The Glendale City Council has voted last week to approve the design of the proposed Armenian American Museum and has directed city staff to negotiate terms of a 95-year ground lease for a project site in Glendale Central Park.

The proposed arrangement, which is expected to be finalized this Summer, would have an initial term of 55 years with options for up to four 10-year extensions.  The museum would pay $1 per year to the City of Glendale.

Alajajian Marcoosi Architects is designing the approximately 30,000-square-foot building, which would replace a grass field along Colorado Street to the east of Brand Boulevard.  The museum is incorporated into a new master plan for Glendale Central Park, which calls for adding new green space to replace what would be lost through the museum.

The building, which is being designed to evoke the Verdugo Mountains north of Glendale, will incorporate exhibition space and research opportunities focused on Armenian American history.