“Demolition Kickoff Event” Marks Start of Former Army Reserve Center Transformation Into Affordable Housing, New City Park

[UPDATED September 11, 2015 | 10:22 a.m.]

After being vacant more than a decade the Desiderio Army Reserve Center is finally being torn down to make way for new homes. City leaders celebrated the pending demolition on Thursday with a kickoff event under the Colorado Street Bridge.

“I’m really excited,” said District 6 Councilmember Steve Madison told a gathering of community members, city officials and representatives of the San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity.

Madison spoke about the history of the site and the long road to creating a plan to re-use the property.

“It’s not so much the work my field rep and I have been doing — and we have for a long time — it’s the fact that the community came together behind this proposal,” he said.

The Desiderio Project is breathing new life into a neighborhood filled with history. The 5.17 acre Army Reserve Center will be transformed into nine bungalow style, single family homes and a 3.87 acre city park. About 25% of the property will be used for the homes and 75% will be a meadow with a small playground. Councilmember Madison said they plan to repatriate the land back to the native Arroyos.

Madison says eleven separate proposals were created to determine the plans for the vacant property.

“The federal government actually required as component of the re use plan that we have an affordable housing piece.” He believes this plan strikes the perfect balance between open space, active recreation and homes.

The new homes will be built in collaboration with the San Gabriel Valley Habitat For Humanity.

“When you meet the families who get to live in habitat homes, talk about being completely invested and grateful to be in a community. These are going to be nine great new neighbors,” said Madison.

“I wish we could build many, many more homes,” said Sonja Yates, Executive Director of the San Gabriel Valley Habitat For Humanity.

The organization has been very instrumental in moving the project forward. “I’ve been invested in it for nine years now and it’s a real joy to see it come to fruition,” said Yates.

She says there’s a great need for affordable housing in Pasadena. She says it’s not uncommon to see five to six people renting a one bedroom apartment.

“Pasadena is a high cost community real-estate is very high here. Rents are going up,” she said.

The families that will live in this community will help to build their new home. Habitat For Humanity asks homeowners to complete 500 hours of what they call ‘sweat equity.’

“We had 633 people representing about two-thirds of the families who were going to apply for these homes…. their stories evoke tears and empathy for their situations. Many of them live in overcrowded situations,” Yates said.

They are expecting to have their selection process completed sometime next month.

“It’s a dream not quite fulfilled but well on it’s way. “ Yates is optimistic they’ll be able to break ground in April. She says construction will take about two years. After that families will be moving in. “The need is dire and we are excited to be part of the solution.”

Most of the concrete will be removed and the area will look completely different once the project is completed. Councilmember Madison says it was important to preserve the history of the site and connection to the military.

“Three of the nine [new homes] will be earmarked for veterans,” said Madison. “We have a large group of veterans here in Pasadena… It kind of comes full circle.”

The park being built with the homes will likely be named after Reginald Desiderio, an Army Captain killed in combat.

Madison said the city is committed to creating more affordable housing and the Desiderio Project is one of many projects geared toward keeping that commitment.

“You work long and hard in public life to try and have some real change and a lot of what we do is process oriented and at times mundane. But then you have that magical moment that helps people and this project is at the top of the list for me.“

Read more about the project at www.cityofpasadena.net/District6/Desiderio-Neighborhood-Park-and-Homes and www.sgvhabitat.org.