Glendale News Press
Published March 10, 2005

City recognizes the best designs

Four buildings are honored with the first Glendale Urban Design Achievement
awards on Monday.

By Josh Kleinbaum, News-Press and Leader

GLENDALE — Alen Malekian isn’t quite sure what the trophy is supposed
to be. It’s a glass hexagon, about 6 inches tall and 4 inches in
diameter. The GUDA is not quite Oscar, but Malekian’s still proud.

“It still hasn’t hit me yet,” said Malekian, one of three recipients
of the first Glendale Urban Design Achievement awards. “I know in
a couple of days I’m going to realize what I just got, one of the
first awards. It’s an excellent and wonderful achievement for myself
and for my colleagues.” The city introduced the awards to recognize
outstanding achievement in urban design, giving awards Monday for
best residential design, commercial design and institutional design.

“We tried to do everything to show a little creativity, even the
awards themselves,” Planning Director Elaine Wilkerson said. “People
seemed to be quite taken to the fact that [the statues] were creative
in themselves.” Malekian, a designer for Malekian and Associates,
received the award in the commercial category for the Sidewalk Café
and Coldstone Creamery at 901 W. Glenoaks Blvd.

Garo Minassian received the residential award for designing Mirabella,
a residential community at 2753 Piedmont Ave. Alajajian-Marcoosi
Architects received the institutional award for designing St. Gregory
Armenian Church at 1510 E. Mountain St.

F&E Architects and Khan Consulting received honorable mention for
designing Heritage Park, a four-story affordable housing apartment
building for seniors.

“It’s an encouragement to architects and developers, designers also,
that their work is recognized by city staff and the community,” said
Aram Alajajian, president and principal designer for Alajajian-Marcoosi
Architects. “This is very important. It gives us a positive impulse
to look forward to better achievements in the design field.”

The city received 10 nominations from the public, and a four-person
jury including nationally recognized designers chose the winners. To be
eligible, projects had to receive all of their approvals and permits
after 1986, when the city began its design-review process. The jury
evaluated the buildings on their innovative design, the quality and
sustainability of the design and compatibility to the surrounding
neighborhood.

The city plans to hold the awards every other year, Wilkerson said.
“We hope that people will recognize that we’re trying to achieve higher
quality design, and they’ll see examples of what we’re after, and try
to emulate it,” Wilkerson said. “I’m not suggesting that there aren’t
other good projects in the city, but they weren’t nominated. Maybe
next time, when do it in two years, people will see the merit of
being honored by their peers.”

* JOSH KLEINBAUM covers City Hall. He may be reached at (818) 637-323.

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