Glendale to ink 15-year lease with Los Angeles-based Museum of Neon Art

PanARMENIAN.Net - Glendale is poised to ink a 15-year lease with the Los Angeles-based Museum of Neon Art - a $5.2-million deal that city officials say will reenergize the area across from the Americana at Brand.

The city-owned buildings near the corner of Brand Boulevard and Harvard Street will serve as a new permanent home for the nonprofit museum that offers educational classes alongside changing exhibitions of photography and contemporary and vintage neon art.

The City Council is scheduled to vote on deal next week.

Still, Mayor Ara Najarian warned that the project could be threatened by Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposal to eliminate local redevelopment agencies. City officials have made moves to protect redevelopment revenue in recent weeks, but it is unclear whether they will be successful.

“If the state takes away redevelopment funds retroactively, we are going to face some challenges with this project,” Najarian said. “Keep the champagne on ice.”

Under the terms of the lease, the city will renovate and merge city-owned buildings at 212 and 216 S. Brand Blvd. to house the museum, which will in turn pay phased-in rents ranging from $0 for the first two years to $5,000 per month, plus a portion of annual gross revenues, in the last five years, Glendale News-Press reported.