New Arcadia City Council member April Verlato brings a new voice. She is a lawyer born and raised in Arcadia. She has been an activist against mansions. She is president of Downtown Arcadia Improvement Association (AIA). Her goals for her time in office are 1) to address the uptick in residential burglaries and 2) to improve Arcadia's business districts.
Arcadia City Council made three appointments to the Downtown Arcadia Improvement Association (AIA) board of directors. They are Jason Kruckeberg, Assistant City Manager and Development Services Director, Tim Schwehr, the city's Economic Development Analyst, and Peter Amundson, City Council member.
New development and businesses in Downtown Arcadia. The Metro Gold Line train has brought renewed success and energy to Downtown Arcadia. A mixed-use project near the Gold Line's Arcadia station will include over 16,000 square feet of commercial space, 38 residential units, and 110 new parking spaces are under construction, as is a 4,000 square foot Art Deco style office building at 130 S. First Avenue. Last year, Mr. Lowe Brewing Co. opened Arcadia's first microbrewery and in July, Vendome Wine & Spirits opened at 103 E. Santa Clara St. Article by Mayor Peter Amundson.
Four-story downtown building approved. It will be a mixed-use apartment/commercial building at corner of First Avenue and Wheeler Street behind 24-Hour Fitness.
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.
IKEA opened at The Shops at Santa Anita, formerly Westfield Santa Anita. It is a 9,092 s.f. space of a new concept known as a Planning Studio. You can't actually buy something and leave with it the same day. Everything is delivered.
Arcadia Downtown Street Market now on Saturdays, 5-9 PM. It is run by Green Leaf Events on First Avenue between Santa Clara Street and Huntington Drive.
4th Annual Downtown Arcadia Patriotic Festival, an Independence Day celebration, takes place on First Avenue between Bonita Street and Diamond Street, Sunday, July 1, 5-9 PM.
Downtown Arcadia businesses create "Community Benefit District." Each business owner would pay extra in property taxes to go into a fund to better market the area to customers and visitors. With the Gold Line Station at North First Avenue and East Santa Clara Street scheduled to open in 2015, efforts to help brand the area have been fast-tracked.
Arcadia's first Lunar New Year Festival (Year of the Monkey) is set for Sunday in downtown Arcadia, will feature traditional Chinese lion and dragon dances at Huntington Drive and Santa Anita Avenue.
Arcadia city officials will consider changes to its General Plan, a 25-year blueprint for land-use decisions. The new plan aims to revitalize the city's downtown (First Avenue and Huntington Drive) as well as the Live Oak Corridor in the city's southern end. "We're making it easier to develop the downtown and the area around the (future) Gold Line station," said Council Bob Harbicht. If approved, it would allow for mixed-use commercial and residential complexes, commercial square footages could double and the height limit would increase from 40 to 45 feet.
One year has passed since the Sully-Miller Contracting Co. filed a $2 million breach-of-contract suit against Arcadia, claiming the City illegally terminated it from the Downtown 2000 project.
Holly Avenue Elementary is the first school in Arcadia to test a year-round program for students. The year-round school began in 1995. Parents are questioning if other schools should follow.
H. D. Cowan Co., Inc., manufacturer of fixtures for stores, banks and office buildings, will open a new manufacturing facility at 130 N. First Street. This property was formerly a furniture manufacturing facility.
Green Leaf Events, launched by San Gabriel Valley native Jerry Diaz, began handling operations for Monrovia's long-standing Friday Night Street Fair earlier this month, in conjunction with LA Party Works, and in November, will assume operations of the Downtown Arcadia Street Market. It features a farmer's market, food vendors, and live entertainment. Open every Saturday, 5-9 pm, beginning November 7, spans 2 city blocks on First Avenue between Huntington Drive and Santa Clara St.
Owners of Zapata Vive Mexican Restaurant and Bar Twist bar and grill will appeal the city's denial of their entertainment permits. Neighbors are upset about late night noise.