Pasadena Heritage's Annual Meeting Convenes on Former Battleground

Pasadena Heritage’s annual meeting will take place on what some might consider conquered territory in one of its most high-profile battles.
The Thursday, January 31 confab will be convened at Sequoyah School, which executive director Susan Mossman called, “a perfect place to be celebrating the end of the 710 Freeway extension battle that our organization has been part of for all of its 42-year history.”
The school, Mossman added, sits on Caltrans-owned property and was part of the fight to defeat the extension and “its dire consequences for historic properties.”
She pledged that, going forward, the historical homes contained within the confines of the Caltrans property will be a focus of Pasadena Heritage.
At the meeting, Claire W. Bogaard, a steadfast opponent of the freeway, will summarize the ferocious faceoff between state transportation authorities and preservationists.
The primary purpose of the meeting will be the election of new members to the board of directors and a review of the past year.
Retiring is James Zelenay, an attorney with Gibson Dunn, who served six years in various roles including secretary, nominating chair, and board chair. Also departing is John Williams, recently retired from the Capital Group, who served six years on the board, five of them as treasurer.
New board nominees include: Ann Burckle, a long-time member, volunteer, and professional appraiser; Todd Hays, realtor, historian and long-time Pasadena resident; and Brad Thiel, a securities trader and life-long Pasadenan responsible for the restoration of three historical homes including two Greene & Greenes.
Charles and Henry Greene were two architects of considerable influence in California during the early 20th century. Their housing designs are considered exemplars of the American arts and crafts movement.
The year-in-review will be presented by board and staff members and highlight the issues confronted in 2018.
Mossman said that the list of questions confronting the group include the future of the YWCA building and Civic Center. Appropriate fencing for the Colorado Street Bridge continues to be a concern.
There are, she noted, several major, new developments impacting historical buildings such as the apartment complex at Fair Oaks Avenue and DeLacey Place, adjacent to the Castle Green and Green Hotel Apartments.
The Fuller Theological Seminary campus, slated for a sell-off with the school Pomona-bound, is a National Register Historic District and an area of concern for Pasadena Heritage, according to Mossman.
A new private boarding school planned for the former William Carey University campus and at least 20 other projects and developments will be getting attention from the group.
According to Mossman, Pasadena Heritage is enjoying a second consecutive year of net revenue surplus thanks to the summertime Celebration on the Colorado Street Bridge and educational tours the group conducts.
This year, a special summer celebration, that alternates annually with the Colorado Bridge party, will take place in July and serve the purpose of annual fundraiser.
The Pasadena Heritage Annual Meeting is scheduled to run from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 31 at Sequoyah School Pasadena, 535 Pasadena Ave. It is free to members, and costs $10.00 for non-members to attend. For more information call 626-441-6333.