Pasadena Design Commission to Review Final Design for 34-unit ‘Hacienda’ Condominium Project on North Michigan Avenue

The Pasadena Design Commission is set to conduct a final design review on Tuesday, June 27 for a proposed two-to-three-story, 34-unit condominium development at 256 N. Michigan Ave, marking a key milestone in the project.

This comes after an initial Concept Design Review approval granted on November 9, 2021, and a subsequent one-year extension that was approved on June 6, 2023.

Rose City Holdings, LLC, the project’s owner and applicant, with architectural designs by LCRA, Inc., has proposed the construction of two buildings set over a subterranean parking level, which will provide space for 68 vehicles. 

The city staff, in their report, recommend approval.

Stephanie Cisneros, the case planner, is assigned to review the conditions set for final approval before the issuance of a building permit.

The site, located within the RM-32 Zoning District, a zone designated for Multi-Family Residential units, is a 33,949 square-foot lot with frontages on both Michigan and Chester Avenues. Currently partially developed as a surface parking lot, the property is primed for redevelopment.

Taking architectural cues from the Spanish Colonial Revival style, the proposed buildings are expected to include elements such as stucco exterior wall coating, barrel tile roofing, wood shutters, and metal railings. The proposal also includes the removal of a protected Coast Live Oak tree to make way for the construction.

According to the submitted designs, the two new buildings will occupy the majority of the site, with landscaped gardens extending across the property to provide a green buffer. Pedestrian walkways and exterior corridors on the second floor are integrated into the design for optimal circulation.

The city staff report, which will be presented at the meeting, states that “the current drawings are more fully detailed and present a palette of materials that is consistent with the design of the building.” 

This project, if approved, would be an addition to the existing mix of multi-family residential vernacular buildings in the area, which range from one to three stories in height.

The Pasadena Design Commission meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. in Council Chambers at City Hall.  The meeting will also be live-streamed with captioning on the Pasadena Media and City of Pasadena websites