By Mary O’KEEFE

Adevelopment project has been proposed for 1809 Verdugo Blvd. in Glendale. The building presently is home to several medical offices, including Beeve Vision Care.

The proposed development, according to the City of Glendale, was submitted by co-owner Stuart (Harry) Ahn and is a three-story, 35,000 square-foot residential congregate living/medical facility that will have 79 beds, a 32-space semi-subterranean parking garage below the building and a new 36,780 square-foot parking garage with one level subterranean and two levels above grade with 110 spaces. The medical building that is currently at that location is a four-story, 35,980 square-foot office building that was constructed in 1984. There is a surface parking lot.

The proposed negative declaration comment period continues through July 29 with a City of Glendale Design Review Board public meeting scheduled for Aug. 8 at 5 p.m. at 533 E. Broadway, Room 103 of the Municipal Services Building.

The building is owned by some people who work out of offices at the location; 48% is owned by people in the building and 52% is owned by the Ahn family. They are governed by the Plaza Verdugo Medical Center Owners Association.

A majority of the businesses at the location, including the 48% property owners, have been asking for more information about the proposed construction and development but information has not been forthcoming.

This is not the first time these property owners and tenants have been notified of this proposed development. In November 2018 they received a notice from the City of Glendale concerning the proposal and a Design Review Board meeting; however, that was abruptly canceled.

“Three days before the [Design Review Board] hearing it was taken off the calendar,” said Marie Poore. She is a therapist and has had an office at 1809 Verdugo Blvd. for 25 years.

“Everyone had turned in their negative declaration letter and then La Cañada Flintridge got involved,” she added.

Although the building is in the City of Glendale, many of the nearby homes are in La Cañada Flintridge because the building is on the line separating the two cities.  Those homeowners would also be impacted by the development.

“We also had petitions against the [project] in the [offices] in the building,” Poore said.

She has tried to ask Ahn, who was at the building’s association meeting in June, about the project prior to it being rescheduled to August.

“He said he didn’t have to give me an explanation,” she said. “A week later we got the [notice of the August Design Review Board] meeting.”

So once again those against the development will be submitting their negative declaration statements, including residents who will be affected and are against the project, and petitions against the project are also available in the offices at the building.

Some of the property owners hired an attorney to help them get more information about the development and to voice their concerns. In a letter from the attorney to the board of directors of the association, it was stated that although those property owners are not in favor of the overall project, they are especially troubled by the proposed parking structure that will replace the existing surface lot, which is part of the common area – Plaza Verdugo Medical Center.

Poore said the construction would be disruptive to the patients who come to the offices in the Center, and there is concern about doctors who do delicate procedures on-site and how they will cope with the effects of the construction.

The City of Glendale Planning Dept. stated that the “project applicant” will be required to follow “best management practices” to reduce construction noise levels.

The environmental review states that construction times would be limited to 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays … the exact times offices at the Center are in operation.

In addition to the concerns about the noise and effects of the development on their offices, those opposed to the project feel the CC&Rs directly impact the situation. According to the CC&Rs, there was a limited period of time to undertake further improvements at the Plaza Verdugo, like construction of a parking lot.

Phil Lanzafame, director of Glendale Community Development Dept., said the best way to convey concerns about the development is to comment on the environmental reviews.

The Mitigated Negative Declaration and all documents concerning the project are available for review in the Community Development Dept. Planning Division Office, 633 Broadway, Room 103, in Glendale, or at the website www.glendaleca.gov/environmental.

Written comments may be submitted to the Community Development Dept., Planning Division Office, at the same address. The Design Review Board will conduct a private meeting in Room 105 of the Municipal Services Building, 633 E. Broadway in Glendale on Aug. 8 at 5 p.m.

Phone calls to Harry Ahn were not returned before deadline.

  Mary Okeefe