Demolition begins on storefronts for Constance Hotel project; Lake and Colorado continues changing

Demolition of storefronts has begun at 800-940 East Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena Monday, as developer Park Place Commercial moves forward with a restoration plan that will include underground parking. The historic Constance Hotel is also part of the project. (SGVN/Photo by Walt Mancini)

PASADENA - Demolition of a vacant storefront near the historic Constance Hotel began this week, making way for an office and retail development that's part of a $76 million restoration project.

Not all of the storefronts lining the 900 block of East Colorado Boulevard are coming down. Some, such as the old Taste of Bangkok restaurant, will have their facades stripped back to their historic look.

"It's significantly better and much more like the original historic structure," said Richard A. McDonald, an attorney representing developer Park Place Commercial, owned by Arcadia- based Singpoli Pacifica.

Those storefronts are attached to the Constance Hotel, a 1926 building currently undergoing renovations to turn it into the 136-bed boutique New Constance Hotel.

It's part of a changing landscape at the business-oriented Lake and Colorado intersection that has come at the expense of several small businesses.

Last week, Wolfe Burgers at 46 N. Lake Ave. suddenly closed. Signs posted at the building announce the pending arrival of Rounds Premium Burgers, a growing chain based in West Hollywood that is part of the food truck trend.

A neighboring business on North Lake Avenue, International Discount Golf, went out of business this past summer.

The demolition for the hotel project is on a separate retail building that abuts the west side of the historic storefronts on Colorado. The building previously housed Copy Right

The entire block will eventually become a uniform retail front, with the hotel on the east end at Mentor Avenue and a new office building on the west end at Lake Avenue.

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Demolition begins on storefronts for Constance Hotel project; Lake and Colorado continues changing