model of community inclusivity, Mr Villaraigosa said: "With a housing crisis, traffic congestion and an ever-growing population, this is the face of smart, responsible, environmentally friendly development for the future."

The housing project, to be called Universal Village, will take 124 acres of the studio's back lot and replace it with apartments, lofts and town homes. There will also be 35 acres of hiking trails and parks.

To make way for the village, the studio will move not only the Psycho properties but also other popular tourist attractions, including the disaster scene from War of the Worlds, Colonial Street and European Street.

But the plans have already prompted doubts among the local community.

"Just because something is possible to build and makes sense from a corporate standpoint doesn't mean it's going to be good for all," Daniel Savage, president of the local residents' association, told the Los Angeles Times.

Universal City, the entire 415-acre site in the San Fernando Valley bordering Los Angeles, was founded in 1915 by Universal Studio's founder, Carl Laemmle.

Today it is home to several large hotels, including the Universal Hilton and the Sheraton Universal, the studio's film and TV studios and tourist attractions such as the Universal Studios Hollywood theme park and the Gibson Amphitheatre.

Universal City is an unincorporated city within the greater city of Los Angeles. The status gives it exemption from LA's business taxes and regulations.

Universal Studios, a subsidiary of NBC, has been owned by General Electric since 2004.

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