1 DESIGN REVIEW BOARD
RECORD OF DECISION
(ADVISORY)
Meeting Date: August 28, 2025 Design Review Case No: PDR-002684-2023
Address: 126-128 S Kenwood Street
Applicant: Khan Consulting, Inc.
Project Summary:
To demolish the existing 1,592 square foot single family house and a detached garage (built in 1908), and to construct a new 45,983 SF, five-story, 40-unit multifamily residential project, over a two-level subterranean parking structure containing 69 parking spaces on a 14,988 square foot lot located in the Downtown Specific Plan, East Broadway District (DSP/EB) zone. The project includes:
• Ten one-bedroom units and 30 two-bedroom units.
• 69 parking spaces (45 standard and 24 tandem) within two levels of subterranean parking garage.
• Each unit provides a private balcony ranging from 50 square feet to 153 square feet totaling 2,838 square feet.
• 1,523 square foot sun deck on the 5th floor which includes landscaping around the parameter and seating area.
• 1,500 square foot publicly accessible open space on the ground level at the south side of the property which includes landscaping, decorative pavers and a water feature. • 2,072 square foot common open space on the ground level which includes landscaping and decorative pavers (1,056 square feet to the south and 1,016 square feet to the north). Outdoor seating area is proposed within the 1,056 square foot common open space area to the south of the proposed building.
CC_12162025_Exhibit 4- Stage II Design Review(Advisory) Decision Letter 126-128 S. Kenwood Street
PDR-002684-2023
2 Design Review Board:
Board Member Present Absent
Lockareff X
Kaskanian X
Simonian X
Halajian X
Welch X
Determination of Compatibility: Site Planning
The proposed site planning is appropriate to the site and its surroundings for the following reasons:
• The project complies with the setback requirements of the DSP and provides the minimum required 15-foot setback from curb face along Kenwood Street (4-ft. parkway, 6-ft. sidewalk, and 5-ft. building adjacent zone). The project provides a minimum of 5- foot interior setback on the south side and 7-inch interior setback for the first floor on the north side and 5-foot, 1-inch minimum interior setback for the rest of the floors. • The proposed floor area ratio (FAR) is 3.06 where the maximum FAR allowed within DSP is 2.75. The project received a concession under the project’s density bonus incentive to increase the FAR to 3.06. The building height is 65 feet, which is the maximum permitted by right within DSP.
• For developments with a FAR greater than 3.0, the DSP requires 20% of the gross site area to be open space and 50% of the open space is required to be dedicated as publicly accessible open space. An additional 140 square feet of residential open space is required per residential unit (can be provided as publicly accessible open space, common open space, or private open space). The project complies with the open space requirements of the DSP and provides a total of 1,500 square feet of publicly accessible open space located on the south side of the building. The proposed publicly accessible open space is appropriately integrated with the design and overall context. This area is 100 percent open to the sky and includes landscaping with a water feature, planters, and paved areas with seating benches. Additionally, the project features a total of 6,433 square feet of residential open space in the form of private residential balconies, a deck on the fifth floor, and common open space areas to the north and south of the project site. These areas are accessible to the residents of the building. • The project is required to provide a minimum of 70 parking spaces (in accordance with the Glendale Municipal Code (GMC), Chapter 30.32.050, Table 30-32-A). The project provides 69 parking spaces (45 standard, 24 tandem) within the two levels of subterranean parking garage. The applicant qualified for a mandatory parking concession under Density Bonus provisions which allows a minimum of 20 residential parking spaces because the project is located within a high-quality transit corridor and one-half mile of a major transit stop with unobstructed access (30.36.090 (C)(1)). To comply with GMC, Chapter 30.32.173, the project provides seven (7) bicycle parking spaces where six (6) bicycle parking spaces are required to be provided. Vehicular 126-128 S. Kenwood Street
PDR-002684-2023
3 access to the parking garage is appropriate to the overall design and located off the alley located to the east of the subject site and not visible from street frontage on Kenwood Street.
• The landscape plan primarily shows at-grade landscaping where the public and private open space areas are proposed. In general, the design minimizes the use of planters and includes benches. The landscape plan shows a variety of drought-tolerant trees and shrubs. The proposed top floor sun deck also provides landscaping around the edges with trellis and seating. Publicly accessible open space provides a water feature.
The water feature equipment will be screened as shown on the plans. • Utility rooms, storage rooms and a trash room for the project are proposed at the parking levels and on the ground level of the building and are screened from public view. The rooftop mechanical equipment is located in the center of the building and is screened by parapet walls and not visible from the street level.
Determination of Compatibility: Mass and Scale
The proposed massing and scale are appropriate to the site and its surroundings for the following reasons:
• The proposed 65-foot-high residential development has appropriately incorporated the required height and façade modulations into the design which add visual interest to the street-level.
• The project is also consistent with the surrounding development, which includes midrise residential and commercial buildings.
• To comply with the DSP “modulation of height” requirements, of the four available options, the project has incorporated a step back option where DSP standard calls for 15 feet minimum step back for upper floors above 40 feet in elevation height. The project is proposing to step back the fifth floor approximately 22 feet and provides a rooftop deck.
• To comply with the DSP “façade modulation” requirement, the project has incorporated a clearly delineated base, middle, and top. The ground level will incorporate aluminum panels in cream color mixed with walnut color horizontal aluminum wood look panels.
The middle of the building is defined by the consistent use of dark gray color vertical panels and the two horizontal metal belts in dark gray color, creating a top and bottom border for the middle of the project on the west façade and partially on the north and south façade. The middle portion of the building also incorporates horizontal aluminum wood look panels in walnut color. The top of the building is defined by beige color aluminum panels and steps back 22 feet from the front of the building. The very top floor of the building will include a larger setback from Kenwood Street which breaks up the building mass.
Determination of Compatibility: Design and Detailing
The proposed design and detailing are appropriate to the site and its surroundings for the following reasons:
• The contemporary/modern design of the proposed 5-story residential project fits within its urban context in the DSP’s East Broadway District developments and is appropriately articulated and designed for its location. The design is consistent with the design 126-128 S. Kenwood Street
PDR-002684-2023
4 standards, policies, and intent of the DSP as it utilizes architectural solutions using various high-quality building materials, colors, texture, offset massing, projections, publicly accessible open space, recessed entry, and canopy to articulate the building façade, particularly the street-facing façade along Kenwood Street. The proposed details and colors create a design that is unique and identifiable, while recognizing the priorities of the DSP to promote pedestrian activities and create human-scale architectural elements at ground level while the vehicular entrance to the building is located in the back of the property and therefore, not visible from Kenwood Street. • The building’s primary entrance (lobby) is located along Kenwood Street. The entrance is recessed from the sidewalk and is highlighted by a metal canopy that features the building name. The base of the building along with the primary entrance will have a planter wall. The paving material for this entry area (smooth 6’ x18” pavers) differentiates from the sidewalk.
• Per GMC Section 30.30.040 and the DSP standards, all exterior lighting shall be directed onto the driveways, walkways, and parking areas within the development and away from adjacent properties and public rights-of-way. A lighting plan (3D rendering) and light fixture specifications have been submitted and depicts vertical LED light fixtures between metal cladding (upper floors and corner feature) and light fixtures under the canopies at the first floor. LED round recessed lighting is proposed for balconies. Vertical lighting fixtures in matt bronze color are proposed for balcony walls. A landscape lighting plan is also submitted which shows pathway and access lighting within the landscape areas. • The DSP requires a visible and delineated roofline to visually demarcate where the building silhouette meets the sky. The overall termination at the roofline is suitable as the building facades of these areas and features roofline setbacks, a different material and color, and landscaping planters along the fifth-floor roof deck to add visual interest to the skyline.
• The fenestration design distinguishes the base from the middle and top of the building and the larger expanses of glazing are divided into smaller units. The project provides a variety of window sizes reflecting the different internal uses. This creates visual complexity that helps improve the façade modulations and is complementary to the design and scale of the building.
Design Review Board Recommendations to City Council
The Design Review Board made the following recommendations to the City Council:
1. The project’s open space areas are to be evenly distributed at the northern and southern interior yards to evenly balance open space on both sides of the building.
2. Minimize excessive amount of outdoor lighting to reduce glare.
3. Re-study window placements on the north façade to minimize potential line of sight privacy concerns.
4. Redesign the balconies on the north elevation to have solid or obscure glass instead of open metal railing to obscure the project’s private outdoor spaces.
5. Provide screening for the air conditioning units located on the roof of the building to minimize visual impact of mechanical equipment from adjacent building’s upper floor levels.
126-128 S. Kenwood Street
PDR-002684-2023
5 DRB Staff Member Shoghig Yepremian, Planner