Pasadena City Manager’s Office: Economic Development Division [General Commercial Areas]

The City has several commercial areas with varying composition, character, and size. Each business district /commercial area of Pasadena presents different opportunities for new businesses and consumers.

Civic Center/ Paseo Colorado

East Colorado Boulevard/Lamanda Park

East Washington Boulevard

Hastings

Lincoln Corridor

North Fair Oaks Avenue

North Lake Avenue

Old Pasadena Business District

Pasadena Playhouse District

South Fair Oaks Avenue/Arroyo Parkway

South Lake Avenue

Pasadena City Manager’s Office: Economic Development Division [General Commercial Areas]

Civic Center/ Paseo Colorado

Civic Center/ Paseo Colorado are located between Old Pasadena and the Playhouse District. The Civic

Center Skyline allows a grand display of Renaissance and Mediterranean architecture by some of

California’s renowned architects from the 1920’s and 1930’s. Adding to the mix are world-class hotels

and modern office structures. In keeping with tradition, Paseo Colorado is an open-air urban village that

brings together national & regional retailers as well as 400 residential units. Most recently the area has

been under redevelopment with the removal of an old department store that will be replaced with a six-

story, 179-room hotel and a six-story mixed use commercial/residential building. The improvements

being made to Paseo will complement the recently remodeled Convention Center. The state-of-the-art

Pasadena Convention Center offers a 55,000 square feet exhibit hall, 25,000 square feet ballroom and

29 meeting rooms.

Link to: Demographic Information (Buxton©)

Pasadena City Manager’s Office: Economic Development Division [General Commercial Areas]

East Colorado Boulevard/Lamanda Park

East Colorado through the Lamanda Park area of East Pasadena houses a variety of mix retail, eateries,

movie theaters, jiu-jitsu gyms, a fitness gym, a lumber store and Pasadena City College. A flea market is

held every first Sunday of every month at Pasadena City College hosting over 400 vendors with the

proceeds going towards student scholarship and activities. The recently remodeled Vons Center at the

northwest corner of Sierra Madre Boulevard and Colorado Boulevard has created a strong anchor for

the district. The City College draws in large crowds from surrounding cities, thus providing a large

consumer base for the local eateries surrounding the campus. California Institute of Technology along

with Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Garden neighbor the East Colorado/ Lamanda

Park area.

Link to: Demographic Information (Buxton©)

Pasadena City Manager’s Office: Economic Development Division [General Commercial Areas]

East Washington Boulevard

The eastern segment of Washington Boulevard between N. Holliston Avenue and Allen Avenue has

served Pasadena and Altadena for many years but as of lately has increased in popularity due to recent

redevelopment. In the past, Vons Grocery and Rite Aid anchored this district, but more recently this area

has become a new destination for those looking to explore shopping and dining outside of downtown.

The area now offers retail shops, a fitness center, cafés, bakeries, fast food eateries and a full service sit

down restaurant with live music and a full wine menu.

Link to: Demographic Information (Buxton©)

Pasadena City Manager’s Office: Economic Development Division [General Commercial Areas]

Hastings

The Hastings area services a customer base larger than Pasadena; regional visitors regularly come to the

numerous shopping centers found in the area. Location and diversity plays a vital role to the success of

the Hastings area, located east of Sierra Madre Villa Avenue to the city border. The 210 freeway and the

Sierra Madre Villa Light Rail Station allow for a quick and easy entrance and exit into the area. The

shopping centers and eateries located in this region of the city are some of the top producing retailers in

Southern California. The retail stores in this area offer their customers bargain rates while maintaining

high quality merchandise. Two fitness centers, several eateries, specialty food markets and A Noise

Within Theatre Company that show cases live theatrical plays can also be found in the Hastings area of

Pasadena. The Panda Inn restaurant located on Foothill Boulevard was established in 1973 and has

since then manifested from a family owned business to a global empire with Panda Express stores across

the United States, Mexico, South Korea and Dubai.

Link to: Demographic Information (Buxton©)

Pasadena City Manager’s Office: Economic Development Division [General Commercial Areas]

Lincoln Corridor

The Lincoln corridor has revamped itself over recent years as a hip new destination drawing in not only

the locals but visitors from neighboring cities. The addition of new cafés, an ice cream parlor, and

creative shops add charm to existing nurseries and long standing family owned businesses offering

nearby resident’s additional opportunities to fulfill their dining, retail and fitness needs. The City of

Pasadena has made efforts to establish itself as a viable technology cluster and in doing so, tech

businesses have emerged throughout the city. The Business Park of Pasadena located at the south west

corner of Lincoln Avenue and Washington Avenue, houses a variety of tech companies such as

Honeybee Robotics, MDA US Systems LLC, as well as a microbrewery and micro distillery. The Lincoln

corridor has successfully leveraged its assets and has repositioned itself as the new up and coming spot

in Pasadena.

Link to: Demographic Information (Buxton©)

Pasadena City Manager’s Office: Economic Development Division [General Commercial Areas]

North Fair Oaks Avenue

The commercial area of North Fair Oaks Avenue offers the community an array of amenities such as a

library, a fire station and two City parks and their accompanying recreational centers. Also located on

North Fair Oaks Avenue is the Pasadena City Public Health Department and a cluster of medical health

related businesses. A high speed camera manufacturing company, a commercial photography company

and a gourmet ice cream business are just a few of the companies residing in the area. A large grocery

store, a pharmacy, neighborhood churches and food establishments provide residents with many of

their daily goods and services. Over the past few years, an increased level of dialogue has occurred

between the business representatives and the City of Pasadena to revitalize the area surrounding North

Fair Oaks Avenue and Orange Grove Boulevard (Heritage Square) in order to support it as a focal point

for surrounding neighborhoods. Thus far this has led to several new developments.

Link to: Demographic Information (Buxton©)

Pasadena City Manager’s Office: Economic Development Division [General Commercial Areas]

North Lake Avenue

North Lake Avenue offers a diverse mix of retail due to shifting demographics in surrounding

communities. North Lake Avenue continues to be one of the busiest streets in Pasadena partially

because it connects residents in adjacent communities to the freeway and the light rail. The entrance to

the light rail can be found between East Maple and Corson Street where the freeway connects,

providing commute options in and out of the area. North Lake Avenue suits the needs of a busy

consumer providing easy access to convenient food and a variety shops. A banquet hall, the city of

Pasadena Fire Station 33, floral shops, hair salons and fitness related shops can also be found on North

Lake Avenue.

Link to: Demographic Information (Buxton©)

Pasadena City Manager’s Office: Economic Development Division [General Commercial Areas]

Old Pasadena Business District

Old Pasadena is a historic 20-block area known for its award winning streetscapes, walkways and

breathtaking architectural styles. Old Pasadena offers vibrant shopping, dining, and entertainment

destinations featuring an authentic downtown experience combined with all of the modern convinces.

The area is managed by The Old Pasadena Management District (OPMD), a non-profit business

organization that creatively plans, manages and develops Old Pasadena as a unique, authentic and

vibrant downtown experience.

Old Pasadena is one of the most popular districts of the City of Pasadena receiving lots of foot traffic by

both locals and visitors. The metro gold line stops at a nearby park allowing easy commute for both

consumers and workers entering the area. Tucked away in the upper levels of numerous historic

buildings are a variety of commercial business and living spaces allowing one to fully enjoy the Old

Pasadena District.

Link to: Demographic Information (Buxton©)

Pasadena City Manager’s Office: Economic Development Division [General Commercial Areas]

Pasadena Playhouse District

The Pasadena Playhouse District is named after the famous Playhouse Theater established in 1924 and

the area continues to be recognized as Pasadena’s center for art, literature and entertainment. The

District is home to art cinemas, the Pacific Asia Museum, the Pasadena Museum of California Art and the

legendary Ice House Comedy Club surrounded by an eclectic mix of galleries, over 45 restaurants, bars,

and coffee shops. The District’s walkable urban environment encourages interaction between

Pasadena’s cultural institutions and the thousands of workers, residents, students and visitors who

populate the district daily. The Playhouse District has emerged as the City’s urban neighborhood that is

managed by the Playhouse District Association (PDA). The PDA is a non-profit corporation and is

dedicated to managing and marketing the economic vitality of the District.

Link to: Demographic Information (Buxton©)

Pasadena City Manager’s Office: Economic Development Division [General Commercial Areas]

South Fair Oaks Avenue/Arroyo Parkway

South Fair Oaks Avenue has developed as a strong medical district due it its land use and accessibility to

freeways, most notably the magnet recognized Huntington Memorial Hospital. Arroyo Parkway runs

parallel to South Fair Oaks and houses several specialty supermarkets, a fitness center and retail stores,

providing the community a variety of options to suit their household needs. In 1967, the first Trader

Joe’s specialty supermarket took residence on Arroyo Parkway and since then has expanded to 460

stores in the United States. The area surrounding South Fair Oaks Avenue and Arroyo Parkway offers a

dynamic mix of establishments such as the ArtCenter College of Design, the Los Angeles College of

Music, Allendale Park and the City’s power plant neighboring residential homes in the area.

Link to: Demographic Information (Buxton©)

Pasadena City Manager’s Office: Economic Development Division [General Commercial Areas]

South Lake Avenue

The South Lake Avenue District is a local favorite for its selection of local culinary and home-goods

shops, convenient parking and close proximity to California Institute of Technology and luxury Langham

Hotel, consistently named the best hotel in the San Gabriel Valley. South Lake Avenue conveys a tranquil

atmosphere with its pleasant corridor of tree lined streets; sidewalk cafés and national brand retailer’s

offering its guests a day of shopping and relaxation. The majority of Pasadena’s corporate structures

reside on South Lake Ave, supporting a workforce of over 50,000 individuals deeming the area the

“corporate center” of the city. The district is managed by the South Lake Business Association whose

mission is to proactively promote and improve the economic interest of its membership by providing

and managing supplemental services and improvements for the South Lake Neighborhood.

Link to: Demographic Information (Buxton©)