“Things are Moving” With City and County Plan to Buy Kaiser Building for Expansion of Healthcare, Mental Health Outpatient Services

On April 25, City and Council officials announced a plan to purchase a building owned by the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan for affordable housing and expanding essential healthcare and mental health outpatient services in the City. At the press conference, Councilmembers Gene Masuda and Jason Lyon, Vice Mayor Felicia Williams, LA County District 5 Supervisor Kathryn Barger, Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo, John M. Yamamoto, Kaiser Permanente’s Vice President of Community Health and Government Relations for Southern and Hawaii Markets. Below left, an aerial view of the site. At right, Supervisor Barger and Mayor Gordo stroll the grounds and discuss the property’s future. [Pictures courtesy Office of Supervisor Katheryn Barger | Rendering by Jones Lang LaSalle Americas, Inc.]

During Monday’s joint meeting with Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, the City Council received an update on efforts to purchase a building owned by the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan.

“We are in the process of doing our diligence,” said Assistant City Manager David Reyes. “We have a commitment from L.A. County, the Board [of Supervisors], and we’ve now identified a funding source.”

The City and the County would pay $6 million each for the 2.48 acre parcel located on the southeast corner of Villa Street and North Lake Avenue.

“I think it’s a win-win,” said Supervisor Barger.

On March 13, the City Council directed the City Manager to work with Los Angeles County to explore the feasibility of identifying appropriate properties in the City for possible co-location and joint occupation for affordable housing and expanding essential healthcare and mental health outpatient services in the City.

The Council approved the purchase on April 24.

City and County staff met on several occasions to further discuss a potential partnership and identified the property commonly identified as 450 N. Lake Ave. as a potential property for acquisition purposes.

The property is improved with three existing buildings that were previously utilized by Kaiser for outpatient and administrative services but have been vacant for the past 11 years.

The City’s General Plan Land Use Designation for the property is Medium Density Mixed-Use with an allowed base density of 87-units per acre and a 2.25 Floor Area Ratio.

Municipal rules permit the site to be developed with housing, community serving retail uses as well out outpatient health services.

“Things are moving,” Reyes said.

According to Reyes the City Council could be updated again in as soon as two months.