Demolition of Former Church’s Chicken Restaurant Heralds Long-Awaited Supportive Housing Development

A demolition crew from Pasadena-based Titan Disposal arrived early Monday morning to begin demolishing the former Church’s Fried Chicken Restaurant at the intersection of North Fair Oaks Ave and Orange Grove Boulevard.

The location will be the site for Heritage South II, the second phase of the Heritage Square housing project in Pasadena.

The project will be built on city-owned land with a 99-year lease. A three-story mixed-use building with 69 units of permanent supportive housing for homeless seniors, 10,000 to 15,000 square feet of retail space mostly on ground level, and both surface and subterranean parking.

On-site, intensive case management services will be provided to the tenants, including counseling, assistance with healthcare, independent living skills support, on-site activities, and other services.

According to a City Planning Department staff report, the project is “of a Contemporary Modern design, which complements the neighboring Heritage South development without replicating its form.”

Councilmember John Kennedy spearheaded efforts to ensure that local labor would be employed to work on all phases of the project.

“I would like to express my appreciation for the leadership of Councilmember Kennedy in his advocacy of local participation in construction projects in his district,” said Titan Disposal Operations Manager Erin Nolan Monday. “We especially appreciate the opportunity to be a part of an affordable housing project like Heritage Square South.”

Added Titan owner Jamie Potter, “Councilmember Kennedy’s vision of building 1,000 units [throughout Pasadena] in 1,000 days is a daunting challenge. As the demolition contractor, we begin the process of housing our unhoused and marginally housed neighbors, and as a local contractor, we pay forward that economic opportunity in a myriad of ways.”

Kennedy, who was unable to attend the demolition, in turn saluted the project.

“Here we’ll have 69 units that will ensure folks in and around Pasadena that they can stay a part of the unique fabric of Pasadena,” said Kennedy. “And these formerly homeless individuals will have wraparound services provided by the county of Los Angeles, which is just simply extraordinary.”

“This is extraordinary and today is the start,” Kennedy continued. “It’s the start of the demolition, but it also is the recognition that Bridge Housing (developer/owner of both of the Heritage Square and Heritage South II housing projects) has committed to contract locally and source materials locally. And they did a phenomenal job on Heritage Square Apartments North.”

Kennedy singled out Potter and his company, saying that Potter, a Pasadena native, was a “local success story.”

Added Kennedy, “We just really want to celebrate Bridge Housing and their local hiring, local contracting, and the local sourcing of materials. And unlike some other developers, Bridge Housing has a track record in keeping its word to the community and to the City Council.”