Millions of dollars earmarked for the property.

By Mary O’KEEFE

After years in limbo Rockhaven’s future once again looks bright courtesy of an $8 million boost.

On Tuesday the sound of relief could be heard throughout Crescenta Valley as State Senator Anthony Portantino announced he had secured $8 million to preserve Rockhaven Sanitarium.

“He got it done,” said Joanna Linkchorst, president of Friends of Rockhaven. “He came on the grounds [of Rockhaven] and fell in love with it.”

“Years ago I went on one of the Friends of Rockhaven tours and met Joanna. She took me on a tour [of the former sanitarium] and I was blown away,” Portantino said.

To understand the significance of the historical property and the emotional weight that has been lifted from the shoulders of community members, it is important to know its history.

Agnes Richards was a nurse who had spent the majority of her career working in asylums. These institutions could be harsh places, especially for women. Richards wanted to offer a peaceful place where women would feel safe as they dealt with their mental illness. In 1923 she founded Rockhaven and created that sanctuary where women could heal with respect and kindness. She had saved $1,000 and was able to purchase a small home in what was then Verdugo City, now is part of the City of Glendale, located in the 2700 block of Honolulu Avenue. Richards never called the women at Rockhaven patients; they were “ladies.” In addition to that first home, she was able to purchase nearby homes as Rockhaven grew.

Today, Richards is viewed as a feminist but, according to those who knew her, this is not what she thought of herself. She was a woman who saw the need to help other women and was a determined businesswoman. And she accomplished this at a time when women were often “seen and not heard.”

Richards’ story is one of a powerful woman who quietly fought a system that threatened other women. This is a story that needs to be taught and remembered. That is the mission of the Friends of Rockhaven.

“Agnes was a hundred years ahead of her time,” Portantino said.

He praised how the community had rallied to save this historical place.

Richards ran the sanitarium until 1967 then passed the care over to her granddaughter Patricia Traviss. Rockhaven then was a place for women with dementia.

Rockhaven was sold in 2001 to a large medical corporation but in 2006 it found it could not keep the sanitarium going and sold it to developers. The plan was to knock down the buildings to create condos.

In 2008, then-Councilmember John Drayman proposed that the City of Glendale purchase Rockhaven. The original proposal was to have this location be the site for a new Montrose Library, and the present library site remodeled to add square footage to the adjoining Glendale Fire Station 29. The City had just leased property owned by them to Trader Joe’s Market. It was proposed the money to pay for Rockhaven, the library and fire station would come from the revenue from that lease.

Then, almost immediately after Rockhaven was purchased, the economy crashed and everything was put on hold. Since then, the Friends of Rockhaven has kept alive the memory of what Richards did and the history of the Rockhaven property. The members were able to get several of buildings listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

The fate of Rockhaven has been in question since 2008. Twice developers had planned to build on the location; one option was championed by the Friends of Rockhaven and one would turn the location into a boutique hotel – both of those proposals failed. And so Rockhaven was left unattended as the roofs began to crumble. Recently, though, the Glendale City Council approved new roofing and other repairs for the property.

Linkchorst said that attention was a positive sign but she did not get her hopes up that anything was really going to be done to protect Rockhaven … that is until she got a call from Portantino who told her he had secured $8 million.

Under the Portantino proposal, the State will allocate the money to the City of Glendale to renovate and preserve as a museum the historic Rockhaven property for the public to enjoy and appreciate. 

“Converting the Rockhaven grounds into a museum dedicated to the legacy of Agnes Richards, women’s history, and telling the story of compassionate care for women with mental health challenges ensures that we honor the historical significance of this site and the legacy of those who created it,” stated Portantino. “The city owns Rockhaven and the community has long sought an appropriate use for this landmark location and I was pleased to be in a position to help. What’s been missing is the money to do it. That just changed.”

“I’m very grateful for Senator Portantino’s leadership to secure funding for Rockhaven. Rockhaven has been an important community asset that has been left unattended with no clear plans for its future. These funds can help our community realize the hopes we have as Glendale residents towards a plan that restores and preserves it for future generations to enjoy,” said Glendale City Councilmember Ardy Kassakhian.

Kassakhian continues to be in support of the original plan to create the library at Rockhaven and expand the fire station.

“The City truly appreciates that Senator Portantino recognizes the importance of Rockhaven, one of Glendale’s most historic sites. We will continue to explore potential options for preserving and honoring the property’s history,” stated Roubik Golanian, City of Glendale manager.

Portantino began this push for funding years ago after he took his first Rockhaven tour.

“My dream is this will become the Rockhaven women’s history museum to tell Agnes’ story,” he said.

He would also like to incorporate a park and a place for women’s health on the grounds.

“It has always been a comforting and welcoming place and let’s see if we can reimagine that,” Portantino said.

For Linkchorst, the fact that there is funding now, after working for so long to get support, is overwhelming.

“I am not thinking, I am feeling,” she said. “I am just thrilled that what should have happened is finally going to happen … [to Senator Portantino] I have no idea how to thank him. Those two little words are far too small … He is a community guy so he knows what this means to our community.”

The future of Rockhaven is still in the hands of the City of Glendale. The City will need to officially accept the funds and then work toward a plan for those funds. The City will also decide what role the Friends of Rockhaven will play in Rockhaven’s future.

But for now, Linkchorst and the Friends of Rockhaven are replaying that call they received from Senator Portantino.

“I am still laughing and crying,” Linkchorst said.

  Agnes Richards, Portantino funding, rockhaven