Aerial view of City Hall at 240 W. Huntington Drive looking SE across maintenance buildings for Arcadia County Park as well as the park itself in the distance.
Arcadia City Council has gone on record as supporting the building of a new city hall that would be built on the other side of the Civic Center property. Out of three options presented by city manager Bill Kelly, the council consensus was for a new building at a cost of $6.6 million and adjacent to Huntington Drive West.
Arcadia City Council members in a decorated Hupmobile Touring Car parked on Huntington Drive next to City Hall. Behind is a fire truck, also decorated, with 10 firemen on the truck or near by. The man at the wheel of the fire truck is Jim Nellis. The Councilmen are: Rear seats,L-R: Ferd E. Gram; Arthur N. Multer; and Charles Hawk. Front seat,L-R: Samuel L. Wheeler; John T. Joyce, the Hupmobile Dealer. Fifth member of Council, John Granville was not present. Seated at the base of the pillar of City Hall is Adrian Winkler and standing beside him is George Newton. The vehicles are on their way to dedication of new concrete span over Santa Anita Wash.
Arcadia's new city government first formed in 1903 and its first meeting took place at Elias J. "Lucky" Baldwin's Oakwood Hotel, located at First Avenue and Santa Clara Road. Baldwin's hotel featured gambling and fine dining along with city government. The Oakwood Hotel burned down in 1911, and the city government moved to the McCoy Building at First Avenue and St. Joseph Street. Two years later, City Hall moved across the street to the Hibbard Building. In 1917, the first building was constructed as a City Hall at Huntington Drive and Second Avenue (?). A two-story colonial building was built for $18,000. This City Hall opened on July 13, 1918. City Hall moved in 1949 to a 13-acre parcel between Huntington Drive and the Pacific Electric railroad tracks.
Architectural drawings and the design for the new Arcadia City Hall have drawn criticism from the City Council. The new City Hall building is estimated to cost $11 million.
Area residents pray, reflect on September 11 attacks. Memorial services were held at area city halls including Arcadia, where about 300 people paid tribute to the victims.
A brief dedication ceremony for the new chamber building at City Hall was held on April 15, 1977. Total cost, including the remodeling of old quarters for new uses, was $903,000.
The City Council approved a contract with Rokni Electric for a new 800 Kilowatt generator and a new telephone system (not to exceed $342,251) from SBC-Pacific Bell for City Hall. A contract with Systems Source Inc. for furnishings for the new police station was also approved. The City Librarian job title was changed to Director of Library and Museum Services.
The City Council is facing the need to either refurbish and enlarge the existing Council Chambers or to build a new building. the second alternative seem the most likely, as the space vacated in the present City Hall could be used for crowded city departments.
City Manager Bill Kelly outlined a $16 million program to finish all public building projects for Arcadia in three years, as part of the city's five-year capital budget. The spending would include a new $6.5 million City Hall, a $1.3 million upgrade to Fire Station 106 on Baldwin Avenue. The city plans to build a new fire station to replace Fire Station 105 on Santa Anita Avenue. A city gym for the civic center property is in planning stages. The city plans to re-roof the community center for $150,000 and to put up 1/2 of the $800,000 cost to make the high school sports field an all-weather facility.
The City of Arcadia has contracted with Gonzalez Goodale Architects to plan for a new City Hall. Both Upper and Lower City Hall buildings will be torn down after completion of the new facility.
City of Arcadia will reopen City Hall and other facilities to the public as part of the Safer At Work and in the Community Order issued by Los Angeles County. Beginning June 15, open facilities now include City Hall, Arcadia Fire Department, Public Works, and city parks and open spaces. The Arcadia Police Department, Community Center, Arcadia Public Library and Museum remain closed. Arcadia City Council meetings will still be conducted virtually in June.
Community commemorations of September 11 will be held at the Arcadia City Hall, congregation Shaarie Torah, and the Ruth and Charles Gilb Arcadia Historical Museum. A description of each event is given.
Concert in the Park, outside on Arcadia City Hall lawn, featuring the band Alumni Acoustic. Band members are alumni of Arcadia High School. They perform rock music and folk music.