PASADENA >> One of the largest projects ever to be built in Pasadena received criticism and praise this week at its first public hearing before the Planning Commission.
The project, proposed by the Lincoln Property Company, would be a “mixed use urban village” featuring 620,000 square feet of office use, 30,000 square feet of which could be used as retail space, plus 10,000 square feet of restaurant space and 475 residential units, including work/live units.
David Reyes, deputy director for the city’s Planning and Community Development Department, said the project is an opportunity for the city to make more out of the Parsons’ site than just a giant parking lot.
“It’s sort of this suburban campus model, I think it was in the early ‘70s this thing was developed, and you have the office building in the middle surrounded by a sea of parking,” Reyes said. “We really look at it as an opportunity to do a really good design and reintegrate this area back into Old Pasadena.”
The 15-acre site is located at 100 West Walnut Street just west of Old Pasadena. Parsons sold the property to Morgan Stanley Real Estate Investing and Lincoln Property Company in 2011 for $320 million. In the deal, Parsons agreed to a 15-year lease to remain at the site.
The additional buildings would be constructed along Fair Oaks Avenue and Pasadena Avenue, above Holly Street, in the parking lot that currently surrounds the Parsons buildings.
Several community members attended Wednesday’s Planning Commission meeting to express concerns about the design of the project, which proposes retail and restaurants facing inward with included open space and walking-oriented features in the interior.
Marsha Rood, board member for the Downtown Pasadena Neighborhood Association, said the current design would not facilitate a friendly experience for pedestrians and cyclists.
“It should fit as part of our community. It shouldn’t be a campus like you find in Orange County,” Rood said. “Infill at Parsons has been long awaited for many, many years and since it will be such a large project getting it right will be very important.”
Steve Mulheim, president and CEO of the Old Pasadena Management District, agreed that the project should be more inviting, with more retail space on the ground floor along Fair Oaks Avenue. A new hotel and residential project planned just north of the area, combined with an engaging project at Parsons, could create a strong link to Old Pasadena, he said.
“It’s an enormous project,” Mulheim said. “It’s a very important project to the city, to downtown and to Old Pasadena specifically and we just want to make sure that we are making the most of that opportunity.”
Reyes said city staff agree that the project design could use some more work, and the planning department has been working with the developer to better tailor the project to Pasadena’s style.
“Even though it has evolved to this point it has a ways to go,” Reyes said.
The comment period on the draft environmental report ends today. The project is scheduled to come back for a second hearing at the Planning Commission in November, and should go to the City Council by the end of the year. After approval from the Design Review Commission, the project can apply for construction permits, likely sometime next summer, Reyes said.
For more information, visit http://www.cityofpasadena.net/Parsons.aspx.