Arcadia City Council approves $70,000 to help the Downtown Business Association set up a business-improvement district. The district would tax commercial property owners to revitalize the area.
The changing face of Arcadia--commercial brokerage firm NAI submits proposal for downtown districts. The City of Arcadia hired NAI to assess the city's five business districts and make recommendations to improve them and bring in appropriate, compatible businesses. See hard copy in VF Business and Industry.
Downtown Arcadia business owners establish a Community Benefit District, mandating they each pay an annual assessment on their property taxes to fund marketing programs and activities in hopes of bringing more people to the area. It is called a Property-Based Business Improvement Model. It is a private-sector initiative that bills local businesses by the same criteria used in Old Pasadena--according to their frontage, lot size and scope of any buildings on a given property. 60% of downtown Arcadia owners chose the plan, the result of a three year effort.
At the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce's annual Power Planning Conference on January 24, City of Arcadia's City Manager, Dominic Lazzaretto, provided optimism to the local business community during this time of economic uncertainties. He said 25% of Arcadia's $48 million in annual revenue comes from local businesses--with nearly $10 million from sales taxes and another $2 million-plus from licenses and permits. The City has proposed a new business assistance program ombudsman to help entrepreneurs with the start-up process, is working with Chamber of Commerce to create a more interactive one-stop business checklist, and has not increased the cost of a business permit.
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 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.
Spotlight on local business, a hair salon called 1st Ave Salon, located at 10 N. First Avenue, Arcadia, CA. Owner is Veka Estrada, a Temple City resident.
Arcadia City Council declared its intention to provide seed redevelopment money--provided a state Supreme Court ruling in January frees up such funding--to help the Arcadia Downtown Business Association breathe new life into the city's traditional downtown, by establishing a property-based business improvement district.
Highlighting Downtown Arcadia: Arcadia Blues Club: one of the city's best kept secrets, located at 16 E. Huntington Drive since 2005. The small business is operated by a husband and wife team with a passion for blues music.
Business spotlight on Hyper Coffee at 203 S. First Avenue in Arcadia, in a historic Art Deco building. It has been in business 17 years. By Helen Wang.
Business profile of Move It Aerobics Studio, an exercise facility that offers fitness classes for overweight students. Michele Silence is the owner. Her business is located at 40 E. Live Oak Avenue.
Arcadia recognized as "Most Business Friendly" for its mix of a strong local economy, well-known attractions, and responsive city hall workers, at the Eddy Awards, presented by Los Angeles County Economic Development, in the category of city with population less than 68,000. See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 13, November 16, 2017.
City Council revoked the business license of IFitness & Beauty Spa due to a number of violations. It is located at 133 E. Huntington Drive and is the 10th massage service establishment to have its license revoked for code violations since January 2009 as part of a crackdown on code compliance and to eliminate prostitution and other illegal activities. Michelle Ma, the manager of IFitness and wife of the owner said they have been trying to comply but needed more time.
Tim Schwehr, City of Arcadia's Economic Development Analyst, highlights Downtown Arcadia's new Business-Friendly Zoning Code, adopted November 2016 as part of a comprehensive citywide zoning update, with the goal of bringing more mixed use development to the area and incentivizing adaptive reuse of existing buildings.
New indoor playground, a business called Precious Ones, in Arcadia, raises safety concerns for children, in opinion of Planning Commission Board member Kenneth Chan. Despite concerns, the Board was satisfied with owner Sandy Joo's responses and approved her business for operation given she meets all the conditions laid out, which include background checks, CPR training for staff, among others.
Business profile on Fitness Factor in Arcadia. Maggie Riddle and Kevin Riddle are the co-owners. They do personal training and small group fitness at 24 N. 1st Avenue in Downtown Arcadia.
Local business Vintage Treasures and Antiques Arcadia, owned by mother and daughter team Jeanette C. Beraha and Raquel McLaughlin, celebrates its first anniversary with a New Business award from Arcadia Chamber of Commerce. It is located at 340 East Foothill Blvd., Arcadia.
Honorees of Arcadia Chamber 2015 Business Awards include Patricia Colonello of Mountain Views News. Business Person of the Year went to Kin Hui of Arcadia, CEO of Singpoli Group. Business of the Year went to Sierra Auto Honda, a family owned business. Raquel McLaughlin and her mother were awarded New Business of the Year.