PASADENA--The Worldwide Church of God announced Wednesday, July 24, its selection of Shea Homes as its master development consultant to complete its plans for a residential development on the 48-acre former Ambassador College site in West Pasadena.

"We were overwhelmed with the number of prominent developers that wanted to be part of our vision for this unique community," said Bernie Schnippert, director of Finance & Planning for the church. The church narrowed the candidates from over 100 initial inquiries to 50 serious responses to one finalist.

The Worldwide Church of God’s vision for the future of the Ambassador Campus is to create a residential development that would be a transit-oriented community on the East Campus and a garden residential community on the West Campus. The vision also calls for the preservation of the gardens and historic homes on the site and the reactivation of the renowned Ambassador Auditorium.

"As a Pasadena resident, I am excited to be part of such a prestigious development," said John Shea, principal of Shea Homes. "I see this as a once in a lifetime opportunity to create homeownership opportunities in one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and on one of the most beautiful properties in Pasadena."

John Shea, whose family began the J.F. Shea Co. in 1881, is a prominent philanthropist and supporter of education in Southern California. The John and Dorothy Shea Foundation is a major supporter of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, and is one of the founding benefactors of the Invest in Children program of the Catholic Education Foundation. The Sheas are long-time supporters of the Salesian High School East Los Angeles and Verbum Dei High School in Watts. John and Dorothy have raised their eight children in Pasadena.

"I was extremely impressed with the Worldwide Church of God’s insistence on convening numerous small community meetings before we even put pen to paper. The church has been a loyal neighbor for the last 50 years and we want to help them create a new community that will be a source of pride for Pasadena," added Les Thomas, president of Shea Homes.

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"What sets Shea Homes apart is John Shea’s strong Pasadena roots, and his commitment to the Pasadena community, not just to building a project in Pasadena. Shea Homes’ philosophy is ‘integrity, commitment, and quality’ and focus on the homebuyer as community stakeholder. These are exactly the traits that we have been searching for to fulfill the Worldwide Church of God’s vision for our new development," Schnippert added. "Shea Homes is also committed to ensuring that each of its sub-developers take the same approach to community building."

Shea Homes is the largest privately held building firm in the nation, and is known nationwide for its commitment to homeowner services. Shea Homes is also a leading developer of energy-efficient homes, and a leader in creating communities that are harmonious with their surrounding environment. Shea Homes’ most prestigious awards include the National Housing Quality Gold Award, the California Golden State Quality Award, and the 2000 Energy Leadership Award.

Shea Homes was also the co-sponsor of the 2001 Tournament of Roses President’s Trophy winning National Association of Homebuilder (NAHB)’s float, The Family Tree. This float kicked off the NAHB 2001 Home Builders Care campaign to strengthen communities through community-service projects that support families, revitalize communities and provide services for neighbors in need. The float was powered by a natural gas engine supplied by float co-sponsor, the Southern California Gas Co.

The Worldwide Church of God’s property consists of 48 acres on both the west and east side of the end of the 710 freeway, known as the West Campus and the East Campus. For over 50 years, the Worldwide Church of God amassed 138 separate lots into one of the most lovely campus environments in Southern California – Ambassador College. The Ambassador Campus grounds include acclaimed gardens, historic homes, and the Ambassador Auditorium, which has been compared to Carnegie Hall in its grandeur and acoustic quality.

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Copyright © Worldwide Church of God, 2002