Glendale OKs scaled-down version of apartment project
A three-story apartment project proposed to replace a former Bob’s Big Boy restaurant won a major approval from the city this month toward it being built.
The 55-unit project at 1407 W. Glenoaks Blvd. is a scaled-down version of a development that drew significant ire from northwest Glendale residents over its size and the fact that the developer didn’t know who the ground-floor retail tenant would be.
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In late 2014, developer American General Design was seeking a series of variances or exceptions to zoning rules in the area to build a four-story, 74-unit condominium structure.
The requests were shot down by the City Council in response to residents’ concerns.
However, now the developer has done away with the commercial component. In fact, enough of the project’s scope has been removed that council approval is no longer required.
Instead, the city’s planning department this month signed off on what’s known as a density bonus, which is allowing the project to have a setback of only 5 feet from the sidewalk instead of 20.
In exchange, five of the units will be set aside for “very low-income” residents, according to the city’s decision letter.
“The requested concessions would allow for larger units to attract longer-term tenants to the project, minimizing unit turnover, and to distinguish the project from the large number of smaller market-rate units within the city,” the letter states.
But the revised proposal no longer has a street-front courtyard.
Councilman Zareh Sinanyan voted in favor of rejecting the original proposal, even though he thought it was a superior design.
“Aesthetically, it was a better project,” he said in a phone interview. “It had public space that would have been specifically allocated for that purpose.”
The revised plan is for a three-story, 32.5-foot-tall building with 33 one-bedroom units and 22 two-bedroom units.
Philip Lanzafame, the city’s community development director, said that, while his department approved the density bonus, he’s unsure how far along the developer is in pulling the permits to begin construction.
Patrick Chraghchian, president of the development firm, did not return phone calls for comment.
Peter Fuad, president of the Northwest Glendale Homeowners Assn., said he would have to review the city’s decision letter before commenting on the project.
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Arin Mikailian, arin.mikailian@latimes.com
Twitter: @ArinMikailian
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