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COURIER photo/Gabriel Fenoy
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| Although the indoor theater is closed, the exterior landscape of Padua Hills Theater has been well maintained and is currently used for special events such as weddings and parties. |
The Padua Hills Theater: bringing a piece of history back to life
Decades ago, the Padua Hills Theater was considered a hub of culture and entertainment in an area known primarily for fruit and undeveloped land. Located in the seclusion of Claremont Wilderness Park long before any homes were built nearby, the theater and its unique shows attracted visitors from throughout southern California.
Built in 1930, the theater became known for musical performances and plays depicting traditional Mexican cultural. Waiters and groundskeepers at the theater began to lead the performances and formed its longstanding attraction, the Mexican Players.
“It was a realistic slice of Mexican life,” explained Ginger Elliott, executive director of Claremont Heritage.
But it all ended in 1974 when the theater’s final curtain was drawn. Herman Garner, the theater’s owner, was retiring and could no longer afford to financially support the theater with all the maintenance and upkeep expenses.
Since then, the theater has kept its doors closed and the surrounding grounds has been occupied by a catering company, Chantrelles Catering, which hosts various planned events such as weddings and parties.
Despite the property’s continued success as a special-events venue, the theater itself has suffered. Owned by the city of Claremont, the theater has earned some grant money and financial attention from the city, but over the years has continued to deteriorate.
Reviving the landmark to a functional level equivalent to its glorious heyday will be no easy task. A study on costs associated with modern standards and renovations estimates costs between $5 and $7 million. Retrofitting the building to comply with seismic and Americans with Disabilities Act standards, new electrical and sprinkler systems and an overhaul of the landscaping would all be a part of the process.
Recently, city officials decided to act. Fearing the theater will continue to decline, the city put out a request for proposals to see if anyone was interested in bringing the theater back to life.
“The request was purposefully left very wide open to see what we could attract,” said Jeff Porter, director of the Human Services Department. “We were hoping to see some renovations be done and the theater brought back to where there is more community involvement.”
Five different companies submitted bids to the city, offering 5 very different visions of the future of Padua Hill Theater.
The most prominent name to throw their hats in the ring is Arteco Partners, a development company that pumped $10 million into renovating The Packing House. They have already worked on several buildings in downtown Pomona and are currently renovating the Fox Theater.
Pitching an aggressive $5 million renovation package, Arteco proposes to purchase the 40-acres of land from the city and the structures that sit on it. (story continues below)
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COURIER photo/Gabriel Fenoy
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| The city of Claremont has recently shown interest in reviving Padua Hill Theater, which it owns, and has accepted proposals for its renovation. Five companies have shown interest in reviving the historic site. |
Partnering with Richard Lindholm of Chantrelles Catering, Arteco’s vision is to bring the theater into working order, completely renovate the grounds and landscape, host weddings and special events and run a small 3-suite bed and breakfast.
The Alliance for Performing Arts is proposing to turn the theater into a widely used community center. The organization puts on performances throughout the Inland Empire and currently uses the Baldwin Park Performance Center for its shows.
They plan to revive regular performances at the theater, open a museum and art center and organize dance, singing and performing arts classes.
“We want to use it for a family, senior and children friendly venue,” said Melinda Brasch, head of the Alliance for Performing Arts.
A 3rd bid came from a well-known catering company, Saffron Catering & Event Services, which hopes to attract regular visitors by offering a lunchtime restaurant as well as special events. They will soon be vacating their current location at the historic Guasti Villa in Ontario, as they make way for a new boutique hotel.
“We put a proposal that was very open,” said Linda Rouyer, president and owner of the company. “We would prefer to see the city dictate how much of the renovation goes on. It’s really a special place, but as it is now, unless you are invited to a wedding or an event there, you don’t get to enjoy it. We want to open it up to the public to come any time.”
Another bid came from Sara Rose Design. After breaking her one-year lease at a second story loft in The Packing House, owner Lynnette Barron said she wants to relocate her floral business in a cottage at Padua Theater and join forces with a catering company to run weddings and special events.
The final bid was from the American Museum of Ceramic Arts in Pomona, which wants to build additional facilities on the site and completely relocate their museum.
The next step will be for the Padua Hill Theater Advisory Committee to begin interviewing the applicants and weighing the pros and cons of the various proposals. The committee’s recommendations will be presented to the city council sometime in spring, Mr. Porter said. Any construction or changes could not begin before 2009.
— Tony Krickl
