Framed by East Green Street to the north, South Raymond Avenue to the West, Arroyo Parkway to the east, and Del Mar Station to the south, the site at 80-200 S. Raymond Ave. is defined, first and foremost, by its historic context. The historic Castle Green building is across Raymond to the west, Old Pasadena is a block to the north, and there is a rich history to the buildings on the site itself. The importance of this historic district, however, is superseded by the importance of several of the individual buildings; in particular, the remnant of the historic Green Hotel at 80-82 S. Raymond, the ‘Fishbecks’ building at 150 S. Raymond, and the Green Hotel Utility Building at 170 S. Raymond. The preservation of these specimens allows the district to remain cohesive, while sensitive and contextual redevelopment of the area can provide return the site to the liveliness of its heyday.

Beyond these historic components, the site is in a prime location, with City Park, Old Pasadena, and Del Mar Station each with a five minute walk of the site. These adjacencies make the site a perfect opportunity for the fulfillment of Pasadena’s goal of a pedestrian-friendly downtown, by adding housing and live/work space to a highly desirable area that is well-serviced by public transit.

Thus, the project optimizes density on the site, matching the scale and density of the adjacent Del Mar Station and Castle Green, while carefully negotiating the historic components of the site.