City Continues Review of Plans to Convert Julia Morgan Building into Boutique Hotel

It may take several more months before plans to convert the historic Julia Morgan YWCA Building into a boutique hotel can be finalized as the city continues to review proposals made by developer Kimpton Hotel and Restaurants.

On Monday the Pasadena City Council reviewed the pre-development plans submitted for the building. The proposal is set to return to the Design Commission on March 27 for its second round of consideration.

Kimpton’s proposal to convert the building into a “fashionable” boutique hotel earned it an exclusive negotiation agreement with the city in May 2013.

The Julia Morgan Building itself is proposed to be renovated to contain the main hotel entrance and lobby, common living room space, a restaurant/bar with supporting kitchen, two ballrooms and a pre-function space on the first floor.

On the second floor, there would be nine guest rooms, a bridal suite and three meeting rooms with a common pre-function space, while the third floor would have four guest rooms.

The project also contemplates a six-story addition consisting of 180 guest rooms to the eastern end of the southern wing of the Julia Morgan Building. The Design Commission suggested on the preliminary consultation that the 88,000-square-foot addition be completely detached from the YWCA building, except for a one-story walkway that will connect the two buildings.

Five trees that would be affected by the planned construction may be relocated depending on the assessment of the Urban Forestry Advisory Committee.

The Design Commission also suggested the construction of a mansard roof and a loading dock. Commissioners proposed that the swimming pool be relocated to the roof of the northerly wing of the Julia Morgan building instead of within its courtyard.

The 1921 landmark is named after its designer, Julia Morgan, who was also California’s first licensed woman architect. The property was used by Young Women’s Christian Association till 1997. It has remained vacant since then.

Pasadena acquired the historic building in April 2012, culminating many years of trying to purchase the building from an absentee owner. The city’s stated goal for owning the building is to ensure its preservation and status on the National Register of Historic Places. The property is also designated as a historic monument by the City of Pasadena.

In July 2012, the city requested proposals regarding new uses for the historic building and an adjacent city-owned parcel on Garfield Avenue.

Kimpton Hotel and Restaurants submitted a proposal to the City along with five others. Kimpton’s proposal was deemed the best by a city advisory council, and the city since then started an exclusive negotiations with the company.