Aerial view taken over Arcadia so that it shows a large area surrounding Arcadia as well as the entire city. Clearly seen is the Santa Anita Park Race Track, and the Arcadia County Park (shown as a dark triangle in center), and the 210 Foothill Freeway crossing photo from west to east and passing north of Santa Anita Park Race Track.
Aerial view looking east across Santa Anita Park taken from a position just west of Baldwin Avenue, which is seen at bottom of photo. Huntington Drive appears exactly in center of photo just east of race track. The 210 Foothill Freeway enters area in upper right portion of picture and exits at left side in upper left portion.
Aerial view toward north from a position south of Huntington Drive near intersection with Baldwin Avenue. It shows Santa Anita Fashion Park (currently known as Westfield Santa Anita Shopping Mall) developed by and on property owned by Santa Anita Consolidated. The Santa Anita Park Race Track and club house can be seen in center of photo. The straight white line about one inch above the club house roof is 210 Foothill Freeway. Chantry Flats road can be seen going up into San Gabriel Mountains in distance.
The Community Redevelopment Agency is still considering an 11-acre project around the former Foulger Ford property, now owned by car dealer Paul Rusnak.
About 1000 feet of sound walls will be built by the westbound lanes of the 210 Foothill Freeway between Second Avenue and Fifth Avenue. There is also discussion of future sound wall construction projects.
Local transit authorities are preparing to move forward with the Gold Line Foothill Extension to the Azusa-Glendora border and local cities are planning to place residential and commercial developments along the line. Those developments are intended to prepare for future population growth. The first phase of the extension is slated to be completed by 2014, adding new stops in Arcadia, Monrovia, Duarte, Irwindale and Azusa. Some plans near those stops could be scaled back due to the down economy. Arcadia officials are looking to build commercial developments centered on a planned station just east of Santa Anita Avenue. Arcadia's challenge will be land acquisition. Because Arcadia has ordinances limiting the use of eminent domain, Arcadia officials have to rely on negotiating land deals, a difficult process with limited redevelopment funds.
Aerial view looking north across Santa Anita Park from a position over Arcadia County Park. Large infield crowd is evident and all parking areas are filled. Arcadia Methodist Hospital shows in lower left part of photo and Arcadia Police facility is seen in lower right. The 210 Foothill Freeway cuts across photo near the top.
Arcadia slowly steers Rusnak Mercedes Benz dealership expansion back on track. Because of a December 2011 California Supreme Court decision to eliminate redevelopment agencies, the expansion has been stalled. Arcadia is now working on a long-range property management plan for the expansion--a plan that is now required for state approval before former redevelopment agency property may be sold. The plan includes properties at 121-159 North Santa Anita Avenue.
Metro to improve 210 Freeway barriers, after a series of crashes over the last 2 years involved cars and trucks landing on the Gold Line tracks. Metro plans to install taller, stronger barriers and a detection system on 6 miles of right-of-way down the middle of the 210 Freeway in Pasadena and Arcadia.
Aerial view toward the east from location about over Santa Anita Avenue at Santa Clara Street intersection. Santa Fe Railroad tracks are seen entering the city about in the center of photo. Broad white roadway seen toward left side of photo is 210 or Foothill Freeway still under construction.
Proposed logistics center in Arcadia could impact traffic and El Monte residents. A former gravel mine (quarry) may soon become a 1.6 million square foot logistics center and industrial park on an 81-acre site on the southeastern end of Arcadia. Property owner is John Edwards, Jr. El Monte City Manager Jesus Gomez is working with Arcadia and the developer to protect El Monte residents. With enough mitigation measures, if approved by Arcadia City Council, construction could begin after the reclamation is complete, as early as 2017.
Arcadia city officials adopt a 5-year redevelopment plan. The major goals are the expansion of the Rusnak Mercedes Benz auto dealership, development around the future Gold Line station and several affordable housing programs. The city demolished the Church of Arcadia's old building at 21 Morlan Place in September to make room for a parking lot that could be used by Rusnak.
Arcadia launches the new Arcadia Downtown Business Association, with plans to revitalize the downtown district. Matt McSweeney is the association's chairperson and owner of Matt Denny's Ale House Restaurant on East Huntington Drive. City officials will spend about $90,000 on a parking study and about $18,000 in redevelopment funds to get Arcadia Downtown Business Association off the ground. The revitalization plans should work nicely with the slated opening of the Gold Line station at the northwest corner of North First Avenue and East Santa Clara Street by 2014.
