Time Warner Constructs Unmanned Facility in Monrovia

Time Warner's Unmanned Facility

Time Warner recently completed construction of an unmanned facility at 446 E. Duarte Road.  Want to know more?  Let's have a little lyrical fun while we get you up to speed:   
 

 When you get a chance

While driving down this street,

The site at 446 E Duarte

Will give your eyes a treat!

A new brick building they did build

With block walls and plants and trees,

Time Warner has equipment here

In their unmanned facility.

Steel awnings and black iron work

On this façade you’ll find,

A nice improvement to this site

Of which all is well combined.

So video, data and phone uses

In this building there will be,

Now you know what’s at this site

So, drive on by and see!

Time Warner's Unmanned Facility

Okay, our serious hat is back on. Here's a tad less poetic description of what's been going on at 446 E. Duarte Road:

Time Warner has just completed construction of a 4,729 square foot unmanned automated facility at 446 East Duarte Road.  The facility houses electronic equipment necessary to provide video, data, and wire line phone services on a 24/7 basis.  An emergency backup diesel powered generator is also on-site due to the 24/7 operation of the facility that includes 911 service. 

Development of this split face concrete block structure with steel awnings and decorative iron work has greatly improved this property, which formerly housed various buildings with deferred maintenance issues.  Construction includes a new 8’ high decorative block wall on the side and rear property lines along with an 8’ high wrought iron fence on the front property line.  Landscaping areas are dispersed around the site, including a 5’ wide landscaped strip along the street facing side of the front fence.  

Aztec Hotel - Restaurant Update

Do you want to know more about what's going on at the Aztec Hotel?  Follow the Aztec Hotel on Facebook (www.facebook.com/AztecHotel) and check out Planning Commission updates on this Blog.  Here's a recent excerpt about the Aztec Hotel from the December 2012 Planning Commission update :

311 West Foothill Boulevard – Conditional Use Permit to allow live entertainment in the restaurant at the Aztec Hotel.  Last month, the Planning Commission approved a conditional use permit request to allow alcoholic beverages to be served at the new restaurant that will soon be opening in the Aztec Hotel.  A conditional use permit was also requested for entertainment.  The Commission opened the public hearing on the request at the November meeting.  After taking comments from the public and applicant, the Commission gave direction to Staff to bring back conditions of approval to allow very limited entertainment.  The Commission approved entertainment on Sundays from 11 AM to 2 PM and one weekend a month: Friday and Saturday until 11 PM.

Planning Commission Update - January 2013

 

The Planning Commission met for their first meeting of the year on January 9, 2013.  They reviewed and approved the following proposals:

127 West Foothill Boulevard – New drive through mini market.  If you’re not looking, you might not notice that super cool, old filling station on the corner of Foothill and Stedman.  We’re not sure if it was the first gas station in town, but it was probably built in the 1920’s.  Unfortunately it’s been vacant for several years and while it will probably never return to its original use, it’s nice to see the building repurposed.    

The new drive through mini market will offer snacks, drinks and tobacco products.  Generally, this type of business falls under a retail classification, however, since it also includes a drive-through and the property is within 100 feet of residential zones it required (and received) approval of a conditional use permit by the Planning Commission.  This allows the Commission to place conditions on the use to make sure that the use does not cause problems for the neighborhood.

By the way, if anybody has any old pictures of this building (or any other older buildings), we’d love to get a copy.

1999 South Myrtle Avenue – New microbrewery with a tasting room.  The craft beer trend is coming to Monrovia.  Over the past few months, City Staff has met with several potential brewers looking to make Monrovia their home; Pacific Plate Brewing Company is the first out of the gate.  Brewing beer is a manufacturing use and would be permitted by right in industrial zones, however, since the beer produced by microbreweries is generally intended for a local or regional market, a tasting room is usually an integral part of their operation.  This triggered the need for a conditional use permit.

Pacific Plate Brewing Company will be locating in the south end of town in a small industrial complex, brewing will take place during the typical daytime hours.  Their tasting room will be open to the public in the evening. 

Commissioner Thomas summed it up perfectly describing the new use as “cool” and “hip”.  We couldn’t agree more.