The Pasadena Design Commission is set to review the concept design for a new research building by Caltech on January 27, 2024. This meeting is expected to witness substantial opposition, particularly from the nearby St. Philip the Apostle Church and school community. The proposed four-story, 93,539 square foot facility is designed to enhance Caltech’s research capabilities but has raised significant concerns among local residents.
Located at 1364 E. Green St., adjacent to the church and school, the project has been recommended for approval by city officials, according to a staff report. The commission previously voted to continue the review of the design, which includes plans for 260 subterranean parking spaces. Notably, the project will involve the removal of two protected street trees: a California fan palm and an incense cedar. This decision has already been endorsed by the Urban Forestry Advisory Committee.
Caltech describes the building, referred to as the “innovation center,” as a facility that will provide research and development office space, including laboratories to support the university’s expanding startup ecosystem. In a statement on its website, Caltech emphasizes that the design aims to minimize potential impacts on traffic, air quality, and noise while maximizing job opportunities and economic benefits for the community.
Opposition to the project has been vocal, particularly from the St. Philip the Apostle community, which has expressed concerns regarding traffic, security, privacy, and the building’s size. The church community has mobilized against the proposal, with an online petition launched in September amassing over 1,300 signatures as of January 22, 2024. Additionally, the city has received more than a dozen written public comments expressing similar concerns.
Pastor Tony Gomez, in a letter dated January 23, 2024, indicated that a group of parishioners with planning and development expertise has reviewed the project and found it unsatisfactory in its current form. Gomez urged his congregation and school parents to attend the upcoming commission meeting to voice their perspectives.
The special meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at the Pasadena Convention Center, located at 300 E. Green St.. The outcome of this review will be crucial, not only for Caltech’s development plans but also for the local community’s concerns regarding the potential impacts of the project.
