A developer who wants to replace the historic Anoakia estate with a 31-home gated community received tentative approval Tuesday night from the Planning Commission.
The City Council voted to allow the developer, Anoakia Oaks, to proceed with the tearing down of Anoakia, the 1913 Anita Baldwin mansion, and to build 31 houses on the property.
About 400 people joined City officials in the spacious main room of the new Arcadia Community Center on Friday to dedicate the $4.5 million structure that will house the City's Senior Citizens Services and Recreation Department.
The Anoakia School, soon to be renamed the Anita Oaks School, won a victory against staunch opponents of the relocation when the Duarte City Council unanimously approved the move to property owned by New Life Assembly of God Church.
The Anoakia estate will most likely be demolished in three months, but its destruction could prompt the city to identify and protect other historic buildings.
Officials with the Santa Anita Companies, owners of the race track and Santa Anita Fashion Park, have filed a formal application with the City of Arcadia to build a new 100-acre entertainment center on its property.
The 49-year-old Anoakia School, facing a June deadline for relocation, has opted for local print advertising. Owner Lowry McCaslin apparently wants to develop the property at Foothill Blvd. and Baldwin Ave. However, the school also has numerous city fire code violations and a building that is not up to seismic standards. The school currently has 279 students from K-8th grade.
Profile of Frank Perini, owner of Perini's Hair Plus on Foothill Blvd., which opened in 1954. Frank changed his name from Perez to Perini in order to be able to buy a house in Arcadia and to be accepted in the community.
A policy on when groups can use Arcadia's new Community Center was approved Tuesday by the City Council, limiting events to those with community-wide appeal.
The owners of Westfield Shoppingtown Santa Anita (formerly Santa Anita Fashion Park), have submitted a request to the city to expand the building by as much as 55 %.