84-Unit Multifamily Residential Project to be Reviewed by the Design Commission This Week

On Tuesday, Dec. 8, the city Design Commission will review a proposal for the construction of a new three-to-four-story multifamily residential project with one level of subterranean parking at 350 Cordova St. in Pasadena. 

The project will ultimately be three buildings with approximately 83,027 square feet and will include 84 multifamily units. 

The project site is at the southwest corner of Cordova Street and South Euclid Avenue and comprises a single 1.23-acre lot. It is designated high-density residential (0-48 units per acre) in the general plan and is within the central district specific plan area and in the multifamily residential, 48 units per acre, height limit overlay zoning district. 

The site is currently developed with a non-historic complex of one-story medical office buildings built in 1977, interspersed with mature trees, landscaping, including a number of large boulders and a water feature, and surface parking. A tree inventory indicates that there are 52 trees on the site, five street trees along the site frontage, and 17 off-site trees in close proximity to the site. 

Of the 52 on-site trees, 14 are protected and of these protected trees nine are proposed to be removed and three may be removed. A total of 25 nonprotected trees are proposed to be removed. 

The three buildings will be arranged in two linear blocks on the east and west sides of the site with a linear garden between them. A break between the two easterly buildings will provide a secondary pedestrian access point and views into the central courtyard from Euclid Avenue. 

Vehicular access to the subterranean parking garage is proposed at the southeast corner of the site from Euclid Avenue. With the exception of the central portion of Euclid Avenue flanking the opening, the portions of the buildings lining the two streets are proposed to be four stories and the remaining portions are proposed to be three stories, according to the project plan. 

The Design Commission conducted a preliminary consultation for a new two-to-three-story, 62-unit multifamily residential project on June 25, 2019. Because a new design is substantially different, and including more residential units than the previous proposal, a new application for preliminary consultation was required.

A Department of Planning and Community Development report said the project site is close to several multistory office and multifamily residential buildings and a hotel that’s between six and 13 stories in height as well as lower-scaled commercial and residential buildings and surface parking lots. 

Also nearby are a number of designated and eligible historic resources, including the Pasadena Masonic Temple at 200 S. Euclid Ave., Miss Orton’s School for Girls at 154 S. Euclid Ave., Las Flores Apartments, the Pasadena Civic Auditorium on East Green Street, and other significant structures. 

Members of the community can access the special meeting online through https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87195987792 or by calling (669) 900-6833 and using the webinar ID 871 9598 7792.

Public comments may be submitted in advance by email to mtakeda@cityofpasadena.net prior to the meeting day. On Tuesday before the meeting begins, comments may be submitted through www.cityofpasadena.net/planning/publiccomment.