TRI-CITIES BANDIT 
ARRESTED

Page 4

Also inside:

 

 Summer Fun Page 9

Arts & Entertainment - 

 Page10

 Business Today - 

 Page 11

 

LEFT TURN/RIGHT TURN

 Page 11 
OPINION

 Page 12

SAVVY SENIOR

 Looking Up with Bob Eklund - 

 Page 13 
THE GOOD LIFE

Page 14

PASADENA

ARCADIA

ONE OF A KIND by Chris Bertrand

THE PINNEY HOUSE 
IS FOR SALE

 Page 17

A WORD OF CAUTION TO DOG 
OWNERS 

 Page 6

MONROVIA/DUARTE

AROUND SAN GABRIEL VALLEY

GOOD FOOD & DRINK

WILDERNESS PRESERVE EIR

 Page 7


GMO LABELING INITIATIVE 
Page 5

SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

VOLUME 5 NO. 34

COMMUNITY MEETING ON PROPOSED ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY SCHEDULED

As promised to the citizens of Sierra Madre 
earlier this year, the potential developers of 
the former Skilled Nursing Center property, 
will hold a community meeting in order to 
hear from the community.

 The proposed project site is a 1.84 acre 
property located 245 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., at 
northwest corner of Sierra Madre Boulevard 
and Hermosa Avenue (across the street from 
City Hall). The new facility will include a 
58,000 square foot, two-story building that 
can accommodate up to 96 residents.

 Mountain Views News reported earlier this 
year on the ambitions of Fountain Square 
West, the developers currently contracted 
with the city for the project.

 At that time, Shields had appeared before 
the City Council, not with a formal plan 
or formal application, but to open an 
exploratory dialogue with the community. 
The organization’s idea is to develop a fully 
licensed, assisted living community housing 
about ninety, with a staff of approximately 
25, including 24/7 nursing. A part of the 
facility would accommodate Alzheimer’s or 
dementia residents. 

Shields explained further, “We’ve made 
preliminary application to the city, which 
allows them to respond to some of the basic 
parameters we are proposing. We’re anxious 
to get their comments and key questions 
answered, and to have the different 
departments look at the plans. Within a 
month of that meeting, we plan to meet 
requirements for the formal application.”

Shields, a resident of Poway, played for the 
San Diego Chargers, the New York Jets and 
1984 Super Bowl champion San Francisco 
49ers, before moving to senior living 
community development at Virginia-
based, Sunrise Senior Living, where he 
spent 17 years.

“I’ve enjoyed the senior living business, 
particularly when we open new 
communities… when we see the families 
and the residents move in a frail elderly 
resident. It’s so much more rewarding than 
building apartments and commercial real 
estate,” reflected Shields.

The Fountain Square team all came with 
experience from Sunrise, before creating 
their own senior development organization. 
Sierra Madre will be their third project, 
after their first in suburban D.C., and a 
second in White Plains, New York. 

Shields invites Sierra Madreans to view the 
website for their New York assisted living 
residence at www.TheKensingtonAL.com, 
with the sidebar note that each development 
is customized to the style of the community. 

Shields and his partners welcome input on 
Fountain Square’s development ideas from 
neighbors and the community at 858-748-
0201. The group also plans forums, perhaps 
on the site grounds, as the process evolves. 

 The community meeting will be held on 
Wednesday, September 7, 2011 at 6:30 p.m. 
at the Sierra Madre Recreation Center (Sierra 
Madre Room) located at 611 E. Sierra Madre 
Blvd., the developers and city staff will present 
the proposed project. 

 Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. at which time 
members of the public are invited to view the 
proposed plans and talk with representatives 
of the developer and city staff. A presentation 
on the project will begin at 7:15 p.m. City 
staff will also outline the public hearing and 
environmental review processes for future 
additional public input.

 For additional information, please contact 
the Development Services Department at 
626-355-7138.

 


Rendering of the proposed project courtesy Fountain Square West - MVNews Archives


FOR SALE: A PIECE OF SIERRA MADRE HISTORY

PARKING RESTRICTIONS 
CONTINUE NEAR SIERRA 
VISTA PARK 

The City of Sierra Madre Water 
Department began construction 
of a replacement water main in 
East Sierra Madre Boulevard on 
Monday, August 15th. The project 
will replace a major portion of a 
90-year old water main with a new 
12-inch diameter main, new fire 
hydrants and new water services to 
each residence or business within 
the project area. 

The project will be undertaken by 
Stephen Doreck Equipment Rentals, 
Inc. under contract with the 
City, and is expected to be completed 
by October 20th. The project 
extends along the north side of 
Sierra Madre Boulevard from the 
Maintenance Yard at Sierra Vista 
Park to Baldwin Avenue. During 
construction the contractor will 
keep two-way traffic lanes open on 
the south side of the street. This 
will require parking restrictions in 
the work areas; it is estimated that 
approximately 300 feet of roadway 
will be “detoured” each day, beginning 
approximately August 29th.

 All driveways will be accessible 
for vehicles by the end of each construction 
work day, and the Contractor 
has indicated that all trench 
excavations will be covered with 
temporary asphalt or steel plates 
by the end of each work day. Athens 
Services has been notified of 
the project and has agreed to work 
with the City and residents to continue 
trash pickup service in the 
project area, although minor, temporary 
scheduling modifications 
may be required in order to avoid 
interference with the water main 
project. MTA has been notified of 
the pending work, and has confirmed 
that Line 268 service will 
continue, although some bus stops 
may be temporarily impacted.

 City staff thank the public for 
its patience with this project and 
for bearing with the unavoidable 
inconveniences that it will bring. 
Please be assured that everything 
possible will be done to minimize 
project impacts on the City’s residents 
and water customers, including 
traffic congestion, noise, and 
dust.

 If you have any questions about 
the project, please contact Public 
Works Director Bruce Inman 
at 626.355.7135 x 801 or Water 
Superintendent Jose Reynoso at 
626.355.7135 x 813.

Inside This Edition...

Sierra Madre’s historic Pinney House, formerly “Hotel Sierra Madre”, is for sale. Built by Dr. Elbert Pinney, a 
retired civil war surgeon, who brought his family to newly established Sierra Madre in a covered wagon. His 35 
acres offered views of the San Gabriel Mountains as well as Los Angeles, some fifteen miles in the distance. Designed 
by prominent architects, Samuel and Joseph Cather Newsom, Pinney’s new “Sierra Vista Hotel” sported 
Queen Anne style accoutrements and 20-30 rooms for those journeying to enjoy a mountain vacation. 

In charmingly antiquated vernacular, the local Valley Vista newspaper of July 31, 1889 said the hotel was “a 
quiet and comfortable home for sojourners and tourists. The Building and Furnishing Entirely New. Reached 
by carriages from station on the Santa Fe railroad one mile distant. There is from this House a fine view of the 
beautiful San Gabriel Valley, extending from on end of the valley to the other and from the mountains to the sea, 
presenting a picture grand, inspiring and never tiring, revealing to the observer new beauties each day.”

 Read more about the Pinney House and the details of the real estate listing in “One Of A Kind” on 
page 17. Story by Chris Bertrand Photo by Erik Grammer

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