City staff supports Masonic Temple revival project with one stipulation

The second round of design plans for revival of the long-dormant Masonic Temple in downtown Glendale heads to the Historic Preservation Commission for a vote next week, but there’s one element city staff is strongly recommending against.

The latest plans include an outdoor stair tower along the south side of the nine-story building at 234 S. Brand Blvd., but its design deviates from schematics presented at a commission meeting in April, according to a staff report.

The building was built in 1928 and, while phase-one plans to modify windows were approved, staffers believe the stair tower wouldn’t work in preserving the look of the structure.

“Planning staff does not believe the proposed design is appropriate to the historic character or design of the Masonic Temple or as compliant with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation as possible,” the document states.

Early plans called for a stairway with a mesh cladding that would be “semi-transparent,” but the newer version is described as a skeletal framework with prominent horizontal and diagonal lines and a sense of openness, which are at odds with the temple’s front façade.

Staff is recommending the commission mandate the stairwell be redone, but is onboard with other portions of the project, such as replacing the entry doors with ones that strongly resemble the current doors and restoring the windows above the entrance.

Staff is also fine with plans to expand the lobby because it has lost its integrity and significance, according to the report.

Caruso Affiliated is buying the Masonic Temple — across from the Americana at Brand, also owned by the developer — and plans to convert it into office space for commercial real estate firm CBRE, and a restaurant is also slated for the space.

Liz Jaeger, vice president of public relations for the developer, did not return emails or phone calls for comment.

Jay Platt, the city’s historic preservationist, also couldn’t be reached for comment.

A sign reading “CBRE” will be placed atop the building, and an imprint that reads “Masonic Temple,” also at the top of the building, will remain untouched.

Last month, the commission gave Caruso Affiliated the go-ahead to move forward with implementing a symmetrical window pattern to replace the old one, which had windows along the sides of the building in a scattered fashion to meet past needs of Masonic organizations.

Crews are currently in the process of expanding the size of the old windows.

There will be three phases to the project.

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Arin Mikailian, arin.mikailian@latimes.com

Twitter: @ArinMikailian