Hotel, Parking Garage Split Planned for Downtown Pasadena Property

A downtown property owner wants to split a hotel and parking garage into separate units, though nothing would change on the ground. 

The Pasadena Hearing Officer will review the proposal Wednesday at 6 p.m. in City Hall’s basement conference room. 

Maven RE Holdings LLC seeks approval to create two air parcels at 180 N. Fair Oaks Ave. and 171 N. Raymond Ave. One parcel would cover the existing hotel. The other would encompass the commercial parking structure. 

The 72,316-square-foot property has an unusual configuration. A hotel fronts Fair Oaks Avenue on the western side. A six-level parking garage faces Raymond Avenue to the east. 

The Department of Planning and Community Development recommends approval of the application for a Vesting Tentative Parcel Map for the project. Staff analysis shows the proposal meets all seven required findings under municipal subdivision rules. 

The parking structure serves dual purposes. It provides required spaces for hotel guests. The city also leases a portion for public parking. 

No construction is planned. No uses would change. The project involves paperwork, not physical development. 

The site currently has two assessor parcel numbers despite single ownership. The application would formalize that arrangement as separate commercial condominiums. 

The Central District Specific Plan designates the area for mixed-use development. Adjacent properties include apartments, commercial buildings and Memorial Park. 

The hotel contains 314 rooms across six stories. The garage holds 402 spaces on six levels, plus 143 public spaces below. 

Original approvals date to 1998 for the hotel and 1999 for the public parking addition.

The Planning Department said other city departments raised no objections. Transportation, Public Works, Housing and Water and Power staff reviewed the plans. 

Pasadena Water and Power did flag requirements, the report said. Existing water services must meet cross-connection standards. Backflow prevention devices may be necessary. 

The vesting tentative parcel map must be recorded within two years if approved. The hearing starts at 6 p.m. Wednesday in Room S038 at City Hall.