‘Boutique Hotel’ Project Gets Green Light Despite Overwhelming Public Opposition

A Pasadena women, dwarfed by Jackie Robinson’s statue across from city hall, reflects on the council’s decision to go ahead with a “boutique hotel” that will encroach on these historic sculptures of Mack and Jackie Robinson. – Photo by Terry Miller

The architect’s rendering of the controversial project truly dwarfs the bronze Robinson Brothers’ Memorial statues that have graced the little park across from city hall since 1997.-Courtesy Drawing

Final EIR Approved for Kimpton Hotel/YWCA

By Terry Miller

On Monday, the Pasadena City Council unanimously approved the final EIR on the much-criticized Kimpton hotel project. Council gave the developers the “thumbs up” early Tuesday which now means a six-story luxury hotel will probably get underway in about six-months, despite some serious objections about not only the loss of land, but the loss of trees.

Merely a week ago, nearly two dozen protesters and preservationists gathered Saturday morning for a “picnic protest” against the Kimpton Hotel project in Pasadena’s Civic Center. The building, which had fallen into neglect, was acquired by the city in 2013, after the YWCA moved out in 1997.

Organizer Jonathan Edwards, of the Civic Center Coalition (CCC), insisted the project would destroy trees within the Civic Center’s “Sisters Cities Garden,” directly across from city hall and deems the hotel’s size inappropriate for the location.

“I’m a third-generation Pasadena resident and feel this is a terrible loss to the community.”- Christle Balvin

Marsha Rood, CCC member and a former administrator in the city’s development department, questioned the city’s unanimous decision Monday night. “This violates the Pasadena municipal code,” she told the council. “No public land can be sold without public input.” The land is being provided to the Kimpton company on a “long-term lease,” the details of which are still in the negotiation stages.

Christle Balvin told Pasadena Independent that the council chambers were filled to capacity Monday night and she, as many others, feel betrayed by the city council: “If the council chambers seat roughly 160 people, every seat was filled with about 20 folks clinging to the walls. And, as some left their seats, other late arrivals came to fill them. I estimate that about 200 people came during the course of the evening and only four spoke in favor of the project. One was from the police union, one was our former Mayor Bill Bogaard, and two were from Pasadena Heritage – Sue Mossman and Claire Bogaard. Yet the project passed.

“I’m a third-generation Pasadena resident and feel this is a terrible loss to the community. The new project will ruin Pasadena’s beautiful Civic Center by intruding into its park and green space with an oversized hotel designed by a company that now specializes in ‘flipping’ commercial properties. Despite the General Plan and its call for more parks and open space and the passionately felt comments of residents, the council decided to move ahead. The questions now is: why has the council turned its back on residents and decided to give away one of Pasadena’s most valuable assets?”

Sue Mossman, executive director of Pasadena Heritage, testified on behalf of the project, saying, “We’ve spent years analyzing and agonizing over this decision. Change is difficult, but there is an opportunity to save a historic building here.”

“This project is worthy of our support,” said Mayor Terry Tornek. “This is not inconsistent with the Civic Center Specific Plan.”

The Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group Inc. is a part of the Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG) hotel company. Founded in 1981 by William Kimpton and led by CEO Mike DeFrino, it was the largest chain of boutique hotels in the United States in 2011, according to Wikipedia. Its headquarters are in San Francisco. Most Kimpton properties are marketed under their own independent names as boutique hotels; however, in 2005, the company launched two sub-brands within the company’s brand: Hotel Palomar and Hotel Monaco. Each hotel has a restaurant or bar that is marketed as upscale or trendy.

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