Rusnak’s Pasadena expansion is a little closer to reality. Here’s how

The new Rusnak auto dealership proposed for East Pasadena is estimated to begin construction in about six months, according to city officials.

Earlier this month the Pasadena Design Commission unanimously approved the final design review of a two-story, 61,000-square-foot sales building and 4,800-square-foot car wash building.

The project, near Colorado Boulevard and Sunnyslope Avenue, will be in a contemporary architectural-style and calls for an auto dealership with area for sales, parts storage and vehicle service for Rusnak Porsche. There will be surface parking as well as parking above the second floor at the roof level.

Eight adjoining parcels covering 4.4 acres makes up the project site area.

A public art installation will be set back 43 feet from the corner side property line along North Sunnyslope Avenue.

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At the Aug. 12 Design Commission meeting, city officials and Rusnak representatives presented on the project and fielded questions and comments from commissioners.

In October, the Design Commission approved an application for concept design review with six conditions of approval.

In approving final design, the commission included four conditions of approval on the following aspects of the project: accessibility, color/tone of the buildings, lighting and the use of artificial turf on the site.

Pasadena Planning Director Jennifer Paige said this week that the next step in the project is completing the public art requirement and the building plan check process to obtain a building permit.

In May, Rusnak had its concept art plan approved and has submitted the application for the final art plan, which is currently under city review. That final plan would then go before the Arts and Culture Commission.

In addition, the building plan-check process is ongoing to obtain a building permit to being construction.

“There are many unknown factors that make it difficult to determine the timing of construction,” Paige said in an email. “Since the plan check process is already underway, a conservative estimate would be that construction could start within approximately six months.”

Aside from the Arts and Culture Commission review the project does not require anymore commission or City Council reviews.

Last summer, the City Council approved the project to move forward after it was first proposed in 2021. A month after approval, the council approved a resolution to give up the city’s right to use a portion of Nina Street that is part of the project.

Rusnak Auto Group has locations in Arcadia, Pasadena, Anaheim, Thousand Oaks and Ontario.