Following the City Council’s approval of Caltech and Trammell Crow’s proposed project at 1364 E. Green Street, Building a Better Pasadena has taken the next step to ensure the process moving forward is thorough, transparent, and fair.

 

What’s Happening

 

After careful consideration, a legal action has been filed with the Superior Court of California asking the court to:

• Set aside the project’s approval, and 

• Require a full environmental review before the project moves forward 

 

This step is about ensuring that decisions of this scale are based on complete information and follow the law.

 

Key Concerns

 

The filing focuses on several issues raised during the approval process:

 

• Traffic and safety
  The area is already heavily impacted, especially during school drop-off and pick-up times. 

• Laboratory use and environmental review
  Important details about how the facility may be used and its long-term impacts were not fully studied. 

• Project scale and neighborhood fit
  The size and height of the building raise questions about compatibility with the surrounding school, church, neighborhood, and the previously approved East Colorado Specific Plan. 

• Clear and enforceable protections
  Some concerns were acknowledged but not consistently backed by enforceable requirements. 

• Construction and Long-Term Impact to Historical Church
  Concerns regarding the development of a building of this size next to a potential historical resource and the physical impact of the heavy civil construction activity just feet away from a decades old holy place of worship.

• Process and completeness
  Questions remain about whether the approval was based on a complete record and full public review. 

 

What Happens Next

 

The legal process is just beginning and will take several months.

The court will review whether the project’s approval should be set aside and whether a full environmental review is required before the project proceeds.

Updates will be shared here as new information becomes available.

 

Read the Full Legal Complaint

 

This is a publicly filed legal document that contains detailed legal arguments and supporting information. Read our Legal Complaint here.

 

This effort is not about stopping progress. It is about making sure growth is handled responsibly—with full consideration of safety, community impact, and a fair, transparent process.

 

Stay Informed

 

We will continue to share updates as the process moves forward.