ANIMATION MUSEUM STILL ALIVE PROPONENTS GET EXTENSION OVER MAYOR'S PROTEST.

Byline: Naush Boghossian Staff Writer

GLENDALE - Some animation professionals trying to raise $18 million to open an animation museum in a vacant social-services building have been granted six months to firm up the project.

The extension, granted by the city's Redevelopment Agency despite Mayor Bob Yousefian's skepticism, is the second given the group, whose members envision transforming a 225 E. Broadway building into a museum including a research library and archive, screening room and animation-school space.

``While progress on the design has been great, the fund-raising has been less than anticipated,'' said Jeanne Armstrong, city director of Development Services.

A spokesman, Frank Gladstone, assured the agency board Tuesday that museum proponents are well on their way to securing funding for a center.

They have applied for a $5 million state grant, which they hope to secure by May, and have spoken to Glendale Unified School District officials about collaboration on an animation-academy program.

Also, they have asked a major corporation to provide the funds to hire a full-time executive director whose work will be key in getting the project off the ground, Gladstone said.

``Once we prime the pump with that (hiring an executive director), we're pretty optimistic,'' said Gladstone, who is in charge of creative services at DreamWorks SKG. ``We appreciate your past support and patience.''

The mayor, who cast the sole dissenting vote against granting an extension, said the group is not going to deliver the center, and that city officials should accept that as a fact.

``We've heard the same song and dance for the last two years. Since 2002 they've been telling us these glorious stories, and none of them pans out. None of them,'' he said. ``The idea is great, but there's no execution, so how good is that idea? It's a pipe dream. They haven't been able to get one dime from any major organizations. It's not going to happen. I'll eat crow the day it happens.''

The building, which has been vacant since the previous council purchased it for $1.1 million in 2001, should be offered for use to somebody who has a realistic plan and a way to execute it, Yousefian said.

City Councilman Frank Quintero said he's confident that the group will put the extra time to good use.

``At the present time, there's no other use for that space,'' he said. ``These things take time to put together. It's not done overnight. I think that it would be a very special place that would highlight the animation industry's long-standing ties to Glendale and Burbank.''

Naush Boghossian, [phone]

naush.boghossian(at)dailynews.com