Brand Library Master Plan Moves Ahead with $65,000 Getty Foundation Grant

Brand Library Master Plan Moves Ahead with

This is an important step in the Master Plan to restore and expand the facility, which houses an extensive collection of art and music books and periodicals, compact discs, records and videos.

In 1998, Glendale’s Library Division, hired Architectural Resources Group (ARG) to study Brand’s space needs and to develop a blueprint for the future. Meetings with city staff and members of the public resulted in the publication of the Brand Library and Art Center/Brand Art Studios Master Plan in February 2000.

Project goals, as outlined in the Master Plan, include:

City Council has approved the vision of the Master Plan, but has not approved funding for the project, which is currently estimated at $19 million. The Master Plan will be studied with other Glendale projects to determine funding priorities.

With Council approval, the Library will pursue many funding opportunities, including Proposition 14, the library construction bond that won voter approval last March.

Brand Library and Art Center is among 21 Los Angeles County landmarks that will benefit from grants totaling $1.4 million from the J. Paul Getty Trust. The Getty’s Preserve L.A. initiative, a new three year program established in December 1999, provides funds to conserve landmark buildings and sites of architectural, cultural, and historical significance.

Leslie C. Brand commissioned and resided in the Brand Mansion, known as El Miradero. Designed by architect Nathaniel Dryden, the 1904 home is a blend of Spanish, East Indian, Moorish, and Victorian architectural styles. The East Indian Pavilion of the 1893 Columbian World Exposition in Chicago inspired it.

According to the book, Glendale: A Pictorial History by E. Caswell Perry, El Miradero means, “A high place overlooking a far view.”

The Brand Art Galleries offer exhibits featuring contemporary art of Southern California. Music and dance performances are held in the Brand Recital Hall. Glendale’s Parks, Recreation and Community Services Division maintains an art instruction program in the art studios.

Anyone with questions about the Brand Master Plan, or who would like to get involved, should call Cindy Cleary, Library Administrator, at (818) 548-2043.

Your Board of Director's voted unanimously to support the project and I took that message to Council. The evening was pretty much a "love fest" with many community and business groups praising the scope and design of the project. Historically, The Disney Company has long been a resident and property owner in that section of Glendale. First home to WED (acronym for Walter Elias Disney) and later Walt Disney Imagineering, the Disney holdings were devoted to creating projects for their world wide theme parks. The new GC3 campus will consolidate the Imagineering division and provide production facilities (including sound stages) for a wide range of other Disney business units.

We are certain that the project will be completed to the highest construction standards and look to the nearby Dreamworks Campus as a sample of what this much larger facility will resemble. The overall impact on property values in Northwest Glendale will be positive, bringing hundreds (perhaps thousands) of high salaried professionals to the area. Local government officials are practically giddy at the thought of the increased revenues coming to city coffers that a project of this size will generate. These revenues will be generated from utility and sales taxes as well as dollars flowing to the Redevelopment Area and the General Fund from increased activity and assessments in the Redevelopment Corridor.

On a more global level, a project commitment of this size is a boon to the entertainment industry position in Southern California. Last year saw over a billion dollars of television and motion picture production move to Vancouver alone! That figure doesn't even consider larger amounts of lost revenue to Toronto, Australia and New Zealand. While most of the jobs at the GC3 Campus are not directly related to "runaway production" categories, it is a major and vital addition to our area.

Board Members Lawrence Kalfayan and Mary Rose Grim have monitored the project as delegates to the Glendale Homeowner's Coordinating Council with Lawrence representing your Association on the Subcommittee reviewing the Environmental Impact Report (EIR). Traffic mitigation efforts and concern for chemical exposure are areas that need real follow thru by city officials. We have expressed this concern to Council/Redevelopment Agency members.

Restaurants in the Rancho

There are homeowner's (Rancho Area) who live in greater proximity to the project but this is a development that is also close to our homes. It is my hope that some upscale retail opportunities (restaurants, quality vendors etc.) will emerge in the area around the project. These are places that our members might utilize and enjoy. We will urge the City to be proactive in developing a plan to deal with the growth and sale of property in the area immediately adjoining the Disney Campus. This will very quickly become a hot location and efforts must be made to assure that a quality mix of tenants is added to the equation.

Brian Ellis, one of the founding board members, has been doing it since 1995. He took it over from Jimmy Stewart, another founding board member, who set up the original accounting system.

We want to thank both Brian and Jimmy for all they have done throughout the years. Their hard work contributed greatly to our success.

During the recent transition, there was a delay in sending out renewal notices. We apologize to those of you who did not get them in a timely manner. If there are any questions or concerns about your membership status, please call Carol at
(818) 247-7710.

Kerry was born and raised in Northwest Glendale where she attended Keppel, Toll and Hoover. Her husband Robert, a long time Glendale resident, is also in the clothing business. He manufactures two lines of women's clothing - Cotton Stuff and Desert West. These lines, along with Zoe, Bisou Bisou, Rampage, Karen Kane, Rabbit Rabbit, and many more are featured in the newest store in Kenneth Village.

According to Kerry the long term relationships in the downtown apparel business enable Kerry’s Kloset to bring current name brand apparel to the Village at prices much less than offered at the Galleria

At one time Kerry and her husband owned and operated five clothing stores. They sold them a couple of years ago and missed retail tremendously. Kerry heard about the store for rent in the Village and was anxious to start another business. They were so excited to get the lease, that they set up and opened the store in a record 14 days.

The Village, according to Kerry is very family oriented. One can even find her kids Christopher and Katrina behind the counter. According to Kerry, they love the atmosphere. All of the merchants have been so helpful and supportive of the new store. Go check it out!

Kerry Closet is located at 1411 1/2 W. Kenneth Road and opens Tuesday thru Saturday 10 am to 5:30 pm, telephone number. 818-244-2732

For many years the pranks and high jinks were traded back and forth between the two schools. A few years ago when some of the gags got a little out of hand and resulted in damage to campus property, a move was initiated to refocus the rivalry between upper and lower classmen from the same school.

Poster competition and skits at BGD ceremonies pit Freshmen and Sophomores against the Juniors and Seniors. The extra curricular activities often include "TPing" (toilet papering) a rival class officer's house and leaving tokens like pumpkins and shaving cream on the doorstep. Regrettably egging of houses is sometimes involved and subsequent cleanup can be a real chore.

In a world where legitimate outlets for teenage energy and fun are often severely restricted because of safety concerns and liability questions, it may be that these activities need to be reevaluated. But let's keep in mind that these good kids who are leaders in preserving school spirit. A little understanding and some clear ground rules as to what s acceptable might keep this local tradition alive.

I'm moving and won't be able to be a member. The new owner of the property will be James Polk, currently a resident of Glenoaks canyon and owner of Flintridge house decorating.

Perhaps with imagination and technology the local residents, the police department and the schools can all have it their way.

Delta Scientific Corporation in Valencia manufactures high tech/high security products, one of which, the Automated Bollard, would allow the street to be closed during prescribed hours and then opened outside those prescribed hours.

The bollards are pneumatically or hydraulically operated by remote control. This could also allow the easy access for emergency vehicles when necessary.

They are currently in use throughout the world, but locally the City of West Hollywood is using them to control access to certain streets during certain hours.

This might not be the answer, but would be worth looking into as it might allow all parties involved to be winners.