Who Killed the Building? · Case brief · October 22, 2026
Trammell Crow Sears Site Redevelopment
Glendale · Los Angeles County · California · https://whokilledthebuilding.com/projects/glendale-sears-site-2025
Eight-story, approximately 650,000 sq ft mixed-use complex on the former Sears site at 236 N. Central Avenue, containing 682 rental apartments including 72 very-low-income units, 1,515 sq ft of ground-floor commercial space, and a 930-car garage. Developer proposed setting aside a portion of the adjacent parcel at 201 California Avenue for a potential public park. Project qualified for AB 130 CEQA exemption. On Oct. 21, 2025 the City Council voted 4-1 to deny the project's Stage II Design Review application, with Mayor Ara Najarian dissenting, after city staff and the city's review bodies had recommended approval. On Dec. 30, 2025 HCD issued a notice of violation concluding that the denial violated the Housing Accountability Act and gave the city a deadline to reverse it; HousingWire reported that the city faced fines of up to $34 million if it did not. The council rescinded the denial and approved the project in late January 2026. No lawsuit was filed.
Project facts
JurisdictionGlendale, Los Angeles County
StatusApproved
Project typeMixed-Use
Address236 N. Central Avenue, Glendale, CA (with park component at 201 California Avenue)
Units proposed682
Affordable units72
Floors8
Date approvedJanuary 27, 2026
Date deniedOctober 21, 2025
Delay3 months
Housing elementIn compliance (HCD)
Mechanism and what it did
California Environmental Quality Act — invoked by Trammell Crow Residential (claiming exemption under AB 130) (September 1, 2025). Developer invoked AB 130 to exempt the project from further CEQA review. The city did not require CEQA review, so CEQA was not used against the project; the council denied it on design and historic grounds instead. Outcome: the obstruction did not succeed. https://la.urbanize.city/post/glendale-city-council-rejects-sears-redevelopment-236-n-central-ave
Design Review — invoked by Glendale City Council majority (October 21, 2025). After AB 130 exempted the project from CEQA review, the City Council pivoted to design review concerns as the basis for denial. Council majority objected on grounds of scale and a perceived failure to honor the Art Deco character of the historic Sears building. The Design Review Board itself had recommended approval. Outcome: the obstruction did not succeed. Added delay: 3 months. https://www.housingwire.com/articles/california-ceqa-exemptions-housing/
Historic Preservation Designation — invoked by Glendale City Council majority (October 21, 2025). Council majority invoked the historic Art Deco character of the original Sears building as a basis for denial. The site is the former Sears department store; the new project would replace it. Outcome: the obstruction did not succeed. Added delay: 3 months. https://www.housingwire.com/articles/california-ceqa-exemptions-housing/
Decision-making bodies
City Council
Timeline
Date
Event
What the record shows
October 21, 2025
City Council Vote — Denied
Glendale City Council voted 4-1 to deny the project. Mayor Ara Najarian cast the lone dissenting vote. Council majority cited scale, design, and the project's alleged failure to honor the Art Deco character of the historic Sears building. The vote came despite city staff, the Design Review Board, the Planning Commission, and the Planning Hearing Officer all recommending approval, and despite the project qualifying for AB 130 CEQA exemption. Urbanize LA, October 23, 2025: https://la.urbanize.city/post/glendale-city-council-rejects-sears-redevelopment-236-n-central-ave
December 30, 2025
State Notice of Violation
California Department of Housing and Community Development issued a formal Notice of Violation, concluding that the city's denial violated the Housing Accountability Act and that the city was legally required to approve the project. HCD stated the project complied with all applicable objective standards and warned of escalation to the California Attorney General if not corrected. City of Glendale official fact page: https://www.glendaleca.gov/government/departments/office-of-the-city-manager/fact-page/236-n-central-sears-site-redevelopment
January 27, 2026
Reconsideration Hearing
Glendale City Council reconsidered the prior denial in response to HCD's Notice of Violation. City staff recommended the council rescind the October denial and approve the project. The council subsequently voted to reverse its denial and approve the project. Urbanize LA, January 27, 2026: https://la.urbanize.city/post/glendale-reconsiders-plan-sears-redevelopment-236-n-central-ave
February 5, 2026
Project Approved on Reversal
Glendale formally reversed course on its denied 682-unit housing project following state HCD intervention. The Registry SoCal, February 5, 2026: https://theregistrysocal.com/glendale-forced-to-reverse-course-on-denied-682-unit-housing-project-by-trammell-crow-residential-after-state-intervention/
Decisions
Date
Body
Action
Vote
Staff rec.
Source
October 21, 2025
City Council
denied
Denied the Stage II Design Review application; Mayor Ara Najarian cast the dissenting vote. The council rescinded the denial in late January 2026 after HCD's notice of violation.
4–1
Approve
overrode staff
City of Glendale: https://www.glendaleca.gov/government/departments/office-of-the-city-manager/fact-page/236-n-central-sears-site-redevelopment
Sources
Glendale City Council rejects Sears redevelopment at 236 N. Central Ave., Urbanize LA, October 23, 2025 [News Article]. https://la.urbanize.city/post/glendale-city-council-rejects-sears-redevelopment-236-n-central-ave Primary documentation of the October 21, 2025 denial vote and the project specifications.
Glendale Reconsiders Sears Redevelopment After State Warning, Hoodline, January 15, 2026 [News Article]. https://hoodline.com/2026/01/glendale-scrambles-to-undo-block-on-sears-mega-housing-plan/ Reporting on city staff's recommendation to rescind the October denial under HCD pressure.
Glendale reconsiders plan for Sears redevelopment at 236 N. Central Ave., Urbanize LA (Steven Sharp), January 27, 2026 [News Article]. https://la.urbanize.city/post/glendale-reconsiders-plan-sears-redevelopment-236-n-central-ave
Glendale Forced to Reverse Course on Denied 682-Unit Housing Project, The Registry SoCal, February 5, 2026 [News Article]. https://theregistrysocal.com/glendale-forced-to-reverse-course-on-denied-682-unit-housing-project-by-trammell-crow-residential-after-state-intervention/ Documents the final approval following state intervention.
Fault lines surface as projects tap California's CEQA exemption law, HousingWire, May 19, 2026 [News Article]. https://www.housingwire.com/articles/california-ceqa-exemptions-housing/ Retrospective analysis placing the Glendale case in the broader context of AB 130 implementation across California.
Sears Site - 236 N. Central Ave Development | Official City Fact Page, City of Glendale [Planning Document]. https://www.glendaleca.gov/government/departments/office-of-the-city-manager/fact-page/236-n-central-sears-site-redevelopment Official city fact page documenting the HCD Notice of Violation and the reconsideration process. Includes link to the HCD letter itself.
Data quality
Rating 3 of 5. Multiple sources, including at least one primary record. Corrections: https://whokilledthebuilding.com/corrections.