Citibank axes tree in branch decision

Josh Kleinbaum

A Christmas tree that once symbolized the holiday season for Glendale

residents could soon fade into a distant memory.

Officials from Citibank, the primary tenant in an office building

at 700 N. Brand Blvd., said that the bank will not put a 75-foot tree

atop the building for the second consecutive year.

“It’s true that we will make a donation to a local nonprofit

organization instead of putting the tree on top of the building this

year,” Citibank spokeswoman Janice Tarver said. “It’s because we

don’t own the building and will only have a branch in it.”

Tarver did not know to which charities the bank would donate or

how much. Last year, the company donated 2,600 toys, worth $16,000,

to the Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots program.

In addition to the Citibank branch, 50 regional employees of the

bank work out of the office building. But Tarver said those employees

will be moving from 700 N. Brand Blvd. to the Hoeft Center at 201 W.

Lexington Drive in December.

The large Christmas tree, which was visible from much of the city

and the Ventura (134) Freeway, has been synonymous with winter in

Glendale since the Glendale Federal Bank operated out of the

building. When California Federal took over in 1998, the bank did not

put the tree up until residents complained.

After Citibank bought out California Federal last year, the storm

brewed again, but the bank resisted the public pressure, instead

donating the toys to charity.

“It’s just become something that you look forward to during the

holidays,” Glendale resident Susan Burnett said. “There’s a lot of

people in Glendale that would really like to see it. Since they’re in

our neighborhood, and it’s always been handled by the banks, why

can’t they continue the tradition?”

With the building treeless for the second consecutive year, some

residents are concerned that people will forget about it and the

tradition will be lost.

“Anybody new in town won’t even know it existed,” Glendale

resident Brian Ellis said. “It’s a vestige of the close connection

between Glendale Federal and our community.”

Terry Holt, a spokesman from building owner Equity Office, said

company officials who managed the building were out of the office

until Friday, so she did not know if the company would spring for a

tree.