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Feature Article
Call to Action!

Pasadena Mid-Century Modernism, Being Destroyed!


PLEASE WRITE!

A large area of modernist buildings in Pasadena, CA is soon to be destroyed. Please write to express your opposition. It's shocking but true... one by one, and in this case, acre by acre, America's modernist architecture is being destroyed. Please take action! Go to this website to send your opposition letter to Preserve Modern Pasadena, Pasadena Heritage, and LA Conservancy, the three groups trying to save this important architecture:

CLICK HERE TO WRITE!

The deadline is February 15, 2001 so act now!

T he city of Pasadena, California, one of the premier areas of mid-century modern architecture in the US, is unfortunately allowing the destruction of a huge group of significant buildings. Included are:


Ambassador College Fine Arts and Science Halls - 1967


Physical Education Building


Physical Education Building


Administration Building (on left) & Garrett Eckbo Landscaping


Student Center (on right) & Garrett Eckbo Landscaping

Also slated for demolition is the Friend Paper Company Building at 100 W Green St and several pre-war homes.

Find the Draft Supplemental Environmental Report from the City of Pasadena here.

If you would like to write your own letter, here is a list of the most common objections to the project:

Objections to the Ambassador Campus Development Plan-

  • 1800 additional residential units would create inappropriate population density
  • traffic mitigation plans are lacking - a 710 freeway off-ramp is cited!
  • the objectives of the project are unclear- who are commercial tenants?
  • no design criteria are included for new construction
  • no evaluation or mitigation for removal of green space and trees
  • the historic structures survey was done with outdated criteria
  • no adaptive re-use discussed as a mitigation for the historic structures

Please email additional objections for this list. Thanks!

Groups in opposition to this project include: LA Conservancy, LA Conservancy Modern Committee, Pasadena Heritage, West Pasadena Residents' Assn.

If you know of other great mid-century designs in jeopardy of neglect, modification beyond recognition, demolition or other pending destruction, please contact me now, before it's too late. I commit to publicizing more examples of America's great mid-century modern architecture. Please help me in this effort. Let's save our country's significant mid-century architecture.

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Questions? Comments? E-Mail the author at dalchicago@aol.com
(c) 1999, 2000 Joe Kunkel and Jetset - Designs for Modern Living, LA Conservancy Modern Committee, Pasadena Heritage, and West Pasadena Residents' Association. All Rights Reserved.

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