Located at 812 Fremont, in South Pasadena, the Mission District Lofts was originally designated as the Oneonta Transfer and Storage Building. Constructed in two phases, the first and larger building was built in 1925 as a three-story, concrete office, and warehouse. In 1946, this building was expanded to increase the warehousing capacity of the facility with docks and bays added to allow trucks access to the interior for the unloading of cargo. Just prior to 1953, an adjacent residence was replaced with a crate storage yard, later converted into an asphalt parking lot.
Over the years, the building has been home to the Oneonta Transfer Company, Astro Moving and Storage, South Pasadena Record and Storage, and Old World Flowers and Gifts. Suffering from neglect, this piece of local history remained, as built, without improvements, until 2001 when we proposed the Mission District Lofts Project – an 18 unit residential loft and retail structure.
Slated for occupancy in June 2003, this massive renovation included the addition of 20,000 pounds of structural steel and 1,000 square feet of ten-inch thick 3,000 psi structural wet-mix concrete. 32 expansive, commercial-grade, double insulated windows, skylights, rooftop suites, and balconies with pedestrian rated deck coatings flood the interiors with light and exploit the dramatic views of the San Gabriel Mountains to the North, the city to the East and the hillsides of the Arroyo to the West.
The development consist of 17 residential lofts – well-appointed, they have open floor plans with exposed concrete columns and ceilings, plumbing and ductwork. While remaining true to the original character of the building, they also benefit from entirely new, modern, electrical, plumbing, heating, and air conditioning systems. There are eight two-story units and nine flats, ranging in size from 1,150 sf to 1,700sf.
All units feature engineered, hardwood male floors, separate heating/air conditioning systems, and steel interior stairways. Kitchens and bathrooms are fully appointed with maple cabinetry, granite countertops, stainless steel GE Profile appliances, and Grohe fixtures. Ten units have private, outdoor patio areas. Ample guest parking is available and every unit has two, assigned, covered parking spaces in the new, adjacent semi-subterranean parking structure.
The Mission District Lofts epitomize the promise of loft living- the freedom of an open environment that lets you live the way you choose, unconfined by the walls and rigid floor-plans of traditional dwellings. A way of living that represents a unique aesthetic, at once old and new, functional and comfortable that encourages you to express your own, personal style.