Rusnak’s Porsche Dealership Expansion in East Pasadena Greenlighted by Council

The City Council unanimously approved a Conditional Use Permit that could allow the Rusnak Auto Group to build a new Porsche dealership facility on Colorado Boulevard in East Pasadena.

The vote clears the way for a public hearing at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 26 and adopts a Resolution of Intention to vacate Nina Street from Sunnyslope Avenue to its Eastern terminus.

“As you heard … [this] been a long road getting here. This project has been in the pipeline for three years and during that time we spent considerable time, money, effort to be responsive to the Commission demands and produce enthusiastic solutions,” said Andrew Arizmendi, Vice President of Rusnak Auto Group.

A spokesperson for the project claimed it will significantly increase the City’s sales tax revenue from the existing dealership. Consultant Stephanie DeWolfe, who spoke on behalf of the Rusnak team, told Councilmembers “This expansion on the east side will allow the Porsche dealership to double their sales volume in less than a decade. And so of course that correlates with a doubling in sales tax to the city of Pasadena.” 

The project would also create additional jobs and a commitment to providing vocational training in partnership with Pasadena City College.

The original project submitted in 2021 included the demolition of all existing buildings on the site. However, the project was later revised to preserve the existing 1929 Swanson and Peterson Building.

Regarding the preserved building, DeWolfe explained, “The Swanson and Peterson building is envisioned to be some sort of vintage Porsche lounge space.”

A vocational training program with Pasadena City College that will allow hands-on training will also be put in place.

“What I really appreciated was when Rusnak said that he was going to keep it, Mr. Rusnak, keep it historic, and that was a good decision, a very important decision, but it was a good decision on his part,” said Councilmember Gene Masuda. “The Rusnak Group made many changes to this design plans after the critiques.”

The project is in Masuda’s District. The District 4 Councilmember made the motion to approve the project, which Vice Mayor Steve Madison seconded.

The City’s Planning Commission had mixed recommendations on different aspects of the project. They recommended approval of the street vacation and transfer of ownership, and the minor variance for setback requirements. However, they recommended denial of the conditional use permit to establish the auto dealership use in a 5-2 vote, and denial of the conditional use permit to allow new construction over 25,000 square feet in a 4-3 vote.

Madison said he appreciated the caution of the Planning Commission, but praised the project.

“This would be a huge miss if we didn’t approve this project,” Madison said. “We lost 10 dealerships in Pasadena, 10 auto dealerships in Pasadena in a very short period of time. And that is a major, major problem. I have no doubt every other city in LA County would love to have this dealership located in their city.”

Councilmember Justin Jones recused himself because he owns property within 500 feet of the project.

The plans also include a trellis sculpture along Colorado Boulevard designed by students at Art Center College of Design. The project includes a minor variance to deviate from the fixed five-foot setback along Sunnyslope Avenue.

The Rusnak Auto Group has a rich history in Pasadena that dates back to 1959. Over the years, the company has grown significantly, establishing itself as a prominent name in the luxury automobile market in Southern California. It operates multiple dealerships in Pasadena, offering a wide range of luxury vehicles, including brands such as Porsche, Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Jaguar.