The Normandy Village of Altadena, Norwic Place, North Lake Avenue Adjacent, Altadena

                                 Normandy Village, Altadena

Just behind the old Ralphs Market, just off of North Lake Avenue, is an enchanting little village designed by a noted California architect of the 1920's, J. Wilmer Hershey, a member of the famous Hershey Chocolate clan. He also designed other homes in Pasadena and the Santa Barbara Courthouse.

                                                                               

                                                                               

          

                                                             Norwic Village, Altadena

                                                             The Architect & Designer

The same noted California architect of the 1920's, J. Wilmer Hershey, designed this Pasadena, CA designated landmark located at 726 E. Rio Grande Street, 91104.

                                                                                   

               

Altadena Ralphs, the historic Market Basket, closing forever January 27, 2017

It is hard to believe what degradation North Lake Avenue in Altadena is experiencing. After losing the Coffee Gallery to overpriced Hipsters (the owner and customers) we now lose the reasonable priced Ralphs Grocery Store.

Altadena, you should have incorporated long ago, otherwise our ex-Pasadena Planning Director, Richard Bruckner, now the Planning Director for Los Angeles County including unincorporated Altadena, is going to bury you in ugly condominiums. I always thought Altadena's better chance was to take Pasadena's annexation move, but I am of the minority opinion.

One has to think that after January 20, 2017, a lot of our freedoms and choices are being curtailed.

Farewell Altadena....I have little reason to go up North Lake Avenue anymore except for access to the San Gabriel Mountains. I will focus on the environment and the hiking trails and historical remnants in the mountains, such as Millard Canyon, the Arroyo Seco, Devil's Gate Dam, Mount Lowe and Mount Wilson.

I wish we could bring back a vibrant Altadena.....I do still shop at Altadena Hardware, Dazees and Boys Republic.....Aldi's apparently is just going to be another version of Food 4 Less, which I can't bear.....  At least we still have a Ralphs on North Lake at Walnut in Pasadena. I may start getting my morning coffee and newspaper at Vroman's, which I hope Joel Sheldon will keep going.

Hope springs eternal.........

North Lake Avenue at Santa Fe Railway Crossing 1928 (Today 210 Freeway Bridge)

2017 will be a challenging year. I hope the City of Pasadena will become even a nicer place to live in the future. I certainly will try to help in my small way. The neighborhood challenges we face are many. Just for instance the snail's pace renovation of the Washington Theatre and the slow renovation of the retail bays of the Hotel Constance project near Colorado and North Lake.....

Here is a great photo I've not seen previously:

Looking north on Lake Avenue somewhere near Corson and Maple Streets.....Lake Avenue Congregational Church somewhere up the way on the left side.....

More photos are being digitized every day and I'm looking forward to seeing in to the past to learn what previous generations saw and had to contend with......