But Montrose residents have long complained of a lack of good grocery alternatives in the area, which prompted a city campaign to court Trader Joe’s in the first place, city officials have said.
Now, as the prospect of a new Trader Joe’s emerges and Vons shares in a major makeover, Montrose may soon have two attractive options where residents had none.
The shopping center and Vons, at 2039 Verdugo Blvd., will be refashioned from their current Spanish-style to a “mountain-craftsman look,” Howard said.
Although Trader Joe’s will be more than a mile away from the center, if it opts to move into the area, the two new-look sites will be a huge improvement for residents, Lawler said.
The City Council on Tuesday voted unanimously to authorize negotiations for a ground lease agreement with Trader Joe’s for a site on Honolulu Avenue that was once occupied by a Ford dealership.
Both the revamped center and a potential Trader Joe’s would help businesses by drawing more visitors to attractive storefronts, said Jean Maluccio, president of the Crescenta Valley Chamber of Commerce.
Habitat for Humanity is hoping its plan to add an affordable-housing development in Glendale will persuade residents, businesses and community groups to defy penny-pinching trends as organizers ramp up a fundraising drive for the project.
The group hopes to raise at least $400,000 by August for the five-unit condominium complex at 624 to 630 Geneva St., said Elaine Wilkerson, former Glendale planning director and the organization’s chairwoman for the development.
Habitat for Humanity plans to collect another $200,000 to cover all costs for the project, but needs only the base amount to break ground, Wilkerson said.
But raising $600,000 during a time when most area residents have cut spending and expenses to bare minimums is not going to be easy, she said.
