Upscale Office Complex Has Grand Opening 'Under the Stars'

Invited guests were treated to food and entertainment at the 'Evening Under the Stars'-themed grand opening Thursday night for The Ridge, an upscale office condominium building located at the corner of Reyes Adobe and Agoura Roads.

A panoramic view of the Conejo Valley, acres of open space and a private driveway are just a few of the attractive attributes of the new office development owned by Simi Valley-based Scheu Development Company. A model unit was unveiled for the approximately 200 potential buyers during the gala affair.

Situated at the base of the Santa Monica Mountains, the development is home to two buildings and 40 office units and boasts a sprawling campus with a Frank Lloyd Wright-type architectural design. The use of natural elements like stone is evident in the exterior of the buildings. Large overhangs aim to achieve dramatic shadow lines.

“We’re expecting financial planners, CPAs, realtors, lawyers, medical and dental practices to take an interest and consider purchasing their next office here,” said owner Diana Scheu.

Low interest rates, tax write-offs and long-term asset appreciation are just some of the many benefits of purchasing a commercial unit, said Scheu.

“The prospective buyer will be a stable professional who has anywhere from one to 16 employees,” said owner Mark Scheu. “It’s for the business owner who plans to stay put for the next five years at least.”

Units in the first building were ready for sale on Thursday night while the second building is expected to follow suit in a month. Prices for the units range from $470,000 to $2.3 million.

The smallest unit is 1,141 square feet while the largest is 5,574 square feet. All units have large, private balconies and 10 to 11-foot ceilings.

There are possibilities for expansion up to 10,000 square feet by combining units or knocking down walls, said Diana Scheu.

“There was a lot of interest during construction but we held it back,” said Michael Foxworthy, executive vice-president of DAUM, the brokerage firm in charge of the office condominium sales.

According to Scheu, extra touches include a 600-square foot conference room, which can easily accommodate 14 people and has TV, media and WiFi capabilities. Reserving the conference room will be a breeze with web-based and mobile applications specifically designed for The Ridge, she said.

The Scheus purchased the 84-acre property in 1997 and donated 60 acres to the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy. Construction for the upscale office development began in 2008.