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Office buildings to occupy Glen's 'transitional zone'
Developers assure WGNA they won't lease space to retail or restaurant biz
By Kara Chalmers
New additions will soon grace Willow Glen--two large office buildings downtown.
Wary of the risks of taking Glenites by surprise, Stan Queen of Pacific Diversified, a custom home builder, and Bill Baron of Brandenburg, Staedler and Moore, a real estate developer, attended the Willow Glen Neighborhood Association's monthly meeting on Wednesday.
They assured members that their planned office spaces would not exacerbate the Glen's legendary parking problems and would not be leased to retail, food or drink establishments.
"We wanted to make the board aware, and solicit any input that they would have," says Baron, co-owner of Brandenburg with Michael Mulcahy of SDS NexGen.
Brandenburg will take over the vacant space at 1122 Willow Street across from Bill's Cafe. The site would include 39 parking places in the back and a landscaped area of canopy trees and shrubs extending 10 feet from the façade.
Construction on the planned stucco building--which the artist's rendering depicts as light tan with arched windows--may begin in late September. The space may be ready for use by April 2000.
Overall, the two-story structure will be 12,000 square feet, with the owners occupying 75 percent of it. The remaining space will be leased to a tenant, preferably a small, professional business, says Baron. But no retail.
Plans have been submitted to the planning department, and since the site is already commercially zoned, Baron expects no opposition.
In downtown Willow Glen, businesses back directly up to homes, notes J. Michael Gonzales, president of WGNA. "Our downtown is only half a block deep, and suddenly there is a residence there," he says.
But Baron says that the Willow Street location is perfect for office space, since it is a transitional area between the Glen's retail and residential sectors.
Baron, who has lived in Willow Glen all his life, puts it simply. "We're taking an otherwise vacant lot and making it into something very nice that will bring good community citizens into Willow Glen."
WGNA board members agree.
"It's pretty nice when you know what kind of tenants you're going to get," says board member John Gibbs. "The Brandenburgs are community-minded and generous. Having them here would be good for Willow Glen."
As for Pacific Diversified, its new structure will house Century 21, now located in the Buffington House at 1226 Lincoln Ave. The Buffington House will then be available for Pacific Diversified to move into. The new site, a two-story, 7,214-square-foot office building, will be built next to the Buffington House at 1228 Lincoln Ave. The lowest floor of the new building will be a parking garage. Construction may begin in six months.
"I went to the meeting to let everyone know what we are doing so we don't catch anyone by surprise," Queen says. "It's good business."
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Willow Glen, California Since 1992
