The walls came tumbling down Wednesay at the Anoakia Mansion, marking the final demise of the 87-year-old Anita Baldwin estate to make way for a gated tract of houses.
Construction is under way on the first phase of the luxury homes development on the site of the old Anoakia Mansion. The tract of 31 new homes will be called "Anoakia Estates."
Demolition permits have been approved and the project of building new homes where the Anoakia mansion stands is now underway. Artifacts from the mansion have been given to the Arcadia Historical Society and the Arboretum.
Construction begins on Anoakia luxury housing development, on the former site of Anoakia, Anita Baldwin's mansion, on the corner of Baldwin Avenue and Foothill Boulevard in Arcadia. The Anoakia Mansion was demolished last August to make way for 31 homes to be built by Hover Development Inc. of Newport Beach. Anita Baldwin, daughter of Lucky Baldwin, lived there until her death in 1939. It was used as a girls' school from 1941 to the late 1970s. The new housing development is 19 acres.
Residents fighting to save the historic Anoakia mansion from development lost a court battle, as a judge upheld the city's decision to allow demolition of the property.
The Court of Appeals issued an emergency stay on the demolition of Anoakia. Until significant unresolved issues are settled the developers were ordered to stop everything.
The Anoakia developer cannot bulldoze the Anita Baldwin mansion without a demolition permit which will not be granted by the city until certain requirements are met.
Three residents representing a group they call "Friends of Anoakia" have sued the city in an attempt to stop demolition of the historic Anoakia estate. Forrest Besocke, Winston Besocke and Michael Mulvehill filed the lawsuit Friday.
Anoakia Estates model homes to open for viewing by this spring. The community is made up of 31 luxury homes. Developer is Tom Hover. The homes were constructed on the site of Anoakia, an estate owned by Anita Baldwin, daughter of Arcadia city founder, Elias J. "Lucky" Baldwin, at Foothill Boulevard and Baldwin Avenue. The homes will be 2-stories, and 5,000-6,000 square feet.
A developer of resort-style retirement communities hopes to build a 260 unit senior citizens complex on land currently occupied by the Santa Anita Inn.