Shovels hit the dirt Wednesday morning at 2915 E. Colorado Blvd. in East Pasadena, where Rusnak Auto Group broke ground on a new two-story Porsche dealership that developers say will boost jobs and sales tax revenue along the East Colorado corridor. The project, set on roughly 4.4 acres, will replace Rusnak’s longtime West Colorado Boulevard showroom and is planned to feature retail space, service bays, rooftop parking and an outdoor public-art plaza. Construction crews were on site for the ceremonial launch of work.
According to Pasadena Now, the new facility clocks in at about 61,000 square feet and includes a roughly 4,800-square-foot automated car wash. The outlet reports that Rusnak expects the expanded site could double Porsche sales volume in Pasadena over the next decade, and the company is projecting about a 30 percent increase in employees at the new location. Rusnak also told the paper that it is partnering with Pasadena City College’s Automotive Technology Program to provide internships and hands-on training.
Project details and approvals
Design documents describe a 61,370-square-foot sales and service building with rooftop parking above the service area and dedicated vehicle display zones, according to The Real Deal. City council and planning records show the development covers eight parcels, requires vacating the eastern terminus of Nina Street, and advanced through a conditional use permit and mitigated negative declaration in 2024, per City of Pasadena materials.
Art and preservation
The site is slated to feature a large aluminum sculptural trellis designed in collaboration with ArtCenter College of Design students, with coverage and city filings putting the public-art budget in the high six figures. Autoweek detailed the artwork’s scale and cost, while Pasadena Now notes that Rusnak revised earlier plans to preserve the 1929 Swanson and Peterson Furniture Manufacturing building after pushback from preservation advocates.
Rusnak’s local footprint
Rusnak Auto Group already runs multiple luxury-brand dealerships across the region, and corporate listings show an existing Rusnak/Pasadena operation on West Colorado Boulevard. The dealership’s own site lists the current West Colorado address and services, and industry reporting traces Rusnak’s Pasadena roots back to the 1960s, a history that helps explain why this move is being read as a major local investment.
Timeline and next steps
With design approvals wrapped up in 2025, the project is set to move through plan check and building permits before heavy construction continues, according to City of Pasadena records. Once the new East Pasadena site is ready, the Rusnak Porsche facility will take over from the existing showroom on West Colorado Boulevard and establish a larger eastside hub for the brand.
