The Glendale Triangle, Bank of Tropico, and My Car Wash

My usual car wash on the triangular piece of land bounded by San Fernando, Los Feliz, and Central in Glendale is no longer there - it's been demolished to make way for the Glendale Triangle Project, which I first wrote about in 2008.  I assume the developer's financing stalled during the recession, but now that the economy has improved somewhat the project is moving forward.  Over the last few weeks the car wash, smog check, and Burger King buildings have all been demolished.  What is the Glendale Triangle? From the executive summary of the final environmental impact report: 

PROJECT CHARACTERISTICS 

The Project is a proposed mixed-use development consisting of 218 multi-family residential units, 54,000 square feet of commercial floor area, supporting parking facilities, and recreation and open space amenities. The Project as proposed consists of two five-story structures, with each structure featuring commercial uses on the ground 
level with residential uses occupying the four levels above. The Project would provide 17,300 square feet of common open space and 15,000 square feet of private open space, for a total of 32,300 square feet of open space. A majority of recreational facilities and common open space would be located on the second floor, podium level. The residential portions of each building would include a lobby, outdoor courtyards, storage rooms, service, trash and recycling rooms, and shared clubhouse with outdoor pool area and fitness facility. 707 parking spaces would be provided on the ground floor and within a three-and-a-half-level subterranean parking garage. Development of the proposed Project would require the demolition and removal of three on-site buildings located along the northern and southern portions of the site

Here is the project site as it looked in 2008, and below is a view of the site today -

The triangular shaped piece of land has an interesting history - it was the center of the main business area of Tropico, which was a separate city that ultimately voted to be annexed by Los Angeles and Glendale.  Much of South Glendale was originally Tropico, and the portions that were annexed by Los Angeles became Atwater Village.

From the 1912 promotional brochure, Glendale, California: The Jewel City (full PDF here) -

"A two story brick block has been erected at the junction of San Fernando Road and Central Avenue, in which are located the Tropico Bank, the City Hall and office of the Tropico newspaper, "The Sentinel," below, the second story being devoted to rooming apartments."

The Bank of Tropico is the triangular shaped building on the right.  Below is an image from Google Maps, showing the Burger King that has now been demolished for the Glendale Triangle.

Below is an advertisement for the Bank of Tropico from the same 1912 brochure, "Glendale, California: The Jewel City".

Bank Vice President Burt W. Richardson was the son of W.C.B. Richardson, who owned the Santa Eulalia rancho that became Tropico (before it became South Glendale and Atwater Village).  Burt Richardson was murdered in Tropico in 1915, but I'll save that story for a future post.

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