In a new edition to Burbank's Media District, the City Council on Tuesday approved an office, theater and museum complex on property owned by Bob Hope that will pay tribute to the legendary entertainer. The project, known as the Bob Hope Center, will feature 103,500 square feet of office space as well as a live theater venue and museum that will house the comedian's memorabilia. Located at the corner of Alameda and Olive avenues and across the street from NBC Studios, where Hope broadcast his specials for the network, the complex is expected to play off nicely against the other entertainment-related projects planned for the area, city officials said.
Family members expect to launch a fund-raising campaign for the museum and theater complex.
The move to develop the land, long owned by Hope, is somewhat bittersweet. Family members had also hoped to project scenes of the comedian's movies on a globelike architectural feature on the exterior of the office building. But the City Council was cool to that proposal, citing concerns that it would distract drivers at a busy intersection.