A six-story senior housing complex is set to rise at the corner of East Walnut Street and North Lake Avenue in Pasadena, replacing a vacant restaurant building.

The Palmer, planned for 861 E. Walnut St., will house assisted living and memory care units in an approximately 83,000-square-foot building with basement parking, Urbanize LA reported. Construction is expected to begin in November and wrap up by September 2028. W.E. O'Neil is the general contractor.

Harrison Street Asset Management and Harbert South Bay announced the joint venture on Nov. 2 to develop The Palmer alongside a second senior housing community in Potomac, Maryland. PNC Bank is providing construction financing for both projects.

The exact unit count remains unclear. The developers' Nov. 2 press release lists 80 units for The Palmer. Urbanize LA's Nov. 10 report puts the total at 94 units, broken into 68 assisted living and 26 memory care. A Pasadena Design Commission staff report from February 2025 described 50 assisted living units and 30 memory care units.

The project site is a 0.64-acre corner lot that held a Conrad's restaurant building and surface parking, according to the Design Commission report. The property sits in Pasadena's Central District Specific Plan area, zoned for mixed-use development.

VTBS Architects, also known as Van Tilburg, Banvard & Soderbergh, is the design firm. The building is described as contemporary in style, with a combination of plaster, stone veneer and metal cladding. Urbanize LA reported the complex will include multiple dining areas, common outdoor spaces, golf simulators and a rooftop pool deck, citing a news release. City planning documents describe a sixth-floor pool and wellness center, a ground-floor bistro and bar, and two publicly accessible open spaces.

Harbert South Bay has developed more than 11,000 senior housing units across 84 projects since its inception, according to the press release. The two firms said they are pursuing additional development sites beyond the Pasadena and Potomac projects.

Separately, MorningStar Senior Living planned a grand opening for Oct. 1 for a 76-suite independent living building at 995 S. Fair Oaks Ave., according to Pasadena Now. The Design Commission reviewed The Palmer's concept design in February 2025, and staff recommended approval with conditions for further review.