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The Ratkovich Company in the News Revitalizing Mission District Mixed-use plan OK’d for San Gabriel site Pasadena Star-News - Friday, May 20, 2005 By Cindy Chang, Staff Writer
The development which would include condominiums, apartments and 16,000 square feet of commercial space, would provide an anchor for the city’s picturesque Mission District, which is steeped in history but has struggled to attract customers to its boutiques and restaurants. “It would bring in a critical mass. One of the things in the Mission District right now is that we do have lots of areas where there are gap teeth. There’s a building, a blank space, and then a building,” said Erlinda Romo, the city’s economic development specialist. “If we want to try to revitalize the area, we need to bring in more businesses — and bring residents into the district.” Only the broadest outlines for the new project are in place. Planners remain a long way from making architectural renderings or puffing a price tag on the project. The agreement gives the Los Angeles-based Ratkovich Company the exclusive right for the next nine months to solidify the plans and ultimately negotiate a development agreement for the 2.5-acre site bordered by Mission Street and Broadway, just a stone’s throw from the centuries- old San Gabriel Mission. Parking for the auditorium and area businesses would either be underneath the new development or above ground at one of several sites just a few blocks away. Romo said. “This is probably one of the most important projects in San Gabriel city history,” said Vice Mayor Chi Mui. “It’s right in the heart of the Mission District. We’re looking for a low-density, high quality mixed-used project” CIVIC Council hopes plan will revitalize area Ratkovich, which has developed or renovated many well-known projects in the Los Angeles area, including the Wiltern Theatre and the Alhambra complex on Fremont Avenue in Alhambra, was one of 13 firms that responded to the city’s call for developers interested in the Civic Auditorium site. The developer must adhere to the Mission District Specific Plan, adopted last year by the City Council as a set of guidelines for how to build new housing and businesses while preserving the area’s historic character, New construction in the Mission District must be in the Spanish or Mission styles. Most of the Civic Auditorium site is owned by the city, although planners hope to purchase the Masonic Lodge and incorporate it into the new development. In the coming months, Ratkovich plans to hold community meetings to solicit citizen input on the project. With the Civic Auditorium project taking its first concrete step toward completion, San Gabriel joins neighboring communities such as Pasadena and Alhambra that have built major mixed-used projects or have them in the works. The area-wide housing shortage will ensure there are enough tenants for the new development, said dare De Briere, chief operating officer and executive vice president for Ratkovich. The company was attracted by San Gabriel’s urban feel and heritage as the home to one of California’s 21 historic missions, De Briere said. “It is a very vibrant community and a very diverse community. They have a very clear vision of what they want, and we agree with that vision. It’s a good place to do business with us." ‹‹ back |
