Pictured: Episcopal Communities and Services president and CEO Martha Tamburrano updates the Altadena Town Council on MonteCedro April 17, 2012.
by TImothy Rutt
MonteCedro, the planned retirement community that will take over the site of the former Scripps Home, is moving closer to construction with a scaled-down plan, and plans to restore the one remaining structure on the site.
Martha Tamburrano, president and CEO of Episcopal Communities and Services, the new name of the organization that owns the site, said that 70 of the planned 186 living units have been reserved, and architects are moving forward with final construction drawings. Tamburrano said that getting the final building permits from the county would take about a year before construction can begin.
Tamburrano said that construction would now be developed in two phases, with a smaller building planned for the main site, and the three planned villas on Crawford Avenue to be developed at a later time.
The Gloria Cottage, the only surviving structure from the original Scripps Home, will be moved to Crawford Avenue and will be restored to its original appearance, Tamburrano said. The interior will be renovated and it will be used as guest rooms for the residents, she said.
Of the original Scripps Home residents, about 70 are still alive. The residents were moved to another Episcopal Home, the Kensington in Alhambra, but when the Kensington was sold last year, they were moved to other homes in the area. Tamburanno said that the sale of the Alhambra property funded an endowment for their care, and those still living who want to return to Altadena will do so when MonteCedro is complete.
