Design Review Board clears Incarnation Parish master plan with historic‑review suggestions; board asks staff to explore subtle horizontal detailing

The Glendale Design Review Board on Aug. 14 approved a master plan for Incarnation Parish at 1001 Brand Boulevard that will add a new parish center, site improvements, and campus upgrades while preserving identified historic resources on the roughly 4.5‑acre campus.

Case planner Alan Lambert reviewed the proposal, which includes demolition of a rectory garage and construction of a new parish assembly hall with an arcade, a small addition to parish offices to add restrooms, reconfigured east parking with new landscaping and EV‑ready infrastructure, undergrounding of overhead utilities, and other site improvements. Lambert said the project qualified for multiple CEQA exemptions cited in the record (Class 1, Class 3, and Class 31) and that the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) reviewed the project and issued advisory recommendations.

Why it matters: The project affects a large religious and school campus near northwest downtown Glendale and includes historically notable buildings by architect Jean Virge Sr.; changes to materials, color palette, and detailing could affect historic character and campus cohesion.

Father Rodel Baluctus, pastor of Incarnation Church, described the plan as the culmination of a master‑planning process that began in February 2023 with Pika & Sullivan Architects and said the parish intends the new center to serve worship, school, and community needs ahead of its centennial in October 2027.

Neil Munsell, project architect for Pika & Sullivan, presented design details and said the new parish center is sited centrally to create a courtyard and garden serving both the school and church. Munsell said materials include brick veneer, glass, cement plaster (stucco) and GFRC panels in selected locations; he said GFRC was chosen for a central west facade area to provide a durable, consistent finish that would “anchor this project in the 21st century,” and that the GFRC would help balance a heavy mechanical screen above it.

The Historic Preservation Commission made three nonbinding recommendations: replace proposed GFRC panels with stucco for consistency with historic campus buildings; add horizontal decorative banding to echo existing buildings; and reevaluate the color palette to better align with the campus. Lambert said the HPC recommendation on color was split (2–2) and that the recommendations are advisory, not mandatory.

Board members expressed overall support for the project and for the staff conditions (decorative paving at Brand Boulevard entrances, low‑water landscaping, screening of mechanical equipment, and new street trees on Brand Boulevard). Several members said they were comfortable with GFRC for durability and finish consistency but asked staff to work with the applicant to explore a subtle horizontal banding or other modest gestures that would reference nearby historic elements without creating a pastiche.

A motion to approve the master plan with staff conditions and to have staff work with the applicant on the HPC’s design suggestions passed in roll call: yes votes recorded for Board member Halagian, Board member Lockraff (listed in roll call as Loughraf/Lakera in the record), and Chair Kaskanian (roll call recorded as 3–0). The approval record includes the HPC recommendations as advisory items and requires standard conditions such as water‑efficient landscaping and mechanical screening.

The board and applicant will proceed to design refinements, with staff directed to develop options for modest banding or other subtle detailing for board review during subsequent submittals.