Playhouse District adds to its heritage as cultural center. (Spotlight on Pasadena).

THE Pasadena Playhouse District, home to several cultural venues, is finally emerging from the shadows of the city's better known commercial districts, Old Pasadena and Lake Avenue.

But whether the younger crowds that frequent Old Pasadena venture eastward remains to be seen. Currently, it's mainly the over-40 element that supports the area.

"Old Town is youth and Lake Avenue is local," said Robert Montano, business district coordinator for the city of Pasadena. "Playhouse is about arts and cultural."

Several projects may or may not change the demographic of the Playhouse area, whose focal point is a six-block stretch of Colorado Boulevard just east of the Paseo Colorado shopping center.

Two years ago, the California School of Culinary Arts opened an 80,000 square-foot facility for its 1,200 full-time students, completely rehabbing a Green St. building and adding a full-service restaurant and cafe.

Additionally, seven projects totaling nearly 800 residential units are in various stages of development, the largest being Shea Properties' 304-unit project on Colorado Boulevard between Madison and El Molino avenues.

New art museum

Nearby is the Pasadena Museum of California Art, which local philanthropists Robert and Arlene Oltman opened on Union Street in June. The 30,000-square-foot facility, which is expected to have 30,000 visitors by the end of the year, includes the Oltmans' 5,000-square-foot penthouse on top of the building.

Two weeks ago, Maguire Partners broke ground on its 270,000-square-foot office project on the western border of the district -- 161,000-square-feet of which will be leased to Investment firm Western Asset Management Co. The project will also include two ground-floor restaurants, which are expected to include Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Hawaiian-themed Roy's Restaurant.

"It's still evolving," said Wesley Jessup, executive director at the Pasadena Museum of California Art. "We're here because we want to be a part of whatever it ends up being."

The Playhouse District has been a hodgepodge of schools, museums and retail stores. While chain stores have come and gone in the Old Pasadena and Lake Avenue districts, the Playhouse District has always been characterized by smaller, independent crafts stores, as well as longtime family-owned retailers like Glabman's Furniture and Vroman's Bookstore.