Being that I live in Bajadena (
), I'm surprised I missed this, a few months ago.
The proposed Gensler-designed IDS Playhouse Plaza in Pasadena, which included only one five-story, 160,000 square foot office building and 11,000 square feet of open space, mostly a breezeway through the center of the structure...
pasadenan.com
...has been redesigned by Pasadena architects and urbanists Moule & Polyzoides, to the joy of all parties who were involved in a lawsuit against the City of Pasadena for approving the project without full compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act. Many thought it was too big, ugly and out of character with the neighborhood. The new design incorporates 3 separate buildings totaling 145,428 square feet, including 137,000 square feet of office and 8,000 square feet of restaurant and retail. The buildings facing El Molino Avenue and the historic Pasadena Playhouse will only be 1 story, and
two public courtyards and a pedestrian crossing to the Playhouse will now be included.
Here are the renderings, from pasadenaplayhouseplaza.com: