Montrose should be made historic district

What would happen if a large department store wanted to put up a three-story building within the Montrose Shopping Park? What would happen if a large public housing project was located in the parking lot behind Starbucks? What if more franchise stores moved into the neighborhood, replacing the mom-and-pop stores? What if there were significant zoning changes like allowing mansionization of homes or 15-story condos and apartment complexes, as in the new downtown Glendale? What might happen if a group of investors convinced the City Council to make Honolulu Avenue a one-way street and put in modern parking meters, as on Brand Boulevard?

A large low-cost public housing project could have materialized within the Montrose shopping district when former councilman John Drayman was on council. He and the other council members were recipients of thousands of dollars of campaign money from the sub-contractors of Advanced Development and Investment Company. Before the ADI scandal was exposed, a proposed low-cost public housing project was being discussed for Montrose. Had there not been the ADI scandal, today an ADI project would probably be located in downtown Montrose.

Very much in the news today, our once-considered-historic commercial buildings in Glendale are being torn down and being replaced with large condos, apartments or office buildings.

If property owners, residents and concerned citizens do not take the initiative into looking into making the Montrose Shopping Park district historic, then one day only a few votes on city council could change the appearance of what many call Mayberry, USA.

Mike Mohill
Glendale former candidate for Glendale City Council