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Design Commission Continues Discussion on Proposed Eight-Story Hotel Building, East Pasadena Specific Plan

Published on Wednesday, July 28, 2021 | 5:49 am
 

The Design Commission on Tuesday continued its discussion of the proposal to build a hotel complex on the north side of Colorado Blvd. near Hill Ave. and mixed-use project in the same block on the south, in Pasadena.

The large project is comprised of an 8-story, 375-room, 335,560 square foot hotel located at 1347-1365 E. Colorado Blvd., 35-39 N. Hill Ave., and 36-56 N. Holliston Ave., known as the North Parcel, and a 5-story, 40,916 square foot mixed-use project of commercial space and 49 residential units at 1336-1350 E. Colorado Blvd., known as the South Parcel.

During its meeting, the Commission unanimously decided to conduct further review of the project after some commissioners remarked that the proposed project did not meet the basic requirements of concept design.

“This project should be aiming at [excellence]. I’m not sure we are [there] yet,” Commissioner Philip Chiao said during the virtual meeting of the commission as he expressed concerns regarding the buildings’ height, massing arrangement and proportionality.

“The scale and the play of the building elements … does not have [the] elegance expected,” Chiao said, further adding that the building is “not a good looking building.”

The project site, which is near Pasadena City Colleged’s main campus, is under the Concept Review design phase of the commission’s approval process.

The project’s architect, ACRM Architects + Interiors, earlier tweaked its original plan after Commissioners, last June 8, advised it to further study its design to ensure it would conform to the Federalist and Art Deco style which is seen on buildings in Pasadena City College.

For his part, Design Commission Chair Commissioner Srinivas Rao said the applicant must go back a few steps and further revise the design, as he pointed out that the overall massing and approach to the volumetric composition of the building should lend itself to the style that the architect is aiming for.

“Currently, it is very unconvincing — the way it is organized,” Rao said.

“From a concept design standpoint, I am not convinced like all of you that from here on, we can provide input where the design can evolve into a final design,” he added.

All commissioners present voted in the affirmative on the motion of Commissioner Timothy Sales to give the applicant discretion to reach out to a sub-committee before it faces the commission again for the third time, to present the revised design.

During its meeting, the Commission also conducted an advisory review of the draft design of the East Pasadena Specific Plan as part of the Round 3 of the community engagement process for the project.

Under the city’s “Our Pasadena” General Plan Implementation Program, the Department of Planning and Community Development is required to update the eight specific plan areas in Pasadena.

The East Pasadena Specific Plan focuses on expansion of existing businesses and development of new businesses to provide employment opportunities for its residents.

The Commission’s feedback was sought before the proponents prepare a draft plan for review by the Planning Commission which is anticipated next year.

Martin Potter of the Planning Committee presented before the Commission the overview of the East Pasadena Specific Plan which was the same presentation presented before the community through the virtual open house which can be viewed at www.OurPasadena.org.

During the meeting, Commissioner Sales applauded the plan.

“I do think the plan is a good one and if we look at the history of East Pasadena, it has changed overtime and will continue to change,” Sales said.

“I applaud the work… There is always a push-pull between the city and private sector’s interests but I think the best interest always is to collaborate and find the common solution so I hope that the Planning Commission would take to heart the very detailed comments that we received,” he added.

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