Week In Review

The Glendale Redevelopment Agency unanimously agreed on Tuesday to terminate an exclusive negotiating agreement with developer Dorn Platz for the redevelopment of the block in the area north of the Alex Theatre.

Dorn Platz had been trying since last year to get the city to allow Glendale Career College, currently located on Grandview Avenue, to move into the former Cost Plus site on the south-east corner of Brand Boulevard and California Avenue. But the City Council did not approve a parking exemption to allow college faculty, staff and students to park in the city's Orange Street garage, a move that was necessary to meet city parking codes for the project.

So in March, Dorn Platz proposed a 350,000-square-foot commercial, residential and office development with a subterranean parking garage on the site of the former Cost Plus building and most of the properties on the block south to the Alex Theatre, including City Parking Lot No. 3.

Before demolishing the Cost Plus building for that development, Dorn Platz wanted the college to move in along with current tenant 24 Hour Fitness, and proposed that both stay for a maximum of three years while the rest of the properties on the block were purchased and the first phase of the project was built.

Then the two businesses would be moved into their new locations while the Cost Plus building was razed and the development was completed.