Mountain Views News          Saturday, June 15, 2013

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Mountain Views-News Saturday, June 15, 2013 


Full 110 
Freeway 
Closures 
Planned

Boutique Hotel Looked 
at for YWCA Building

 

 The City of Pasadena and San 
Francisco-based Kimpton 
Hotels & Restaurants have 
signed a 120-day “exclusive 
negotiation agreement” 
(ENA) regarding the much-
anticipated rehabilitation 
of an historic Julia Morgan-
designed building near City 
Hall. 

Arroding to city staff, the 
city wants to restore the 
“Julia Morgan Building” in 
the Pasadena Civic Center 
District and will use the 
ENA to explore a potential 
partnership with Kimpton 
to transform the building 
into a fashionable, 150-room 
boutique hotel. Kimpton 
specializes in adapting 
historic landmark buildings 
and the goal of the ENA is to 
reach a long-term agreement 
to make the project a reality. 
No further details of the lease 
negotiation will be released 
until an agreement is reached 
and presented to the City 
Council for approval. 

 “The City is excited about 
preserving this historic 
building while also filling 
the need for more upscale 
hotel lodging options that 
are being demanded by 
leisure and business travelers 
to Pasadena,” Pasadena 
Assistant City Manager Steve 
Mermell said. 

 Pasadena acquired the 
historic building in April 
2012, culminating in many 
years of trying to purchase 
the building which was the 
original home of the local 
YWCA. The City’s primary 
goal for owning the building 
designed by famed architect 
Julia Morgan is to ensure 
its preservation and status 
on the National Register of 
Historic Places. The property 
is also designated as a 
historic monument by the 
City of Pasadena. 

 “We have particular 
expertise in adaptive reuse 
projects and we are very 
interested in expanding our 
footprint of great hotels 
and restaurants in Southern 
California, especially in 
the City of Pasadena where 
we’d be proud to lay roots.” 
said Michael Depatie, Chief 
Executive Officer of Kimpton 
Hotels & Restaurants.

 In July 2012, the City 
requested proposals 
regarding new uses for the 
historic building and an 
adjacent city-owned parcel 
on Garfield Avenue. An 
internal advisory panel 
evaluated all proposals and 
recommended the City 
begin exclusive negotiations 
with Kimpton. 

 The California Department of 
Transportation (Caltrans) will 
close the northbound Arroyo 
Seco Parkway (SR-110) between 
Avenue 60 and Orange Grove 
Boulevard from midnight to 8 
a.m. on Saturday, June 15 and 
from 1 a.m. to 9 a.m. on Sunday, 
June 16.

 Southbound SR-110 will be 
closed between Orange Grove 
Boulevard and York Boulevard 
from midnight to 7 a.m. 
Saturday, June 15 and between 
Orange Grove Boulevard and 
Avenue 60 from midnight to 
8.m. on Sunday, June 16.

 On Monday, June 17, 
northbound SR-110 will be 
closed between the U.S. 101 
connector and Avenue 20/San 
Fernando from midnight to 8 
a.m.

 Detours will be in place.

 The closures are in relation to a 
slab replacement project.

JPL Takes E3 Gamers Out of this World

By Dean Lee

 Thousand of gamers 
attending this year’s Electronic 
Entertainment Expo had a 
chance, on their way to see 
the newest Xbox One and 
Playstation 4, to stop and get 
a picture taken with the Mars 
Curiosity rover as part of JPL’s 
gamming exhibit that included 
augmented reality and a chance 
to simulate landing the rover on 
Mars.

 “There are two types of 
products that we have here,” said 
Kevin Hussey (pictured above), 
JPL Visualization Technology 
Applications and Development 
Manager. “One is 3D interactive 
real-time visualizations that 
run on Windows and Apple 
Macintosh called, Eyes on the 
Solar System, Eyes on Earth and 
Eyes on Exoplanets.” 

 Hussey explained that for 
free through a web browser, 
users can explore the entire 
solar system from the years 
1950 through 2050. He said 
they were currently adapting 
the visualization technology to 
teach science in schools. “That’s 
our project for the next fiscal 
year.” 

 He said, “Next year it’s about 
using game technology to help 
teach science, technology, 
engineering and mathematics 
to elementary and secondary 
school kids.”

 NASA engineers, along with 
JPL, also worked with Microsoft 
on a game for the Xbox 360 
called Mars Rover Landing. The 
game, shown at E3, tests gamers’ 
skills at landing the one-ton 
Curiosity rover on the surface of 
Mars using the Microsoft Kinect 
motion controller. 

 Hussey also worked on an 
augmented reality app modeling 
the Mars Curiosity rover.

 “We wanted to use this 
very engaging technology, 
augmented reality, to engage 
people about our spacecraft, 
get them to learn about it, the 
intricacies, to examine them in 
true 3D.”

The technology uses a printed 
AR Target and the camera on a 
mobile device to bring the rover 
to life. 

 “You can put the marker on 
the table and walk all the way 
around it, seeing different sides,” 
he said. “You can look behind 
things, under it.”

 Hussey said the person, hired 
to do the modeling, worked in 
the video games industry, “They 
are built as a game model.” 

 He said the future of augmented 
reality is real word applications, 
such as, building full-scale 
spacecraft.

 “What you can do is make an 
augmented reality application, 
when it sees the side of the 
spacecraft, it would use 
a graphical model, CAD 
[Computer-aided design] 
drawing of where all the wires 
are and where they are to be 
fastened, a manual directly on 
the spacecraft, to make sure it 
matched the original drawing” 

 The E3 video gaming tradeshow 
presented by the Entertainment 
Software Association (ESA) was 
held Tuesday through Thursday 
at the Los Angeles Convention 
Center.

 For more information about 
NASA 3-D environment 
mission data go to http://eyes.
nasa.gov.

 The Spacecraft 3D augmented 
reality app is available free for 
iOS and Android. 

Meet and 
Greet Your 
Public Safety 
Officers

Bill to Help 
Small 
Businesses 
Moves Forward

 Assemblymember Chris 
Holden’s legislation to make 
the Small Business Loan 
Guarantee program more 
accessible and user friendly has 
been approved in the Senate 
Government Organization 
Committee.

 “At a time when California 
is striving to rebound from a 
long recession, this program 
can play a pivotal role in 
making much needed capital 
more accessible to thousands 
of small businesses so they 
can expand, create new 
jobs, and save the jobs of 
existing employees,” stated 
Assemblymember Holden. 

 AB 201 requires the California 
Small Business Loan Guarantee 
Program to maintain an 
Internet website that would 
include information on the 
program’s loan guarantees, 
direct lending, surety bond 
guarantees, and disaster loans.

 “For the past 40 years, 
SBLGP has been instrumental 
in working with banks 
to guarantee loans to 
undercapitalized small 
businesses. This bill would 
ensure that information about 
the SBLGP, including a list of 
participating lenders, is posted 
on the Governor’s Office 
of Business and Economic 
Development’s (GO-Biz) 
website for small businesses to 
explore,” added Holden.

 Since February 2011, over 
$143 million financial loans 
were issued, of which about 
$47 million was covered 
by Small Business Loan 
Guarantee Program. 

 Since 2004, more than 52 
loans worth approximately 
$8.5 million dollars have 
been guaranteed in the 41st 
Assembly District.

AB 201 now goes to Senate 
Appropriations for fiscal 
consideration.

 Are you prepared for a calamity, 
catastrophe, or disaster? Do you 
know what to do when the big 
one hits? No? Then join us for a 
wonderful opportunity to meet 
your Public Safety Officers 
on Tuesday, June 18 from 2 
to 5 p.m. at Pasadena Public 
Library’s Hastings Branch, 3325 
E. Orange Grove Blvd. Learn 
what you can do in event of a 
disaster and how to prepare 
your family for the eventuality 
of one. 

 Hastings Branch Library will 
host representatives from the 
City of Pasadena Police, Fire, 
Public Health, Water and Power 
Departments and Huntington 
Hospital Disaster Team who will 
share disaster preparation tips 
and advice, answer questions 
and display their vehicles and 
equipment. There will be food, 
music, games and stories too! 
For more information call (626) 
744-7262.


Historic YWCA Julia Morgan-designed building near city hall

Meetings on Process to 
Update General Plan

 

 The public is invited to two 
information meetings in June 
to learn about the process for 
updating the City’s draft General 
Plan Land Use and Mobility 
Elements, the direction given to 
staff by the City Council and the 
overall environmental review 
process.

 The meetings scheduled in June 
will be held at:

 · 9:00 a.m., Saturday, June 
15, at Pasadena City College’s 
Circadian Room, Building CC, 
1570 E. Colorado Blvd. Park in 
Lot 3 off South Hill Avenue.

 · 6:30 p.m., Thursday, June 
27, at Pasadena Presbyterian 
Church’s Gamble Lounge, 585 
E. Colorado Blvd. Free parking 
is available on the north side of 
East Union Street.

 City staff will provide the 
same in-depth presentation 
at both meetings, including 
information about the direction 
given by the City Council to 
study changes to the General 
Plan; what an environmental 
impact report (EIR) typically 
includes; information on 
how a General Plan EIR is 
different from other EIRs, and 
future opportunities for public 
comment and participation 
during the EIR process.

 Although the June meetings 
are not part of the formal EIR 
process, staff will retain public 
input on any initial comments 
about the subjects that the EIR 
should study.

 One of the first phases will 
be for staff to prepare an 
environmental “Initial Study” 
document. This Initial Study 
will provide preliminary 
environmental analysis, give 
initial findings on the potential 
level of environmental impact 
and indicate which subjects 
require additional study.

 In the future, the City 
will host environmental 
scoping meetings to allow 
the community to review and 
provide feedback. Throughout 
the process, staff will continue 
to meet with the public to 
present progress, share analysis 
and receive public comment.

 To view the proposed changes 
to the General Plan Land Use 
and Mobility Elements, or 
for more information on the 
General Plan Community 
Information Meetings, visit 
www.cityofpasadena.net/
generalplan, call (626) 744-
7310, or email generalplan@
cityofpasadena.net.

Pet of the 
Week


Tours to Open at Rose Bowl

 
Sophie is a seven-month-
old gray and white pit bull/
French bulldog mix. She’s a 
volunteer and staff favorite, 
has lots of personality and 
possibly the cutest set of 
ears! Sophie has also been 
out on our Mobile Outreach 
Unit and got along well with 
other dogs and people. She 
earned her Blue Ribbon for 
good manners.

 Sophie’s adoption fee 
is $100, which includes 
her spay surgery, a 
microchip, the first set of 
vaccinations, as well as 
a free follow-up health 
check at a participating vet. 
New adopters will receive 
complimentary health and 
wellness exam from VCA 
Animal Hospitals, as well 
as a goody bag filled with 
information on how to 
care for your pet. Ask an 
adoptions counselor for 
more information during 
your visit. 

 Call the Pasadena 
Humane Society & SPCA at 
626.792.7151 to ask about 
A327091, or visit at 361 S. 
Raymond Ave. in Pasadena. 
Adoption hours are 11-4 
Sunday, 9-5 Tuesday –
Friday, 9-4 Saturday. Pets 
may not be available for 
adoption and cannot be 
held for potential adopters 
from phone calls or email. 
Directions and photos of all 
pets can be found at www.
pasadenahumane.org.

710 Public 
Meetings

Pacific Asia Museum 
Announces New Audio Tour

 Metro and Caltrans invite 
the public to participate in the 
July 2013 All Communities 
Convening Information 
Sessions regarding the State 
Route 710 North Study.

 Learn about five transit 
options that will help reduce 
congestion and improve 
mobility in the San Gabriel 
Valley, East/Northeast Los 
Angeles, and the region.

 Meeting Details

 Pasadena Meeting will be 
Saturday, July 20, 2013, 9:30 
a.m. – 11:30 a.m. at Blair High 
School 1201 S. Marengo Ave.

 Other meetings include, 
Thursday, July 18, 2013, 6 
p.m. – 8 p.m. Los Angeles 
Presbyterian Church 2241 N 
Eastern Ave., El Sereno

 And, Tuesday, July 23, 2013, 
6 p.m. – 8 p.m. Langley Senior 
Center 400 W Emerson Ave; 
Monterey Park

 Facts about various options 
being considered, including:

 Local street, bike and 
pedestrian enhancements

 Enhanced public transit 
opportunities

 An improved regional 
freeway system

 Beginning June 22, fans will 
have the opportunity to tour the 
National Historic Landmark 
Rose Bowl Stadium and relive 
history while walking through 
the same tunnels and along the 
same hallowed grounds which 
some of sports’ greatest players 
and teams have graced.

 “There’s no shortage of 
legendary moments at the 
stadium,” said General Manager 
Darryl Dunn. “From the 
locker rooms to the post-game 
interview room; the newly 
renovated premium-seating 
pavilion, the working press 
boxes and the playing field 
itself, the stadium is a treasure 
trove of memorable games, big 
plays and defining careers.” 

 For the first time in the facility’s 
90-year history, the Rose Bowl 
Stadium will conduct guided 
tours and provide exclusive 
access to locations rarely 
available to the public. 

 Modeled after the Yale Bowl 
and designed by architect 
Myron Hunt, whose other 
buildings included the 
Huntington Art Gallery and 
the Ambassador Hotel in Los 
Angeles, the stadium held its 
first game in 1923. In addition 
to hosting the “Granddaddy 
of Them All” – the annual Rose 
Bowl Game – and UCLA home 
football games, the Stadium 
has hosted three BCS national 
championship games, five 
Super Bowls, two World Cups 
(the 1994 men’s finals and the 
1999 women’s finals) and events 
in two Olympics.

 Public walk-up tours will 
be $17.50 for adults, $14.50 
for children, available at 10 
a.m., noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., 
Thursday through Sunday. 
Group tours will also be offered 
seven days a week for 20 or 
more people at $12 per person. 
Educational tours are $9 per 
student.

 Additional information 
on Rose Bowl Stadium 
tours is available at www.
rosebowlstadium.com or by 
calling (626) 275-2714.

 Behind-the-scenes tours 
of the Rose Bowl Stadium 
will give fans an exclusive 
look at the revitalization 
of the iconic and historic 
Pasadena landmark

 Pacific Asia Museum 
announced this week the re 
launch of its award-winning 
Audio Tour. Featuring several 
stops in each of the museum’s 
permanent galleries as well as 
in its historic courtyard, the 
new Audio Tour allows visitors 
to engage more deeply with 
the objects within the Pacific 
Asia Museum galleries and the 
cultures they represent.

 The Pacific Asia Museum 
Poetry Series is joined by a 
Curatorial and Family Series in 
English, Chinese and Korean 
to form an expanded Audio 
Tour, funded by the National 
Endowment for the Arts. The 
Curatorial Series provides a 
deeper look at objects and their 
cultural connections, while the 
all-ages Family Series focuses on 
legends, animals and mysteries 
related to objects on display. 
Together, these three series give 
Pacific Asia Museum visitors a 
broader understanding of Asian 
art, culture and history.

 Throughout the museum, 
object labels with a cell phone 
symbol alert visitors to items 
with audio content and give 
the numbers for that stop. 
Visitors can call (626) 628-9690 
and enter the stop number to 
listen. Because the tour is cell 
phone-based, visitors can listen 
any time at their convenience, 
even if they aren’t within the 
museum. A comprehensive 
list of stops is available in 
brochures in English, Korean 
and Chinese at the Pacific 
Asia Museum front desk and 
at pacificasiamuseum.org/
audiotour. In the coming weeks, 
individuals worldwide will be 
able to stream or download 
recordings of each stop or read 
transcripts of each stop in all 
three languages on the Pacific 
Asia Museum website.

 The Curatorial and Family 
Series in English, Korean 
and Chinese are generously 
sponsored by the National 
Endowment for the Arts. The 
Poetry Series is made possible 
by Poets on Site and funded 
in part by the Jeanne Ward 
Foundation and the Katharine 
Audrey Webb Foundation.