By Julie BUTCHER

“Our priority should be to bring the jewel that is Rockhaven back into public view and enjoyment,” Glendale Mayor Paula Devine said before the Glendale City Council on Tuesday. The council then voted to take steps to restore and reopen the historic property and to accept an $8 million state grant facilitated by State Senator Anthony Portantino. “We should keep the property intact, create a museum and a park. What the Friends of Rockhaven want most is to open up the property to the public as soon as possible and I think that’s what our goal should be. Working with the Friends of Rockhaven in a very special partnership, we can bring it back to its original beauty.”

City Manager Roubik Golanian added, “Recently Senator Portantino announced that he was able to secure $8 million to preserve and renovate Rockhaven, including the creation of a museum, and for that we are grateful. This grant has the potential to kick-start our efforts.”

Community Development Assistant Deputy Bradley Calvert shared a little background history on the property.

“Rockhaven opened in 1923 as a private women’s mental health facility that provided specialized care in beautiful, gated surroundings … one of a handful, perhaps three now, left in the county. It has made its way onto the national historical register. The city bought the property in 2008 for $8.25 million.

“The site has been in ‘mothballs’ for 15 years lacking more permanent safeguards to protect the integrity of those structures. To ready it for ‘limited public use’ will cost an estimated $3.2 million. Staff will be seeking authorization to replace roofs and gutters to aid in weatherproofing buildings with the ‘highest historic integrity.’” 

Councilmember Ardy Kassakhian recalled the purchase of the property “at the height of a market about to crash.”

“Since then the community’s interest and awareness, and now the help from Senator Portantino, [provides] a tremendous opportunity for us to do what we intended to do at the time [of purchase]. Rockhaven and the community library – .4 miles down the street – are both in a very high-risk fire zone. In my lifetime, I’ve seen those hills go up in flames twice.

 “That kind of fire danger requires a modernized fire station. The fire station we have up there, the one across the street from Trader Joe’s, cannot house the equipment necessary to adequately respond to an emergency. The last new fire station we built was FS 21 – it was completed in 1998, I’m told.”

Kassakhian then suggested that if the Montrose library were relocated from its current site to the Rockhaven property – an idea that more than once was discussed –the existing library building could be utilized as an expansion of Glendale Fire Station 29, located next door.

“Relocating the library to Rockhaven creates a draw for people to come to the library, use the community rooms there, and visit a museum that celebrates the history of women and women leaders in our city and our region,” Kassakhian said. “I think the setting is ideal – it was intended as a place to recover and recharge.”

Councilmember Dan Brotman agreed, suggesting other opportunities that would generate revenue: a tea house, wine bar, brew pub, a restaurant. 

“Friends of Rockhaven should play a vital role,” he said. “They’re a strong non-profit. I’m sure they could go out and raise additional funds.”

Councilmember Ara Najarian added a word of caution.

“I’d like to thank the Friends of Rockhaven for their strong advocacy through the years, but it sounds like we’re throwing a lot at them – we’re asking them to be the property managers and our fundraising arm; I don’t want to dump too much on them,” he said.

Najarian urged the council to move first on the “low-hanging fruit:” creating a museum, the preservation of open space near the oak trees, offering some retail perhaps.

“I’m not for an RFP,” Councilmember Vrej Agajanian said, noting that the opportunity for affordable housing should be included if possible. “We tried that four times and failed. Retail? Boutique hotel? Failed. Let’s get going on this and [instead] be thoughtful, sensitive, and cost-conscious.”

Friends of Rockhaven president Joanna Linkchorst called in to the meeting with her thoughts.

“I’m a little bit of a mess here  – this has been eight years of my life and 13 years for the Crescenta Valley that we’ve been waiting for an opportunity like this,” Linkchorst said. “How remarkable and how exciting tonight is, and we want to thank you, Madam Mayor and council, for reaching this point.”

Earlier in the week Friends of Rockhaven sent an email urging the community to advocate for these points: “Quit trying to sell park property! Which part of Verdugo Park would they sell? Would they crowd historic Brand Library to put in housing on that park? This space will need parking! Follow the original plan of getting the grounds open to the public then work on getting the buildings open. Collaborate with the community. Let us in to create those gardens. Agnes knew that was good for mental health! Let other museums in that fit the park history. Let community organizations like the YWCA and YMCA be involved in programs. Please replace the roofs immediately which were already approved and in the budget. Delaying until the grant comes through continues to put the buildings at risk.”

The council voted unanimously for staff to move forward with immediate repairs and to develop options for further council review.