20162016A N N U A L
R E P O R T
This report is a summary of activities from January 1 through December 31, 2016.
advocacyP E R S P E C T I V E S
As the second largest preservation non-profit in California, Pasadena
Heritage is deeply engaged in activities that support, promote,
and further the conservation of historic architecture and cultural
resources in and around our great city. This advocacy work takes
many forms. From speaking at public hearings, evaluating complex
environmental documents, and identifying historically significant
properties, to consulting on restoration projects, our participation is
hands-on, proactive, and community-oriented. This work connects
us with elected City officials and City planning staff, developers,
realtors, architects, business owners, homeowners, contractors,
historians, students, educators, and other non-profits on a daily
basis. The following are areas where we were actively engaged in
2016.
Issues in the Public Arena
Pasadena Heritage is committed to protecting community
character, so it is important that the community sees us
participating and speaking up. From fence designs to
complex large-scale developments, Pasadena Heritage
staff and volunteers represent Pasadena Heritage at
public hearings, site visits, and town hall community
meetings. Detailed comment letters are often prepared
and submitted to decision makers providing background,
analysis and recommendations as well as a preservation
perspective.
Policy
In addition to efforts to discourage individual demolitions,
we also worked on anti-mansionization policies that
protect existing character of residential neighborhoods.
Pasadena Heritage agrees that growth and new investment
in existing neighborhoods is good, but it should not
happen at the expense of our city’s architectural heritage
and distinctive character. The City’s first two phases of a
3-part mansionization study began, with new standards
developed for Lower Hastings and tweaks to the existing
Hillside Development Permit.
Demolition
Other advocacy work urges the protection of historic
resources against demolition and/or alterations that would
compromise their historic integrity. Pasadena has many
older buildings that retain their historic character, but do
not meet the criteria for historic designation, leaving them
extremely vulnerable to demolition. The option to relocate
a building as an alternative to demolition is becoming
less feasible as vacant land becomes scarce although this
year two historic homes were saved through relocation.
Teardowns have a serious impact on community. It
also appears that illegal demolitions are on the rise.
Examples of such threats where Pasadena Heritage made
a difference are:
• Caltrans Properties
• Pinney House on South Euclid
• Las Encinas Hospital Barn
• Washington Theater
• La Loma Bridge
• Paseo Colorado/Garfield Promenade
• Decker House on North Fair Oaks
New Development
Infill development can isolate historic properties and
splinter neighborhood context or possibly compromise
the structural stability of adjacent historic structures.
These threats make new development an increasingly
urgent preservation issue within our city. When reviewing
proposed projects, the focus of staff and the Advocacy
Committee is on evaluating the compatibility of new
construction with the established character and historic
context of their location and neighboring properties.
Several proposed infill projects demanded our close
scrutiny, multiple meetings, and strong advocacy work
to make sure compatibility concerns were heard and
addressed:
• Former YWCA property
• Parsons Phase 1
• New residential behind Thatcher Medical Center
• New hotel at Hill / Colorado and Loud Ford
Showroom
• Alexandria Real Estate headquarters
• Huntington Hospital Master Plan
• Former Avon Products administration building
• Condos at El Molino and Corson
• Kaiser Permanente new medical school
• Paseo Colorado/Garfield Promenade
• Rose Bowl Aquatics Center
2 | Pasadena Heritage | Winter 2017
Mansionization
Pasadena Heritage agrees that growth and new investment
in existing neighborhoods is good, but it should not
happen at the expense of our city’s architectural heritage
and distinctive character. In addition to efforts to
discourage individual demolitions, we also worked on
anti-mansionization policies to protect existing character
of residential neighborhoods.
Community Engagement + Assistance
In addition to working one-on-one with City officials
and staff, we engaged with the community directly and
communicated what is at stake with our historic
resources and how residents can participate in the
public process. This involved attending neighborhood
association meetings, volunteering for other organizations,
and accepting speaking invitations at various events.
Preservation Director Jesse Lattig was invited to give the
South Orange Grove Boulevard lecture at Palm Springs
Modernism Week in February. She also co-organized
the international Iconic Houses Conference on behalf of
Pasadena Heritage, held at the Getty Center in February.
In September, we offered a lecture on the more recent
history of South Orange Grove Boulevard prior to a walking
tour of the northern segment of the neighborhood. In
October, Pasadena Heritage organized an all-day session
on Historic Preservation at the APA-CA Conference for
planners from across the state.
One of the most important ways in which we provide
technical assistance is through workshops and lectures.
These formats allow us to present comprehensive
information to a large group at one time, often using
familiar local examples to illustrate the material.
For example, two well-attended early summer lectures by
prominent academics dived into the history and present-
day relevance of the American City Beautiful movement. A
half-day seminar on how to nominate a Landmark District
and apply for the Mills Act Property Abatement incentive
drew more than 65 people on a April morning.
The turnout at these events last year revealed a genuine
interest on the part of the community on these topics
and we will continue to offer these programs and look for
topics that directly respond to the community’s needs.
• Lower Hastings / Mansionization
• Rose Villa Oakdale Landmark District
• South Orange Grove Boulevard lecture + tour, Part 2
• Landmark District and Mills Act seminar
• City Beautiful lectures
• Craftsman Referral List
Easement Program
Preservation Easements are legal agreements we hold
on historic properties that typically restrict alterations to
the character-defining features of the building facades.
Pasadena Heritage holds 83 easements, half of which
are commercial properties in Old Pasadena. Program
administration involves semi-annual site inspections to
ensure compliance with maintenance and preservation
requirements, as well as the review of proposed changes.
In addition to acquiring one new easement this year
(Frank Thomas House in La Canada), several properties
underwent major rehabilitation work; including
• 64 E. Colorado (Jamba Juice)
• 553 S. Marengo
• 40 S. DeLacey.
Young Professionals
Five interns worked at Pasadena Heritage throughout the
year. Two were recent graduates of preservation programs
who assisted with easement inspections. One was a
current student in the preservation program at Columbia
University, who assisted with the Pasadena Avenue
Historic District nomination. A high school student at
Westridge School for Girls assisted with research on South
Orange Grove Boulevard properties. Our summer intern,
funded by a Getty grant, was an undergrad from Brown
University who prepared research and materials for the
Colorado Street Bridge Party and Craftsman Weekend.
Regional Partners, Local Organizations, and Neighboring Communities
Pasadena Heritage is frequently called upon by like
organizations to assist with outreach, legal precedents,
political support, and information distribution. Regional
partners we provided support for include the National
Trust for Historic Preservation, California Preservation
Foundation, American Planning Association (California
Chapter), LA Conservancy, South Pasadena Preservation
Foundation, City of South Pasadena, Alhambra
Preservation, and Glendale Historical Society.
Pasadena Heritage | Winter 2017 | 3
programsE D U C AT I O N A L
Educating the public about the outstanding variety and quality of
Pasadena’s historic architecture is a principal tenant of our mission.
Tours, events, and other programs during 2016 showcased different
periods and styles:
Spring Home Tour
Our 2016 Spring Home Tour was titled “Designing Their
Own: Homes of Pasadena Architects”. Pasadena is
known for its social and cultural history and remarkable
collection of architecture from Victorian to Modern and
everything in between. Architects came to Pasadena to
experiment and build some of their most impressive
homes. The tour featured the Elmer Grey House, Dennis
Smith House, and Don Hensman House among others.
Prior to the tour, there was a lecture featuring Dennis
Smith who talked about the history and legacy of the
Buff & Hensman firm and its partners, along with other
prominent architects who made their homes in Pasadena.
Preservation Month
Pasadena Heritage celebrated National Preservation
Month on Saturday, May 14th, together with our co-hosts,
the City of San Gabriel and the San Gabriel Historical
Association. We offered walking tours of historic San
Gabriel that included the San Gabriel Mission, Lopez de
Lowther Adobe, the historic Mission District, museums
and the iconic Mission Playhouse. Prior to the tour, we
presented a free lecture at the Pasadena Central Library
on the history of the San Gabriel Valley.
Craftsman Weekend
The 25th Annual Craftsman Weekend in November
included tours, evening receptions, exhibitors, a Sunday
tour of significant Craftsman-era houses, and more.
This year we offered special receptions in celebration of
25 years! Our opening reception featured “Batchelder:
Tilemaker” at the Pasadena Museum of History, and a
small number of guests enjoyed lunch with Dr. Robert
Winter at the Batchelder House. On Saturday evening,
Pasadena Heritage hosted a tour and reception at the
beautiful Greene and Greene-designed Robinson House.
The elegant setting and sunset over the Arroyo awed
guests. The signature event of the Weekend is always
the Craftsman House Tour. This popular drive-yourself
tour showcased the rich variety of Craftsman architecture
that makes Pasadena a destination for Arts and Crafts
enthusiasts. The final reception took place on Sunday
evening at the historic Bartlett House, also known as the
Magic House. Walking tours and bus tours were filled to
capacity as were three hands-on workshops. On Saturday
and Sunday, the Exhibit Hall featured 40 boothes with
antique and contemporary furnishings.
4 | Pasadena Heritage | Winter 2017
Mills Act and Landmark Historic District Workshop
In cooperation with the City of Pasadena, this educational
event answered questions about participating in the
City’s historic preservation programs, which can preserve
neighborhoods, enhance property values, and save
money on local property tax bills. Speakers from the
City’s Historic Preservation Office, the L.A. County Tax
Assessor’s office, and testimonials from homeowners
who formed their own landmark districts and shared their
knowledge and experiences applying for and obtaining
the Mills Act contract were all part of the program.
South Orange Grove Boulevard: From Millionaires’ Mansions to Contemporary Condos Presentation and Tour
Last year’s lecture and walking tour of South Orange
Grove Boulevard explored the neighborhood’s dramatic
postwar transformation from grand Victorian mansions
to mid-century garden apartments that are south of
California Boulevard. In 2016 we expanded the tour,
focusing on South Orange Grove Boulevard north of
California Boulevard, from the few remaining millionaires’
mansions and courtyard apartments to the contemporary
condominiums they influenced,
An introductory presentation traced the evolution of the
neighborhood. After the lecture, guests walked along
South Orange Grove Boulevard and enjoyed the variety of
architectural expressions. Several properties were open
for docent-guided tours on the route.
Pasadena’s Architectural Legacy Walking Tours
On December 30th, Pasadena Heritage provided the
opportunity for members, locals, and holiday visitors to
participate in two different walking tours. Despite the rainy
weather, over 100 guests enjoyed the South Orange Grove
Boulevard and Hillcrest Neighborhood tours offered both
morning and afternoon.
Oral History Project
We were very pleased to have a student volunteer scan
all of our oral histories into PDF format so that we may
make them available on our new website. This project has
been a long-time goal of the Education Committee, and
we believe that making the oral histories available in this
format will be helpful for students and researchers.
Private Tours and Presentations
Our Old Pasadena Walking Tours took place on the first
Saturday of every month in 2016, and we had a record
number of over 200 attendees. In addition, we provided
private bus and walking tours for seven groups, including
reporters who contacted us via the Pasadena Convention
and Visitors Bureau. We also provided free presentations
to seven local organizations including Bungalow Heaven,
the Shakespeare Club and the West San Gabriel Valley
Association of Realtors to name a few.
Volunteers
Pasadena Heritage relies heavily on volunteer time,
talents, and efforts throughout the year in order to
provide educational programming and signature
events (ie: Craftsman Weekend). Simply put, without
the significant contributions of volunteers, Pasadena
Heritage would not be able to achieve its mission. Below
is a summary of volunteer participation in 2016:
EVENT VOLUNTEERS HOURS
Spring Home Tour 119 367
Bridge Party 364 1,275
Orange Grove Blvd. Tour 68 161
Craftsman Weekend 167 734
Walking Tours 29 67
Office Volunteers 6 175
TOTALS 753 2,781
In 2016 alone, Pasadena Heritage volunteers donated
2,781 hours. The estimated value of volunteer time set by
the Independent Sector is $23.56 an hour. For Pasadena
Heritage, the value of our volunteer force for 2016 was:
$65,526.
On December 8th, volunteers joined Pasadena Heritage
board and staff to celebrate and honor our wonderful
volunteers whose tremendous efforts and dedication
allows Pasadena Heritage to fulfill its mission.
Pasadena Heritage | Winter 2017 | 5
Membership
Pasadena Heritage remains the second largest
preservation organization in California. In 2016, 183 new
memberships were added bringing the total number of
member households to 879, compared to 812 member
households in 2015. We had an overall net gain of 67
member households—beating our goal of 50 new net
members for 2016.
Heritage Associates
Of Pasadena Heritage’s 879 member households, 118 are
Heritage Associates. In 2016, there were 21 new Heritage
Associates memberships bringing in a total of $13,500.
The total count of active Heritage Associates members
in 2016 was 209. In October, Pasadena Heritage Board
and Staff thanked our Heritage Associate members at the
historic Freeman House.
Pasadena Heritage would like to express our sincere
thanks to all of our members for their support!
Legacy Associates
Pasadena Heritage formally launched our Planned Giving
Program, the Legacy Associates, in January. We were
able to launch this Program with the help of a grant
from The Capital Group Companies, which allowed us
to hire a consultant and print publicity materials. There
are five formal commitments and many other verbal
commitments from those who have joined the program,
which recognizes those generous supporters who have
included Pasadena Heritage in their wills or estate plans.
Annual Appeal
Thanks to many generous donors, the 2016 Annual
Appeal “Going on 40…” raised over $13,000 in much-
needed general operating support.
Bridge Party
The Colorado Street Bridge Party took place Saturday, July
16th. More than 4,500 party goers came out to enjoy the
festivities. Special features of this year’s events included
a Silent Disco, a performance stage in the Children’s Area,
and Mijares in the Park. Pasadena Heritage also equipped
each script table with a credit card processor, allowing
attendees to more easily purchase food and beverages
throughout the evening.
The generosity of individual and corporate sponsors, as
well as increased script sales, meant the Bridge Party
surpassed it budgetary goal. Sponsors donated a total
of $76,720. With income from sales at the party, the gross
revenue was $244,375, and the net income was more than
$80,000.
fundraisingM E M B E R S H I P & M A R K E T I N G
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Donations and Grants
Individual donations help to support Pasadena Heritage’s
work throughout the year. In 2016, individuals donated
to our Preservation, Advocacy, Oral History, and Madison
House Funds.
Vroman’s generously gave to the general operating
budget through their “Gives Back” Program. Pasadena
Heritage also enrolled in “Amazon Smile” and “Ralphs
Rewards” programs.
A number of Board Members and Pasadena Heritage
supporters made gifts to Pasadena Heritage, allowing the
organization to make a specially targeted donation to the
McKinley School Mural Restoration Project.
Business Partners
This program allows Pasadena Heritage to connect and
co-promote our educational programs with the products
and services of our Business Partners throughout the
year. 2016 Business Partners include: Platinum Business
Partner The Capital Group; Silver Business Partners
Dolphin Event Services and Pasadena Advertising; and
Bronze Business Partners: Architectural Resources Group,
Inc., Hall Capital, Historic Resources Group, and Heritage
Housing Partners.
Event Sponsors
Craftsman Weekend
Sponsorship for Craftsman Weekend was very successful.
We had three Lead Sponsors and a total of nine
Corporate Sponsors for a total of $19,000. This was the
first year Individual Sponsor opportunities were offered,
which brought in a total $8,075 from ten sponsors. Total
Sponsorship was $27,075.
Spring Home Tour
There were three Corporate Sponsors for the Spring
Home Tour, for a total of $3,000.
Colorado Street Bridge Party
24 Corporate Sponsors donated a total of $46,000, and
89 individual sponsors and a handful of donations
contributed $27,720.
Other Support
Pasadena Heritage had several smaller events sponsored
by local businesses. The South Orange Grove Walking
Tour was sponsored by deasy/penner & partners, and the
Mills Act and Landmark District Workshop was sponsored
by the Arroyo Group. Podley Properties sponsored the
History of the San Gabriel Valley lecture.
New Website
Pasadena Heritage is launching a new website and staff
and volunteers worked on this project throughout 2016.
The new website has been created by a talented team
from Jericho Road. The updated look reflects our new
brand and the new site will be more up-to-date and
easier to use and manage.
Newsletters and Social Media
Pasadena Heritage published its tri-annual newsletter,
with news, articles, and topics we feel are of interest
to our members. Pasadena Heritage also continues to
provide valuable and timely information through its
monthly E-newsletter.
As part of the 2016 Marketing Plan, we improved our
social media presence on Facebook, Instagram, and other
social media outlets keeping a consistent look for all of
our products. Major marketing goals were accomplished
in digital media, and Pasadena Heritage saw a 64%
increase in “likes” on Facebook this year, an increase from
46 followers to 589 followers on Instagram, and we now
have 442 followers on Twitter.
A total of 105,297 unique visitors, up from 66,303 in 2015,
went to our website, and viewed 606,097 different pages.
Our site got 27,752 hits on search engines, and averages
8,775 unique visitors per month.
Advertising + Press
Throughout the year we offered the opportunity to
advertise in our major event programs. We had a total of
21 advertisers in 2016, which raised $9,225. We also had
a record number of Media Sponsors this year for a grand
total of 14. Our events were featured in over 50 different
media outlets through the year.
Pasadena Heritage | Winter 2017 | 7
highlightsO R G A N I Z AT I O N A L
Pasadena Heritage is a nonprofit, community-based
organization founded in 1977. Our mission is
to identify, preserve and protect the historic,
architectural, and cultural resources of the City of
Pasadena through advocacy, and education.
651 S. St. John Ave.
Pasadena, CA 91105
626-441-6333
Annual Meeting & Board of Directors
The 2016 Annual Meeting was held at “A Noise Within”,
the theater located in part of the historic Stuart
Pharmaceutical Building which Pasadena Heritage
nominated to the National Register of historic places
and worked to save from demolition through successive
threats. After a brief presentation about the theater
company, Board and staff members presented the 2015
year in review. Retiring Board members Cal Hollis,
Elaine Kramer, Norley Morley and Steve Preston were
thanked for their dedicated service. New Board member
candidates Brian Baker, Norm Dupon, and Lynn Kolberg
were unanimously elected to serve a four-year term on
the Board. The Board of Directors met monthly during
2016 and gathered for a day-long Board Retreat on
October 30.
Advisory Council
The Advisory Council is composed of long-time
supporters, former Board members, and community
leaders who provide expertise and support to the Board
of Directors and staff. Individual members provided
assistance on various projects and issues throughout the
year. The Advisory Council met together at the Madison
House in March and joined the afternoon session of the
Board Retreat in October for a lively discussion about
“where might Pasadena Heritage be in 10 years”.
Strategic Plan
Pasadena Heritage has a five-year strategic plan that
describes the organization’s goals and strategies for
achieving those from 2015-2019. This document guides
the overall direction and work plan envisioned year
by year. At the Board Retreat, the Executive Director
presented the Board with a review of Strategic Plan goals
for 2016 and a progress report on the year’s objectives,
illustrating that some goals had been achieved, progress
had been made on many others, and a few had been
revised or removed due to changing circumstances.
StaffingThe organization continued to have a dedicated staff
of six. Early in 2016, the Volunteer and Membership
Coordinator left to pursue another opportunity. After a
search and interview process, a new person was hired to
fill the position. Staff positions are Executive Director,
Education Director, Preservation Director, Development
Coordinator, Communications Coordinator, and
Membership and Volunteer Coordinator.
Financial Information
Despite a very successful year in many respects, and
particularly successful major events including the
summer Colorado Street Bridge Party and Craftsman
Weekend in November, the organization ended the year
with a $44,400 operating deficit. Funds from reserves were
used to bridge the funding gap. On the positive side,
$9,000 was added to the Easement Fund during the year.
Detailed financial information is available upon request.
8 | Pasadena Heritage | Winter 2017