The City of Arcadia has contracted with Gonzalez Goodale Architects to plan for a new City Hall. Both Upper and Lower City Hall buildings will be torn down after completion of the new facility.
Architectural drawings and the design for the new Arcadia City Hall have drawn criticism from the City Council. The new City Hall building is estimated to cost $11 million.
Plans for a new City Hall building have moved into a second design phase, after officials approved a preliminary design package and dedicated a five-month process to fleshing out further details.
Arcadia's new city government first formed in 1903 and its first meeting took place at Elias J. "Lucky" Baldwin's Oakwood Hotel, located at First Avenue and Santa Clara Road. Baldwin's hotel featured gambling and fine dining along with city government. The Oakwood Hotel burned down in 1911, and the city government moved to the McCoy Building at First Avenue and St. Joseph Street. Two years later, City Hall moved across the street to the Hibbard Building. In 1917, the first building was constructed as a City Hall at Huntington Drive and Second Avenue (?). A two-story colonial building was built for $18,000. This City Hall opened on July 13, 1918. City Hall moved in 1949 to a 13-acre parcel between Huntington Drive and the Pacific Electric railroad tracks.
Ground was broken on March 28, 1976 for the new City Council Chambers addition to City Hall. It will be a completely separate building to the west of the present structure.
The City Council is facing the need to either refurbish and enlarge the existing Council Chambers or to build a new building. the second alternative seem the most likely, as the space vacated in the present City Hall could be used for crowded city departments.
Arcadia City Council has gone on record as supporting the building of a new city hall that would be built on the other side of the Civic Center property. Out of three options presented by city manager Bill Kelly, the council consensus was for a new building at a cost of $6.6 million and adjacent to Huntington Drive West.
Plans for a $700,000 building to house the City Council have been approved, but the whole project has bogged down over the projected $89,500 needed to make the existing City Hall conform to the new building. Complete details on rearranging city departments in order to make the best use of space are given.
A brief dedication ceremony for the new chamber building at City Hall was held on April 15, 1977. Total cost, including the remodeling of old quarters for new uses, was $903,000.
Area residents pray, reflect on September 11 attacks. Memorial services were held at area city halls including Arcadia, where about 300 people paid tribute to the victims.
City Manager Bill Kelly outlined a $16 million program to finish all public building projects for Arcadia in three years, as part of the city's five-year capital budget. The spending would include a new $6.5 million City Hall, a $1.3 million upgrade to Fire Station 106 on Baldwin Avenue. The city plans to build a new fire station to replace Fire Station 105 on Santa Anita Avenue. A city gym for the civic center property is in planning stages. The city plans to re-roof the community center for $150,000 and to put up 1/2 of the $800,000 cost to make the high school sports field an all-weather facility.
Funeral services were held Tuesday at Arlington Mortuary in Riverside for Edwin Francis Lindros of Arcadia. He spent more than three years as a prisoner of war in World War II.
Community commemorations of September 11 will be held at the Arcadia City Hall, congregation Shaarie Torah, and the Ruth and Charles Gilb Arcadia Historical Museum. A description of each event is given.
The City Council approved a contract with Rokni Electric for a new 800 Kilowatt generator and a new telephone system (not to exceed $342,251) from SBC-Pacific Bell for City Hall. A contract with Systems Source Inc. for furnishings for the new police station was also approved. The City Librarian job title was changed to Director of Library and Museum Services.
Design contracts for architecture and interiors of the eight-story, $15 million Iwataya vertical shopping center in Fukuoka, Japan have been awarded to Chaix & Johnson Associates and Chaix, Pujdak, Bielski, Takeuchi & Daggett Associated Architects & Planners, Los Angeles. It was announced by Arcadia resident Robert H. Daggett, A.I.A., 1405 Rancho Road, a principal of both firms.
The Arcadia Tournament of Roses Association Royal Court is shown here. They are Elaine Francis, Gina Arobio, Jeanine VanDusen, Sharon Brolin, Ginger Marrone.
The Arcadia Tournament of Roses Association Royal Court is shown here. They are Elaine Francis, Gina Arobio, Jeanine VanDusen, Sharon Brolin, Ginger Marrone.