Five Story Apartment Planned for Corner of Myrtle and Olive


Blake Griggs Properties, LLC, is proposing to build a five-story, 200 unit, apartment complex at the southwest corner of Myrtle and Olive. The structure, called The Monroe, would also have 5,143 square feet of non-residential floor area, and a three-level (two underground) 312-space parking garage.

The city wants to hear your thoughts about the project’s possible environmental issues. See the draft Environmental Impact Report here. You can email your comments to the Planning Department at  planning@ci.monrovia.ca.us. There will also be a virtual meeting on the project on Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2024 at 6 p.m. The link to join the meeting is https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-teams/join-a-meeting. The meeting ID is 249 284 246 85 and the password (case sensitive) is sSJMcF. Or, participate by phone by calling +1 323-673-4554, then use code 372938603#

- Brad Haugaard

39 comments:

  1. Another "rack 'em and stack 'em" development? Should not the smarties at the City let the others in process come to fruition before they allow another? Traffic is bad enough thanks to the Light Rail (aptly named for its average load factor of seat occupancy). This is not going to help.

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  2. Please, no more multi unit buildings. Our little town can't handle the traffic!

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  3. How many empty units are in the other one they just built? Just another monstrosity to take away from the old hometown feel of Monrovia. 👎🏻

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  4. 15minute cities - disgusting

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  5. We have certainly lost our small town, old hometown feel. Sad! After being in this town for 46 years, it is certainly not even close to the being the down-home family town which we loved and felt safe in. Do we honestly need another 5 story monstrosity in our downtown. It is bad enough that all those apts are going in by the train station but can't we keep our downtown from all becoming high rises? I vote no.

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    1. 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽 thank you! Just exactly how I feel!

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  6. I add my voice to those to do not believe we need another apartment building. Monrovia had a good reputation for being small town, an American City. As mentioned, it is bad enough the apartments next to the Metro (By the way, have you riden it lately? It is no longer fun, but scary), but moving into our beautiful Old Town is not acceptable. Will somebody in our city government please show some wisdom?

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  7. Agree! I’ve only been here 5.5 years and it has changed a lot. Someone stole a package from my porch last week and I’m now feeling unsafe in a place that I have loved so much prior to the theft.

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  8. Horrible idea, very disappointed to see this. The downtown traffic, parking issues on the streets now, WATER, we don't even have enough water now, with all the restrictions placed on current residents, crime, pollution AND more congestion downtown. Why are we accomodating developers it sure isn't helping the RESIDENTS. We are driving residents and businesses out for another yet another "project", when is enough enough? After 5 or 6 more multi unit developments? The infrastructure of this City hasn't been built for this, let me guess another hidden tax in the works? 🤔

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  9. Looks like a bunch of nice homes that we will need to keep housing prices down. And walkable to all the essentials.

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  10. Yes! High density housing near restaurants and shops will only make downtown Monrovia even more lively. Sad to see so man NIMBYs opposed to new housing.

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  11. Do we really need another apartment complex? We already have so many and are they even fully occupied to need another mega apartment complex? Rents on those apartments are so unbelievably high, they are not affordable for most working people. Why can we see the statistics on occupancy on other mega complex to justify needs as well as how this may benefit working people and not another expensive luxury apartment.

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  12. I will miss JB's....

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    1. This would be on the other corner where the business park currently sits.

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    2. Just across the street from JB's. But for the record I would miss them if they had to go.

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  13. A natural progression of urban development. Small town becomes a bigger town and becomes a city. The area needs more housing. This will be good for the shops and restaurants in old town. More tax revenue is also good. However, what seems to be missing on the units near the train station - is shops. Where is the corner market to provide an option to pick up a few groceries? Or a cafe or restaurant? If everyone has to jump in a car to go to sprouts or Trader Joe’s- there is a traffic nightmare as many have pointed out.

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  14. This cannot happen anymore! Look at places for rent, They are all located in all the buildings we already have that no one can afford. They are ruining the landscape of our community! How can we just let all these rich developers who don’t even live anywhere close to here come in and destroy the entire look and feel of our town?!?!? Not to mention the problems we already have with water when we are in drought times. Does anyone remember how ridiculous we looked while the newer building was being built with a massive “conserve water” sign across the street.

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  15. We all want Monrovia to stay awesome, but objectively, there are not traffic or parking issues in Monrovia. I have lived many places in my life from rural country towns to larger cities including Oakland and Los Angeles and I have never lived anywhere with such ample parking, coupled with walkability and access to public transit. And this project is adding a 300+ space garage. Monrovia is truly a wonderful city, and like every other city we have an obligation to be welcoming to new neighbors to share the bounty we enjoy. Our challenge and opportunity is to lead with vision and an innovative approach. A few well-designed larger apartment buildings on our primary commercial corridor are not going to destroy the character of our town, but rather will inject valuable life and increase foot traffic in our business district. However, we do need to be conscious of height, massing, and open space, and prioritize and promote more medium-density infill growth that is compatible with the fabric of our neighborhoods and also naturally conducive to affordability. Concerned residents might also want to turn their focus to the Huntington corridor - maybe instead of having 5 drive-through fried chicken restaurants in a one-mile stretch, our small town feel might be better served by trying to transform this area to a more pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use zone.

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    1. 200 units, 300 parking spaces, if there are 2 cars to a family means 100 spaces needed on the streets. No there's NOT enough parking downtown. It took me five minutes to find a spot to go to UPS during the day on a weekday.

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    2. So because you don’t think we have traffic issue we need more people?!?!?!? Move to the westside! That’s why many of us are here, to get away from those ugly buildings and over crowded areas!

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  16. If there is going to be 200 unit in this monstrosity there needs to be a minimum of 400 spaces for parking. There will be at least 2 adult occupants per unit. If there is only 315 parking spaces, there will be an additional 85 cars parked on the street. Let that sink in.

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  17. Ruining the small town feel. No thanks.

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  18. Much needed housing! Approve!

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    1. It is it going to be affordable for the average Joe? I’m sorry but $2800 for a 1-bed is just insane and drives so many people out! Not asking for section 8 housing at all, just something reasonable.

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  19. We need the charm back in Monrovia. NOT more mini highscrapers

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  20. Pack up and move out while you can if your sole reason to live in Monrovia was for its small town charm.

    It’s only going to get worse in the area.

    Only place that continues to avoid it is Sierra Madre.

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  21. Please don’t add anymore of these apartment/condo units. They will ruin the city just like its done to Pasadena. Look at the congestion there!

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  22. If this is going to be housing that is at all affordable, it might be worth it! But I’m so tired of all these high rise “luxury living” places going up that the normal Joe can’t afford.

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  23. All you people saying you vote no don’t have any say. State government changed zoning laws and requiring cities to have certain amount of new housing built.

    We all voted for it already by those we elected to represent us.

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  24. Oh hell we don’t need it un vote because we the people in Monrovia did not vote for it

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    1. It’s all at state level. Local cities and citizens have no say. So if you voted for who is in state office you voted for this.

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  25. Not s good idea. What increase in infrastructure will be paid for on a continuing basis by the developers
    I pay 1000.00+ Monrovia property taxes other people in other cities aren't paying for. Who supporting this , city manager, council?

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  26. Wish it was mine to rent out!

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  27. What is the city supposed to do? Thanks to Proposition 13, property tax revenues are down, so more big-box and multi-family developments are a logical choice. A higher population density will help the retail along Myrtle Ave, which needs a little help, considering to level of commercial vacancy in the area.

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    1. Retail on Myrtle who struggle need to move to an area where their product is in demand. For example, why do we need 3-4 boba shops just on Myrtle?

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  28. This will help Monrovia improve its infrastructure and allow for local business to relocate their team members

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  29. This is a great resource for anyone interested in the future of Monrovia! Having access to the draft Environmental Impact Report and details about the virtual meeting is helpful for residents to form informed opinions. I encourage everyone to participate in the process and share their thoughts on the project.

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