Historic Brunswick Court Building on Colorado Blvd. Soon to be Home to Lucid Motors Showroom

The historic Brunswick Court Building on Colorado Boulevard will soon be home to Lucid Motors, the California-based electric car company which observers describe as the industry’s first serious challenger to Tesla’s dominance in the high-end luxury EV market. 

The three-story gem is being revitalized by builder Abbott Construction — headquartered in Seattle with an office in Pasadena  — into an upscale mixed-use office and retail space. 

Lucid Motors will occupy the ground level and set up its newest sales office and showroom.

The renovation of the historic building includes seismic upgrades, structural rebuild, full restoration of the historic exterior, plus a new entertainment space on the rooftop deck. 

“These beams haven’t seen the sun since 1887,” Abbott Senior Superintendent Mark Freshwater said. “With so few historic buildings in Southern California, it’s always fun to bring a structure like this back to life.”

The project reflects a growing West Coast trend of revitalizing older buildings into coveted new retail and office spaces, Abbott Construction said in a release. The construction company added that they have seen an increased demand in both Seattle and Los Angeles for historic renovations. 

Brunswick Court is scheduled for completion in November 2022. Leasing of the upper floors is still underway.

“We’re excited that upscale tenants like Lucid Motors want to be part of Brunswick Court,” says Kurt Bierschenk of the Doheny Family Trust, which owns the Brunswick Court Building . “With neighbors like Tiffany & Co. and Apple, this will be a fantastic destination for shopping, working, and dining.”

Background

In January 2022, Pasadena Hearing Officer Paul Novak approved the application of Lucid Motors, paving the way for the electric vehicle manufacturer to open a sales office in Old Pasadena. 

“The new business would bolster a diverse economic base and would be a long-term economic contribution to the City and CD-1-AD-1 (Central District Specific Plan, Old Pasadena subdistrict, Alcohol Density Overlay)  zoning district which encourages a full range of retail and service businesses,” the staff report about the approval published in January stated.

The establishment is proposed to operate from Monday through Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

According to the applicant Michael Vogt, the proposal included an interior showroom displaying a maximum of two vehicles and an incidental area devoted to office space.

Within the showroom, customers would be able to discuss pricing, and place vehicle orders.

After approving the Minor Conditional Use Permit (MCUP) for Lucid Motors to open a sales office in January, the City started negotiations with the electric car maker to look for suitable parking and EV charging garage.

In May, Pasadena’s Department of Transportation sought authority from the City Council to execute a contract with Lucid Group USA to lease nine reserved parking spaces in the City-owned Schoolhouse Garage for use as a location to park and charge vehicles the company uses for test drives.

Schoolhouse Garage was identified as the most feasible location because of its close proximity to Lucid Motors’ planned showroom on Colorado Blvd. in Old Pasadena and the amount of space available in the garage.