By Alex Dobuzinskis, Staff Writer
GLENDALE — The city redevelopment agency has set aside $250,000 to help the Armenian Society of Los Angeles pay for temporary space while the organization relocates.
The group’s temporary headquarters will be a 6,300-square-foot office at 320 W. Wilson Ave.
In 2003, the redevelopment agency approved a $5 million agreement with the Armenian Society, exchanging a city-owned property at 117 S. Louise St. for the ASLA’s 11,000-square-foot space at 221 S. Brand Blvd., which is part of the Americana at Brand project. The agency also agreed to help the ASLA with relocation costs.
“When we purchased that property, part of the all-inclusive deal was we were going to provide them with a (temporary) location for 20 months, so that’s what we’re trying to do,” said City Councilman Bob Yousefian.
The City Council, acting as the redevelopment agency, voted unanimously Tuesday to approve the relocation expenditures.
Vrej Agajanian, chairman of the ASLA’s board of trustees, said the organization hopes to start construction on its permanent site soon.
“My understanding is it will take a maximum of six months. I hope it will stay that way because otherwise it’s too long,” Agajanian said.
Armenian Society officials hope to be able to move out of the temporary location in less than 20 months — or soon after — so the organization does not lose money paying rent.
The 49-year-old, volunteer-run organization has 600 active members. In addition to running a Saturday school, it has an 80-member choir, helps orphans in Armenia and does volunteer work in the community.
The organization has started submitting designs for its new location. It could be 12 to 18 months before construction starts, officials said.
“Apparently their design needs a lot of work. And so when they get their design to a point that is passable, they need to bring it forward so we can start moving this project forward,” Yousefian said. “Their organization needs to get moving on this.”
The $250,000 approved this week includes $189,000 to set up the ASLA at its new location for 20 months, several thousand dollars in contingency costs, and the cost of letting the ASLA’s Saturday school be held at the old Edison School site on Pacific Avenue.
The city is working to find a more permanent location for the school.
Officials said the city remains on track to stay within its $62.5 million budget for acquiring the 15.5 acres of the Americana at Brand site.
The ASLA, which is expected to move within a month, is one of four tenants remaining on the property; the other three have new locations to move into. There were originally 38 tenants.
“We worked with each of the tenants to find a comparable location to move to,” said Emil Gatevosian, a senior project manager, adding that 95 percent of the site’s former tenants have stayed in Glendale.
The ASLA was the only community organization that had to move, and officials said it needed more help than commercial tenants.
“It’s atypical, in a sense,” said Alex Hamilton, a senior project manager. “It’s not a standard retail-type business.”
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