Glendale breaks ground on affordable housing with artists in mind

Construction of a 70-unit affordable housing project for local artists got underway in downtown Glendale Tuesday following a groundbreaking ceremony.

In the pipeline for several years, the Glendale Arts Colony was developed with the intent of giving artists a place to live near the local hub of culture and entertainment with venues such as the Alex Theatre and the upcoming Museum of Neon Art, officials said.

“I’m very excited about this because it’s not only going to provide additional, low-income housing to Glendale, but it also fits in the grander scheme of revitalizing downtown Glendale and bringing a genuine arts element to it,” Mayor Zareh Sinanyan said at the event.

The five-story colony, located at 121 N. Kenwood St., is being built on the local YMCA campus and will feature a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom units.

Art galleries, an idea lab, a digital media lab and a sculpture garden will be part of the development.

The nonprofit EngAGE, which facilitates art and cultural programs in low-income housing, will be working with local artists.

“It’s really going to invigorate and give Glendale a little different complexion, a little different face than what we used to have in our midst,” said Councilman Ara Najarian. “This is a long time coming.”

Najarian is also chair of the city’s Housing Authority, which contributed a roughly $6-million loan to the project that comes with a $30-million price tag, made possible through competitive tax credits.

The Arts Colony is a joint venture between the Housing Authority and the Los Angeles-based nonprofit Meta Housing Corp.

Two structures had to be demolished to make way for the project — a 22-unit apartment complex and another building with four units.

Construction of the Arts Colony is expected to last through September 2016.

Preference to becoming a resident will be given to artists living in Glendale.

George Saikali, president and chief executive of the Glendale YMCA, said the project is a perfect fit for the downtown area given that talented individuals work nearby.

“A lot of folks who are professionals and they’re trying to make their way whether they’re actors, actresses, painters, musicians — sometimes they’re not always with money so they need to know that we care for them,” he said.

Saikali said the YMCA will be undergoing updates of its own, though a final schedule has yet to be hammered out.

An expanded lobby will be among the improvements, he said. Other additions will include a larger exercise room and renovations to the men’s and women’s locker rooms.