By Julie BUTCHER

The future of the former site of Rockhaven Sanitarium remains unclear. While supporters and community activists work and advocate to preserve the city-owned historic local treasure, the Glendale City Council announced a closed session discussion with potential developers regarding the “price and terms for the sale or lease of property,” then canceled the discussion reportedly due to the lack of a quorum (not enough councilmembers were planning to attend).

The agenda was posted for the closed session: “Conference with Real Property Negotiators: Property location – City-owned property at 2713 Honolulu Avenue, Glendale CA. Negotiating Parties: Armstrong Garden Centers, Avalon Investment Company, Cliffside Malibu, Heritage Housing Partners, Houk Development Company, Lab Holding LLC, LINC Housing, Metro Investments, Operation Confidence, Paseo Capital Partners, and Verdugo Hills Hospital. Agency negotiators attending the closed session are: Yasmin Beers, Roubik Golanian, Mike Garcia, Gillian van Muyden, Philip Lanzafame, Darlene Sanchez, Jennifer Hiramoto, Jay Platt, Peter Zovak and Onnig Bulanikian. Instructions to the negotiator(s) will concern the price and terms for the sale or lease of property.”

The regular 6 p.m. council meeting was also canceled.

In a closed session council meeting in February, the City abruptly terminated talks with local developer Matt Gangi after the council had publicly encouraged city staff to keep working on the project originally approved in 2016 to develop and preserve Rockhaven.

In an email to hundreds of members of the non-profit Friends of Rockhaven, president and lead tour guide Joanna Linkchorst shared a detailed update. The board had been contacted by one of the developers the City seemed to favor to discuss potential plans for a small hotel with the possibility of open space and public access. Linkchorst summarized the property’s history, laid out the options and solicited input.

The Glendale Historical Society described the historic, reportedly haunted, site as, “Located at 2713 Honolulu Ave., Rockhaven Sanitarium was established in 1923 and built into its current configuration by the 1930s with a mix of Craftsman and Spanish bungalows surrounded by lush and beautiful gardens. Opened by Agnes N. Richards as a women-only health care facility, Rockhaven is the only intact example of the many sanitariums that once existed in the surrounding area. In later years, Rockhaven operated as a senior health facility until it closed in 2005. Three years later, the City of Glendale purchased the property, which consists of approximately 150,000 square feet on 11 separate parcels, some of which remain undeveloped.”

In 2008, the City of Glendale purchased the 3.5-acre property for $8.25 million to prevent its demolition. The discussion, at the time, centered on making Rockhaven a park; however, due to the economic downturn, there were no funds available for that. Since 2008, Friends of Rockhaven continued its watch over the property, which is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The buildings have been untouched with few, if any, repairs, but the Friends of Rockhaven continue to promote the property and work to get the story out on the historic property.

Linkchorst addressed the Glendale City Council most recently on March 26 in honor of Women’s History Month.

“I thought it important to highlight an important place in women’s history that is not only in the City of Glendale but that is owned by the City of Glendale. These pictures,” Linkchorst said, “are just a few of the countless women who were cared for at Rockhaven. Opened in 1923 by a woman only three years after women got the right to vote, it was operated by women, for women, to give them dignified care, safe care.”

Linkchorst detailed the stories of some of the residents at the sanitarium including Edith Keyser White, the first African-American resident at Rockhaven, and Tamaye Shigematsu, who spent time at [the internment camp at] Manzanar, and famous residents Gladys Pearl Eley Baker, mother of Marilyn Monroe, and Broadway actress Billie Burke, best known for her role as Glinda the Good Witch in “The Wizard of Oz.”

The Friends of Rockhaven continue to care for the property and a tour is scheduled for Saturday, April 20 at 1 p.m. Details for the tour, other upcoming events, and updates on the fight to preserve Rockhaven can be found on the organization’s website: https://www.friendsofrockhaven.org/.

  Julie BUTCHER