Burbank OKs Condo-Office Project

The Burbank City Council on Tuesday approved a controversial residential and office development to be located near the city’s media center.

The City Council unanimously approved the project over the objections of some homeowners, who said it would bring crime and more noise to the area.

City Councilman Robert R. Bowne said the seven-building complex, to include 249 condominiums and a three-story office building, will be a “real asset.”

Bowne said, “We need more of these in our community.”

The project is to be built by Chandler-Pacifica Investment Builders in a triangular-shaped area bounded by Hollywood Way, Verdugo Avenue and Whitnall Highway. City officials said the project will take from 1 1/2 to 2 years to complete.

When the project was first proposed about a year ago, all its buildings were to be four stories high, and there were to be 300 residential units.

But after protests from homeowners near the site, Chandler revised its plan. It reduced the number of planned condominiums to 249 and lowered to three stories the planned heights of many of the buildings facing streets.

Special parking and traffic restrictions were also added. Officials said the restrictions will limit people working and living in the development from infringing on nearby neighborhoods.

Rick Pretuz, a Burbank city planner, said citizen opposition to the project lessened following the revisions.

The site is occupied by 19 single-family homes and 32 apartments. Pretuz said Burbank will be better off with one project on the site. Present residents will be relocated. A date for razing the buildings has not been set.

Chandler said it will build a park across the street from the project on Whitnall Highway.

The builder also said it will provide property to accommodate expansion of a nearby Fire Department substation.