By Mary O’KEEFE

At a recent Glendale City Council meeting, just prior to the council’s holiday hiatus, Yazdan Emrani, Glendale Public Works director, responded to a request by Mayor Ardy Kassakhian for an update on Rockhaven. A bid had been sent out to replace one roof and to place tarps on 10 other buildings on the Rockhaven property.

Rockhaven was a sanitarium that was founded in the 1920s by a woman for women. It was a successful, safe haven for women until it was sold in 2001 to a large hospital corporation. By 2006 the corporation decided it was too costly to run so it planned to sell the property and build condos on the site. The community began a grassroots effort to save this historical women’s facility and the City of Glendale purchased Rockhaven with the expressed intent to open it to the public for use as a community park. Since then Rockhaven has been on a roller coaster ride of movement between creating a place that respects women’s history and being neglected. State Senator Anthony Portantino presented the City with an $8 million check from the state for Rockhaven to help with the cost of its repairs.

Members of the non-profit Friends of Rockhaven stated over a year ago how worried they were about the neglected rooftops of many of the buildings. Rockhaven is listed on the state and national registries of historic resources and considered a Place of Women’s Historical Significance.

During the update Emrani stated there was difficulty in getting bids for the job because of the scope of work, adding that companies responded negatively regarding making repairs to buildings with historical status.

Recently it was approved that the request for bids for repairs be sent in two separate bids – one to replace the roof and the other to place tarps on the roofs of the 10 additional buildings.

“Bids were solicited by City Finance Dept.,” Emrani said. “The contractors solicited are qualified for the requested scope of work. The eventual awarded contractor will also be vetted.”

The recent stormy weather has increased the initial concerns voiced by the Friends of Rockhaven regarding the immediate repair needed for the roofs.