City Kicks Off Newest Park, the $3 Million Desiderio Project

City and Habitat for Humanity officials reviewed detailed plans of the proposed Desiderio Park in the Arroyo near the Colorado Street Bridge Tuesday for community members who voiced concerns about the changes to their neighborhood the project could bring.

In 2005, the Desiderio Army Reserve Center was declared surplus by the United States Army and was recommended for closure. It wasn’t until 2007 that the city council approved the neighborhood park and affordable housing concept, which was one of 11 proposals.

“It’s been a fairly lengthy project,” project manager Loren Pluth said.

The new homes planned will be called Desiderio Homes. The park will be built nearby. It was named after Captain Reginald Desiderio, who fought during the Korean War.

At the meeting, Pluth gave a presentation about the history and concept of the new park with senior planner Laura Dahl, and Sonja L. Yates from Habitat for Humanity. They also answered questions from an audience of about 60 people.

Pluth said that 75 percent of the Desiderio property will be turned into a park, and 25 percent will go to Habitat for Humanity for housing. The total cost of the park will be close to $3 million.

The park will be landscaped with native grasses, trees and shrubs that match those growing in the Lower Arroyo Seco. It may be rougher terrain and would probably not include a regular, mowed lawn.

Additionally, play equipment will be installed in the park.

“Some have suggested that the play equipment should be naturalistic and spread out rather than clustered,” Pluth said.

Amenities such as walkways, security lighting, picnic tables, and drinking fountains will also built in the park.

Pluth said there would be no bathrooms and described the future park as “highly passive,” meaning that it would not be available for sports or events.

“There may be a small parking lot,” he said, but added that they haven’t yet determined if it would be necessary for the size and scale of the park.

“We don’t expect people to drive to the park as a destination,” he said. The city sees this as just a neighborhood park.
He also clarified that the 3.8-acre park will not include an arts center, as was once planned.

Yates, the San Gabriel Valley executive director for Habitat for Humanity, talked about using the remaining 1.29 acres to build nine single-family homes. Three of those homes will be reserved for veterans and their families.

Though the selection process is based on the degree of need, Yates said that when the houses are completed, preference would be given to families who live and work in Pasadena.

“It is a hand-up for nine deserving families,” she said. “It is not a hand-out.”

Yates further emphasized that prospective families must have good credit and enough income to make regular mortgage payments. Each household is also required to put in 300 hours to help with construction.

“If they didn’t have skills in construction and home maintenance before, then they do at the end,” Yates said.

The next step in the process is an environmental review, which is expected to take 6-8 months. The review will look at many things, including the effects of additional traffic and of the demolition of the army building still on site.

“We need to do a full environmental impact report before we demolish that building,” Dahl said. The demolition process, which will probably begin in 2014, will be the most costly part of the project.

The park acres are expected to be finished in 2015, while Habitat for Humanity expects the houses to be completed and ready to be sold in 2015.

“It’s pretty rare for Pasadena to add a completely new park to the system,” Pluth said. “The last time that happened was in 2005.”
Community members’ questions and concerns mostly circled around parking and extra traffic. Residents who would like to voice their own opinions about the park may attend a meeting on October 9, at 6:30 p.m. when the planning commission goes before the city council.

To find updates on the Desiderio Park project, please see the city’s web site at cityofpasadena.net.