Construction is under way on the first phase of the luxury homes development on the site of the old Anoakia Mansion. The tract of 31 new homes will be called "Anoakia Estates."
Anoakia Estates model homes to open for viewing by this spring. The community is made up of 31 luxury homes. Developer is Tom Hover. The homes were constructed on the site of Anoakia, an estate owned by Anita Baldwin, daughter of Arcadia city founder, Elias J. "Lucky" Baldwin, at Foothill Boulevard and Baldwin Avenue. The homes will be 2-stories, and 5,000-6,000 square feet.
Construction begins on Anoakia luxury housing development, on the former site of Anoakia, Anita Baldwin's mansion, on the corner of Baldwin Avenue and Foothill Boulevard in Arcadia. The Anoakia Mansion was demolished last August to make way for 31 homes to be built by Hover Development Inc. of Newport Beach. Anita Baldwin, daughter of Lucky Baldwin, lived there until her death in 1939. It was used as a girls' school from 1941 to the late 1970s. The new housing development is 19 acres.
Rusnak, a luxury car dealership in Pasadena is moving one of its franchises to Arcadia. The operation will sell new and pre-owned Mercedes-Benz models at 55 W. Huntington Dr.
The walls came tumbling down Wednesay at the Anoakia Mansion, marking the final demise of the 87-year-old Anita Baldwin estate to make way for a gated tract of houses.
Demolition permits have been approved and the project of building new homes where the Anoakia mansion stands is now underway. Artifacts from the mansion have been given to the Arcadia Historical Society and the Arboretum.
The Anoakia developer cannot bulldoze the Anita Baldwin mansion without a demolition permit which will not be granted by the city until certain requirements are met.
Arcadia Methodist Hospital has received permission from the city to sell up to $330 million in tax-exempt bonds to fund its expansion project. The money would not be borrowed from voters, as the bonds would be issued through the California Statewide Communities Development Authority.
Developers hoping to build 31 houses on land where the Anoakia mansion sits have won a court victory that clears the way for the house to be torn down.
California home sales are growing as values fall. A chart of October's median home prices gives a picture of the local real estate landscape. Arcadia's median home price in October, 2008 was $697,500, down 12.1% from the median price of $793,500 in October, 2007.
Rusnak Arcadia sells premium pre-owned automobiles and had its grand opening last month (but opened mid-August) at the former site of Foulger Ford (which closed in 1992) at 55 W. Huntington Drive. With some history of other automobile dealerships in Arcadia, including Bates Chevrolet, Lindy Chevrolet, and a Datsun dealership owned by Bruce and Bob Low.
George Fasching, former city council member and owner of Fasching's Car Wash in Arcadia for the last 31 years, may have to stop selling gas at his business due to a state mandate, set to go into effect next April, requiring California gas station owners to purchase between $20,000 and $80,000 in new equipment to further reduce vapor emissions at the pump.
Westfield Group has nominated Santa Anita Park to the National Register of Historic Places, claiming development plans by Caruso Affiliated constitute a threat to the racetrack. Magna Entertainment, owner of the race track, would have to agree to the track being placed on the register. However, placement on the list would not restrict development on the site.