‘Link to our past’ not enough to block the Link

Despite heavy opposition from the Glendale Historical Society, a 142-unit building in the San Fernando Road Corridor, known as the Link, was given final approval by the City Council this week.

The nonprofit dedicated to preservation opposed the roughly $25-million project on a roughly 1-acre site at the corner of Central Avenue and San Fernando Road because it would require the demolition of a commercial building built in 1930 that the historical society considers a historic landmark.

Historical society representatives said they did not oppose development altogether, but asked that the developer, George Garikian owner of Kareco Inc. to rehabilitate and incorporate the 1930 structure into the design.

This is a link to our past, said nearby resident Marty Bracciotti. Theres no reason [the developer] cant incorporate this in and mix modern and new.

Doing that, though, would be economically infeasible, according to a city report. Garikian described the building as old, out-of-context and unsafe.

We are not the sleepy community we used to be and we will never be that again, he said, adding that his project signifies the progress Glendale has made.

About 20 opponents spoke during more than an hour of public comment and described the building as a historical landmark and pleaded with the Council to block the proposed design.

The Link is just one of many apartment buildings coming to Glendale. As a development boom has taken hold in the city, roughly 3,800 units are either recently completed, under construction, entitled or in the entitlement process.

Both the developer and the historical society hired consultants to determine if the building at 3901 San Fernando Road should be considered a historic landmark, with each side coming up with a different answer and then describing their opponents defense as flawed and erroneous.

The historical societys consultant, Christine Lazzaretto of Historic Resources Group, claimed the building deserves to be preserved because its a rare example of Mediterranean Revival architecture applied to a commercial building and the builder, Lloyd H. Wilson, brought many industrial businesses to Glendale.

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'Link to our past' not enough to block the Link