San Gabriel Valley : MONROVIA’S BEST BUY

Discount electronics retailer Best Buy is abandoning plans for a store in East Pasadena because the Metropolitan Transit Authority wants the location for a Blue Line light-rail station, the company said.

The site is the former Johnson & Johnson/Merck Pharmaceuticals historic building at 3360 E. Foothill Blvd. The MTA is negotiating to buy the property for a station and parking lot.

Officials for the Minneapolis-based retailer said they have given up on the site and are examining a number of alternatives in the West San Gabriel Valley, including a soon-to-be vacated Monrovia property now housing Worldvision U.S., which is moving to Seattle.

“We haven’t settled on a site,” said Thomas Guylay, of Best Buy’s real estate division. “It’s too early to declare Best Buy is coming to Monrovia.”

He said the retailer has signed a letter of intent to purchase the property.