Search for senior housing projects narrowed to two choices

The search to pick a new senior affordable-housing project in northwest Glendale was narrowed down to two candidates on Tuesday by the Housing Authority with a final vote expected to be cast next week.

Nearly 20 applicants initially expressed interest to develop a 1.56-acre site at Fifth Street and Sonora Avenue, directly behind the site of a former Bob’s Big Boy along Glenoaks Boulevard.

The city purchased the land for $6 million in 2008 and would offer up the land as the sole contribution in nearly all scenarios, while the developer would pay for the rest through competitive tax credits.

The Housing Authority whittled down the finalists to two proposed projects by Thomas Saffran and Associates and a joint proposal by development companies LINC Housing and Core.

Thomas Saffran and Associates’ proposals are to build a 70-unit, 70-bedroom building at three stories in height or a dense 91-unit development.

Mayor Paula Devine, who also is on the authority, said she wanted a project with the highest degree of functionality and one where seniors can age and socialize gracefully.

Both Thomas Saffran and Associates proposals do that and each would have a 1,000-square-foot intergenerational park that could have a playground and be open to the public, she said.

“This gives an opportunity for kids to have a playground and for the residents’ grandkids to come and play in that area,” Devine said. “The play area is set back from the residences so that it’s quiet where they are actually living.”

Thomas Saffran and Associates has completed two affordable housing projects in Glendale, the Gardens on Garfield and the Veterans Village, which opened a few months ago.

“They are great builders,” said Housing Authority member Laura Parazian.

Parazian, Devine and Housing Authority member Joseph Kelley named the Thomas Saffran proposals as their top picks.

Kelley wanted to pursue the 91-unit option, but Devine said that worried her because the city would have to cough up an extra $1.9 million to get the project built.

All three picked the 65-unit, 71-bedroom LINC Housing and Core project as their second choice.

Councilman Zareh Sinanyan selected it as his first choice, calling it the “best of the bunch” and that he liked the Spanish-style architecture. The proposal also includes a 3,500-square-foot community room.

LINC Housing and Core have developed more than 17,500 affordable-housing units with 4,800 of those units targeted for seniors.

Councilman Vartan Gharpetian favored the 70-unit, 71-bedroom Abode proposal because of the rooftop terraces and how it provided open space on multiple levels for seniors. He also supported the 81-unit, 81-bedroom Gangi Design proposal, but neither of the projects will be coming back for consideration.

The Authority was scheduled to vote on a project Tuesday, then give the winning proposal a one-year exclusive negotiating agreement and use that time to refine a final proposal to come back for another vote.

However, at the meeting, Gharpetian said he was provided with information regarding the financials for the proposals that were new to him.

The information is regarding tie-breakers that go into the 9% tax credits the winning developer would have to compete for at the state level.

Although most Authority members said they were ready to vote, they agreed to push back the decision until next Tuesday’s meeting, when only the Thomas Saffran Associates and LINC Housing and Core projects will be considered.

“My primary concern is who can obtain that 9% tax credit,” Gharpetian said.