For the Holiday season, ONYX is gifting Mother Earth with our AIA 2030 Commitment and achieving its goal of carbon-neutral building by the year 2030. It is common knowledge that our natural world is in a state of drastic suffering, and it can no longer be ignored. We are proud of this pledge because it involves the dedication of each of our staff to incorporate carbon-neutral design practices as well as make changes to their personal consumption and waste. Sure, it's a challenge to incorporate these practices but we're ready to step up and be committed contributors and collaborators within our greater community. Not only for our own conscious but to encourage others to follow suit. Please join us in our mission to become catalysts in revitalizing neighborhoods so individuals and the next generations can thrive in a sustainable and eco-friendly environment.
AWARD: Beyond LA Development of the Year - Vista Verde
In order to best respond to all the regional differences within the SCANPH region, as well as address unique and distinct challenges that these differences pose to developers, this award recognizes projects SCANPH members build outside of the urbanized area of LA County. National Community Renaissance’s Vista Verde development is the first all-electric, net-zero energy affordable housing community in the City of Ontario. Funded in part by the Transformative Climate Communities program, this project is the centerpiece of the City’s plan to revitalize its historic downtown core, providing 101 high-quality apartment homes for families who earn between 30% and 60% of Area Median Income. Located in a Qualified Opportunity Zone, Vista Verde is the first step to realizing the City and State’s longstanding vision to enhance the quality of life in the region.
PRESS RELEASE: Update on Pasadena Civic Center Development - Ramona Property
Thanks to all the affordable housing supporters who wrote letters of support and/or tuned in to the October 4, 2021, Pasadena City Council meeting, hoping to hear the presentation on the Preliminary Plan Review (PPR) for the Ramona Street affordable senior housing apartments. The Council’s busy schedule didn’t allow for the presentation, but the Council received and filed the PPR. This means the PPR step in the approval process is completed.
Now, the development will begin the design approval process, starting with the Preliminary Design Review. On September 30, the project architect – Onyx Architects – submitted the Preliminary Design Review Package to the City on behalf of National CORE.
Because the development is within the Central District Specific Plan, all new construction must be approved through a three-step design process – Preliminary Design Review, Concept Design Review, and Final Design Review. As a part of the Preliminary Review, the Pasadena Design Commission will first examine how the building relates to the site and to neighboring buildings. This “massing” assessment includes a review of the development’s height, setback, shape, form, and scale. The Commission will then consider the architectural style to ensure that it complements the neighborhood, which includes some of the most important historical resources in Pasadena.
As soon as the City finishes their assessment of the Preliminary Design, the first Design Commission review will be scheduled. We believe this could be as soon as late November or early December. We’ll keep everyone informed about the schedule as we move forward.
National CORE would also like to thank Making Housing and Community Happen (MHCH) for visiting the Ramona Housing site and hearing an update on the development as a part of their donor appreciation event this month. Local support is a critical part of the process for any affordable housing community. The advocacy of supporters in Pasadena, like you, has and will continue to be important at every step in the approval process.
Garfield Heights’ 13th Home Tour Goes Virtual on Dec. 5th
Garfield Heights'
The Garfield Heights Home Tour returns for its 13th incarnation with five new houses and gardens to be savored by those eager to discover the secret sauce that makes Pasadena’s second-oldest landmark district.
Author and humorist Sandra Tsing Loh and noted theatrical producer Frier McCollister will introduce this year’s virtual tour, featuring:
A glorious Victorian manse and gardens in the American Colonial Revival style, reflecting the eclectic interests of its owners;
A joyful Arts-and-Crafts residence featuring a delightful array of vintage furnishings and objects;
A delightful airplane bungalow restored by its owners with a skillfully renovated and colorful kitchen;
A sweet Craftsman cottage with a tasteful remodel that brings the kitchen into the center of the home and a thoughtfully designed garden;
An elegant Foursquare home featuring a Bocce Ball court and a hidden surprise.
Each home highlights the ingredients in Garfield Heights’ secret sauce: the celebration of architecture, history, food, gardens and camaraderie that live at the heart of this historic district. In addition to the virtual tour, ticket holders will receive a downloadable tour booklet with detailed information about the homes featured on the tour.
Tickets at $25 each are now on sale through December 11. For information and tickets, visit https://www.garfieldheights.org/virtual-home-tour-tickets.html. Early-bird discount applies to tickets purchased before Oct.31.
East End Village
The contemporary low-rise development calls for the construction of a new five-story edifice featuring 125 one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments for low-income families and homeless veterans, a new East Valley Community Health Center clinic, and a publicly accessible pocket park at the center of the project site.
Developed by the Cesar Chavez Foundation, this project will rise from an approximately 2.26-acre property at 1321 E. Holt Avenue. The roughly $67-million complex is being developed in partnership with the TriCity Mental Health Authority.
Ramona Senior Affordable Housing
National CORE and Onyx Architects are continuing to work with the City and community to design and construct a high-quality, high-performance affordable housing development for seniors that complements the grandeur and significance of this historic neighborhood.
Over the next year, the building design will be reviewed and refined by the City to guide the development of the community by following current zoning codes, facilitating development, executing community plans, and preserving architectural and historic landmarks. The input and guidance received from the Pasadena community will ensure that National CORE will build a socially impactful affordable housing community while preserving the historic, architectural, and cultural resources of the Civic Center.
The Pasadena Civic Center was originally laid out in the Bennett Plan of 1925. The center of the Civic Center District is Pasadena City Hall, the distinctive Beaux-Arts Mediterranean Revival building that opened in 1927. North of City Hall is the Myron Hunt designed Pasadena Central Library which also opened in 1927, and south of City Hall is the Pasadena Civic Auditorium that opened in 1931. Other buildings in the Civic Center include the YWCA (1923) (designed by Julia Morgan) and the YMCA (1910 with alterations 1925).
The Pasadena Civic Center District is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. A Civic Center Master Plan was adopted by the City of Pasadena in 1999. More recently the city commissioned the Olin Study to review and add details to the Civic Center plans.
National CORE’s proposed affordable housing community honors the Bennett Plan and the Olin Study principles, paying homage to the City, community, and this historic neighborhood. The new Ramona Senior Affordable Housing Community will enhance the connectivity, public amenities, beauty, and general usability of this great civic space. As part of that commitment, National CORE has designed the major building entrance facing City Hall to be at a 45-degree angle, one of the requirements of the Bennett Plan.
The new Pasadena Civic Center – Ramona Property will be all-electric and will have a high-performance heat pump boiler system. The building also will deploy high-efficiency heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems that are 20 to 35 percent more energy-efficient than what is required by the California Energy Code.
The development will have high-efficiency, all-LED lighting throughout, with smart controls to conserve energy. It will include EV charging stations with a built-in infrastructure to accommodate future modifications.
This stunning and sustainable community meets all LEED for Homes standards and is anticipated to receive LEED Gold Certification.
Renewable Energy at Vista Verde
Designed by ONYX Architects and located in Ontario, CA, this Net Zero Energy (NZE) transit-oriented community was recently completed by the owner National Community Renaissance and was funded in part by California’s Transformative Climate Community program. As an integral part of the City’s plan to demonstrate a sustainable community, the ONYX team designed renewable energy features into the project including solar PV panels on the building rooftops and over the carports that support the energy needs of the 101 apartments, as well as expandable load sharing electric vehicle (EV) stations as anticipated EV use increases.
Eligible for LEED Gold, the apartment units are all-electric, and use individual heat pumps for hot water, capturing their cold ‘waste air’ for distribution into hallways and public spaces for cooling and fresh air. Other cost-efficient technologies and innovative approaches prepare this and other developments for a world of autonomous vehicles, bike and pedestrian-friendly communities that encourage healthier lifestyles and reduce pollution. This sustainable development will reduce the carbon footprint and improve the quality of life for the community as a whole. Let’s all celebrate Earth Day every day!
El Monte Metro Veteran + Family Housing
El Monte Metro Veteran and Family Housing is an affordable housing complex being developed by the Cesar Chavez Foundation, and will provide 28 units for veterans and 25 for families with a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom units. Common area amenities are provided for each building and include outdoor courtyards, recreation rooms, computer stations, warming kitchens, rooftop decks, and offices.
The location is within walking distance of the El Monte Transit Center.
ONYX is providing full architectural design services.
178 S. Euclid Mixed-Use Project
The affordable condo development at 178 S. Euclid is underway. ONYX in partnership with Toledo Homes tapped into the state density bonus of 30% by including 9% very-low-income housing units.
The four-story mixed-use building will include commercial office space, 42-unit multifamily condominiums, and two levels of subterranean parking. Construction is anticipated to be complete in summer 2022.