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COURIER photo/Gabriel Fenoy
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| The Old School House site will continue to undergo renovations this summer. |
Progress made at the Old School House
The big green fence is down and drivers along Foothill Boulevard are catching their first glimpses of a revamped Old School House.
While all eyes have been focused on the Village Expansion in recent months, the city’s other major redevelopment project will soon have some integral parts up and running.
The center’s foreseen anchor - a 12,000 square foot Trader Joe’s—is scheduled to open on April 11. The grocery store will feature exterior tiles displaying Claremont’s history as a citrus growing community and large mural inside depicting historical structures, such as The Packing House, the Padua Hills Theater, the Claremont Colleges and the Train Depot.
Other new businesses are also expected to bring some life to the project. Citibank will open its doors on Monday in the southeast portion of the Old School House. Robeks Juice will also open in one of two end-cap units of the Trader Joe’s building, while a tea shop has signed a lease to go inside the Old School House.
Under construction since May 2007, the first phase of the project is 95 percent complete, said Ying Lee, the property manager. Much of the landscaping and renovated parking lot flanking Foothill Boulevard is well prepared for a steady stream of Trader Joe’s shoppers.
Only a handful of businesses have been operating in the Old School House throughout the renovation process. With slumping sales over the past year, the business owners are looking forward to the increased attention Trader Joe’s will bring.
“We’re all really excited about getting more shoppers and increased business,” said Denel Barak, who operates a gift and trinket shop, Crystal Cave, in what used to be the structure’s bomb shelter. (story continues below)
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COURIER photo/Gabriel Fenoy
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| Workers install a tree near the entrance of the Old School House. |
Other business owners were hopeful to fill some of the vacant retail space in the building with another restaurant, a coffee shop and a bookstore.
“We want to see a good variety of businesses in here,” said Caren Whiteside, owner of furniture shop, Crimson Cottage.
But much work still needs to be done. Phase 2 of the project, which is estimated to take an additional year to complete, will see an overhaul of the interior of the Old School House, outside patio area and wooden flooring spaces.
An exterior facelift of the Candlelight Pavilion is also planned during the second phase. Mr. Lee said that he hopes to attract more new businesses to the building after phase 2 is complete.
The 3rd phase of the renovation will bring in a 3-level parking structure with 240 parking spaces and transform an eastern wing of the former Claremont Inn into 96 condominiums and 30 lofts. Mr. Lee said the recent downturn in the housing market will not delay the timeline for construction of the residential units.
“We are hoping the market will turn around by that time,” he said.
The historic structure served as Claremont High School between 1911 and 1961. Decades ago, the building was a popular destination in town, drawing in regular visitors with popular stores and arts and crafts fairs.
“Our goal is to bring back the glory of the Old School House while adding more attractions to it,” Mr. Lee said.
—Tony Krickl
