Final Plans For Remodel of Former Laemmle Building – Without a Movie Theater – Go Before Commission Tuesday

Members of Pasadena’s Design Commission will look at final plans Tuesday, December 14, for the proposed facade remodel of a 24,985 square-foot one-story building – what is currently Laemmle’s Playhouse 7 – at 673 E. Colorado Blvd., in conjunction with an interior remodel to create a multi-tenant building with restaurant, office, retail, and service uses out of the former theater and the surrounding structure.

Since Pasadena Now first reported this story, both local residents and some of the Commission’s members expressed dismay that the renowned art movie theater will be closed at the location.The new owner plans to convert the theater structure into commercial spaces.

GD Realty Group of Los Angeles now owns the property after Laemmle Theatres announced they had sold the 22,897 square-foot Pasadena location in February.

A statement released at the time said the sale included a leaseback provision that would allow the theater to continue operating. But it does not appear that has played out.

As shown in the latest report for the Department of Planning and Community Development, a portion of the existing theater building – most probably where the theater seating area is – would be demolished to give way to a central courtyard, which storefront entrances at the ground level will be facing, and the existing mezzanine will be built out into a full second floor.

The central courtyard will be programmed with a central fountain and seating, a roof deck patio and trellis will be constructed on the second floor overlooking the paseo and the new courtyard, and exterior stairs in the center of the courtyard would provide exterior access to the second floor units and outdoor seating area, the report said.

In a September meeting of the Design Commission, some members requested the developer to consider retaining the iconic Laemmle Playhouse 7 sign at the building’s facade.

In the latest report, there is no concrete response to this by the developer and the architect, except to say that the sign will be “repurposed,” so the Planning Department is recommending that a condition for approval be included in the Final Design Review to stress that GD Realty should include a complete set of details about the “repurposing” that it intends to do.

This condition, along with others listed in the latest report, have to be considered before the Design Commission approves the Final Design Review, the Planning Department said.

Tuesday’s Design Commission meeting begins at 4:30 p.m. and can be accessed by the community via Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83114560239 or by calling (669) 900-6833 and using the webinar ID 831 1456 0239.

Public comment may be submitted by email to mtakeda@cityofpasadena.net.