The Arcadia Redevelopment Agency approved the purchase of $1.2 million in land owned by the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway Co. at 21 North 2nd Avenue to be used as part of the Northwest Corner Project of commercial development.
Kiewit Pacific Company, a construction firm formerly based in Arcadia and now located in Santa Fe Springs was fined $50,000 for burying 50 industrial drums, of which 2 contained hazardous liquid, on its Arcadia property between 1982 and 1985.
A federal judge has ordered Peter Kiewit and its subsidiary, Kiewit Pacific Co., now located in Santa Fe Springs, to pay the city of Arcadia the cost of cleaning up contaminated soil at the Santa Clara Street property it sold to the Arcadia Redevelopment Agency in 1985. The hazardous waste has put a new office building project on hold for more than a year and a half.
City Council has approved a zone change for the area bounded by the 210 Freeway, Fifth Avenue, the Santa Fe Tracks and Second Avenue. The area is now CPD (Commercial Planned Development).
The newly installed railroad crossing at First Avenue and Santa Clara Street was dedicated. To celebrate the occasion, the Goodyear blimp (Goodyear supplied the rubber crossing pads) hovered overhead. Arcadia is the first city in the Los Angeles area to install rubber crossings. The city is paying $93,000 of the nearly $200,000 cost of the project.
A convenience shopping center has been approved by the Arcadia Redevelopment Agency for the southeast corner of Huntington Drive and Santa Anita Avenue. The businesses now occupying the land (a Texaco station, Burrito Flats restaurant, Miller's Carpet Care and Drive-Through Liquor) will have to be removed.
The Arcadia Police Department has stationed three officers in a special trailer outside the Santa Anita Fashion Park mall. They anticipate and increase in shoplifting incidents as Christmas approaches.
Robert I. Melbo, former sports editor of the Arcadia Tribune, has advanced to become assistant superintendent of the Southern Pacific Railroad's Oregon division. Melbo's career is outlined.
Arcadia officials, fearing that Caltrans would squirm out of a promise to fix the earthquake damaged railroad bridge at 2nd Street and Huntington Drive, have asked the state to make that promise in writing.
Beginning on January 25, Tony Bristol, owner of the Texaco station at 529 East Live Oak Ave., will have gasohol for sale. Bristol believes his is the first station in Arcadia to offer gasohol.
Chief wants new fire station built. After a year of study using computer technology, Arcadia Fire Chief Jerry Gardner has recommended to the City Council that a fourth fire station be built in vicinity of Sixth and Live Oak Avenues.
The Arcadia Redevelopment Agency granted Stanley Gribble and Associates a 6-month exclusive right to negotiate with the city to develop a commercial project at the east end of the city between the railroad tracks on the south and west, Huntington on the north and 5th Avenue on the east.
The developer of Monrovia's Huntington Oaks shopping center now has an exclusive right to negotiate with the Arcadia Redevelopment Agency to construct a $17.3 million office and restaurant complex on the south side of Huntington Drive between the railroad tracks and the east boundary of the city.
Though there will be no federal funds available, it is still possible for Arcadia, Monrovia, El Monte and Sierra Madre to build a joint fire station and communications center.