On October 24, we celebrated the grand opening of our demonstration homes with a ribbon cutting and community block party. Every opportunity to connect with the community is meaningful to us, but this one was particularly special. After months of design, coordination, and construction, we were ready to welcome everyone inside the Lexington, Opa, Elizabeth, and Lily!
The morning began with an incredible color guard presentation by students from Blair High School.
The program brought together TFCF co-founders Alex Athenson and Cynthia Sigler, Williams Rebuild CEO Sadie Williams, Altadena Town Councilmember Kim Yu, Congresswoman Judy Chu, Senator Sasha Renée Pérez, LA County Director of Public Works Mark Pestrella, and Supervisor Kathryn Barger.
Photo Credit: Kenny Laubbacher
Just before the ribbon cutting, Jasmine Shupper, CEO and founder of Greenline Housing Foundation, joined us with a special (surprise) announcement.
A Path Home
Erion and Stephan, longtime Altadena renters who lost their home in the fire, were awarded a down payment grant from Greenline Housing Foundation, along with the right of first refusal to purchase one of the demonstration homes at cost, approximately $500,000 below its estimated market value.
This was a particularly meaningful moment for our team. From the beginning, the goal of the demonstration project was to create homes that could ultimately return to longtime Altadena families, helping them put down roots and remain part of the community for generations to come. Seeing that take shape for Erion and Stephan was a powerful reminder of what this project was designed to do.
Photo Credit: Yemi Seyi & Greenline Housing Foundation
Welcome In
After the ribbon cutting, it was finally time to open the doors! The Lexington and Elizabeth homes, along with the Opa and Lily ADUs, welcomed visitors for their first open house since completion.
We were happy to be able to share the architectural vision, resilient building strategies, and design decisions that went into each one. The interior furnishings, curated by Sadie and her team brought the whole space to life.
Photo Credit: Kelli Hayden
A Block Party for the Community
Outside, the celebration continued with food trucks, music, crafts, activities, and community resource tables. Thank you to all our partner organizations that joined us to share resources and connect with the community!
Photo Credit: Kelli Hayden
A special thank you to our project sponsors:
James Hardie, Autodesk, Architectural Digest, Bluebeam, & Symetri
And our event sponsors:
Altadena Rotary & the Altadena Builds Back Foundation
Finally, we extend our thanks to the Callahan Family Foundation and Williams Rebuild, whose partnership made these demonstration homes possible. This project has been a testament to the power of a team and the amazing things that can happen when people across disciplines and organizations work toward a shared goal.
Looking Ahead
In the near future, these homes will continue to serve as a resource for the community, offering opportunities to see Foothill Catalog designs firsthand and learn more about the rebuilding process. If you weren't able to join us for the grand opening and would like to learn more about future opportunities to visit, please reach out to our team.
Now, the work continues, and we’re thankful for all of your support along the way.
Until Next Time,
The Foothill Catalog
Photo Credit: Kenny Laubbacher