On September 26, the Pasadena Design Commission is scheduled to review the newest plan to convert the 1920s Julia Morgan-designed YWCA Building into a boutique hotel.

More than one decade ago, the City of Pasadena began soliciting interest from developers for the conversion of the property, which sits southwest of Pasadena City Hall at 78 N. Marengo Street. Those efforts crystallized into a plan from Kimpton Hotels to reactivate the historic property, only to see plans fizzle after the hotel chain sought more than $30-million in development incentives.

View looking southeast from Holly and MarengoESa

The revised plan, which comes from HRI Hospitality Investments, calls for both the adaptive reuse of the 41,500 square-foot YWCA building, as well as the new construction of a five-story building on what is now a parking lot next door. Combined, the two buildings will contain a total of 217 hotel rooms - the bulk of which would be located in the new construction.

The design team for the project includes ESa and Olin. Plans call for retaining and restoring the Morgan-designed building, which is of the Spanish Colonial Revival, while expanding the property with a new building described as a "contemporary interpretation" of its historic neighbor.  The new construction would maintain the existing central courtyard of the YWCA building, while also providing new open space at the roof level.

The presentation to the Design Commission is for a preliminary review, in which commissioners will provide feedback and critiques on the design concept - including issues identified in a staff report.

78 N. Marengo AvenueGoogle Maps

New plans for the YWCA building spawned from a 2019 request for proposals issued by the City of Pasadena seeking development options for two properties in its Civic Center. Among those is another property adjacent to City Hall at 280 Ramona Street, where National CORE is planning a five-story, 100-unit senior affordable housing complex.

Several other properties in close proximity to the Civic Center, including a parking lot across the street from the hotel site, are also up for redevelopment with housing and commercial uses.

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