Pasadena Popular Place to Be

By Kevin Smith Staff Writer

PASADENA - City officials and local business leaders have long touted Pasadena as the ideal place to live and work, Recent statistics compiled by NorthStar Moving Corp. appear to support that claim.

The Chatsworth-based company has ranked the top 10 most popular places to move to in Los Angeles County, based on its incoming moving requests for the first half of 2007.

Pasadena ranked No.2.

"It's really not surprising at all," said Leann Lampe, public relations coordinator for the Pasadena Convention & Visitors Bureau. "When you see all the aspects we have to offer - renowned museums, the shopping, entertainment and acclaimed restaurants - I completely understand why people want to move here."

NorthStar's data, collected during the first six months of 2007, reveals that 84 residential customers contracted with NorthStar to arrange a move to Pasadena.

That represents a 154.5-percent increase over the 33 clients who contracted with the company to move to Pasadena during the first six months of last year when the city ranked 10th on the list.

Ram Katalan, NorthStar's founder and president, has his own theory about why people are looking to move to Pasadena.

"Most of the clients we move are people who are moving up in the world," he said. "They are moving to nicer areas and bigger homes. It definitely sounds like Pasadena is one of those areas. “

NorthStar's complete list of the most moved-to places in Los Angeles County was topped by Los Angeles, followed by Pasadena; Santa Monica; Marina del Rev and Woodland Hills (tied); Long Beach; Sherman Oaks; Beverly Hills; Pacific Palisades, Studio City and West Hollywood (tied); Malibu and Valencia (tied); and Burbank and Calabasas (tied).

"There are many reasons our clients want to move to Pasadena," Katalan said. "Sometimes, it has to do with the school district or they are moving because of a better job ... so there are quite a few reasons."

Lisa Hasenbalg, newly appointed director of cultural tourism marketing for the Pasadena Convention & Visitors Bureau, said recently that her organization is working to bring more outside visitors to Pasadena.

"We will look at all the great institutions and cultural attractions we have, and look at their calendars," she said. "That allows us to have an overview of what's going on. And then we can project out to this fall or next spring and summer to tell a longer-range story of what's going on."

Hasenbalg said the bureau plans to distribute this information to local hotels as well as trade shows, convention groups and tour operators.

Armed with that information, Pasadena can become a bigger drawing card for both business groups and individual travelers, she said.

Lampe said Pasadena is unique.

"The city offers all the amenities of a large urban destination, but it's small enough that you can your arms around it," she said.

kevin.smith@sgvn.com