Plans for Throop Lumber Site Go Before Planning Commission Wednesday, Could See 206 Multi-Family Units Constructed

Pasadena’s Planning Commission will deliberate Wednesday on a proposal to build up to five new buildings, ranging in height from two to five-stories, on two adjacent parcels at 444 N. Fair Oaks Avenue and 425 N. Raymond Avenue, that could have up to 206 new multi-family residential units when completed.

The Department of Planning and Community Development will provide an initial briefing about the proposal to the Planning Commission in a special meeting that begins at 6:30 p.m.

A staff report by the Planning Department showed the site at 444 N. Fair Oaks Ave., known as Parcel A on the report, will be developed with two three-to five-story buildings with 199 units. Parcel B, which is 425 N. Raymond Ave., will be developed with three buildings, at heights of two or three stories, that will house seven courtyard units.

Parking for the project will be two levels of subterranean space that will be located under Parcel A, the report said.

The parcel at 444 N. Fair Oaks Ave. is currently occupied by Throop Lumber, a commercial hardware center and building materials supply company, which has a retail building, administrative offices, maintenance buildings, vehicle and equipment storage areas, and maintenance and refueling areas onsite. A cellular communications tower, owned and operated by Crown Castle, and two associated equipment enclosures are also on the first parcel.

On the second parcel stands a three-story multi-family residential building – built in 1947 – with seven residential units. These existing improvements will be removed, the report showed.

Parcel A is about 80,900 square feet in size, and Parcel B is approximately 9,916 square feet, the report said.

Of the planned 206 residential units, 23 units will be very low-income units, and 10 units will be moderate-income units. Site density is proposed to be 73 dwelling units.

Under the Planned Development screening process, the project will need approval from the City Council for the Zoning Map Amendment, for the Planned Development Plan, and for the Private Tree Removal. Eight trees are located within the project site, and these are proposed to be removed to facilitate construction; one of them, a 20.5-foot liquidambar styraciflua, or American sweetgum tree, qualifies for protection.