New plans for old COURIER site Many residents and particularly COURIER subscribers hold fond memories of the old brick building on College Avenue that for decades hosted Claremont’s hometown newspaper. Readers felt free to pop in to chitchat with COURIER editor Martin Weinberger. To the dismay of those who appreciate the building’s historical significance, the COURIER’s old office at 111 S. College Ave. will likely be torn down in the near future to be replaced by a 3-story high mixed-use complex consisting of modern townhouses, live/work lofts and retail space. The proposed project was unanimously approved by the Planning Commission on July 31 and appears to have the support of the city council as well. The council is set to discuss the development project at its September 11 council meeting. Called “College Walk,” the new project is a joint venture of American Pacific Holdings and the Olson Company, which is responsible for the expansive townhouse development just west of the Village Expansion. Included in College Walk’s development plans are 8 buildings consisting of 59 town homes, 8 live/work lofts and approximately 1600 square feet of commercial space along College Avenue. The Planning Commission was impressed with some significant revisions to Olson’s original design for the project, which was sent back to the drawing board by the commission back in March 2006. The new plan includes several sustainable elements, 10 “affordable” units to meet the city’s housing ordinance, an additional parcel of land and a more appealing layout. “There were some real concerns about this project early on,” said Commissioner Jeff Hammill. “But [the commission] felt the developers had made a real effort to make the changes we were looking for.” Bill McReynolds, director of development for the Olson Company, said College Walk is the second project that the company has undertaken which will strive for LEED certification, a national benchmark for green-building design. To reach that goal, College Walk will include drought-tolerant landscaping, environmentally friendly building material, highly efficient plumbing and on-site water treatment and filtering capabilities. The project will also offer residents the opportunity to be less reliant on their cars with the Village, the Claremont Colleges and the Metrolink station just steps away. The entire project will have a similar feel to that of the Olson Company’s original project in town—the Village Walk. The Village Walk town homes have been a hot commodity since they hit the market 4 years ago, with 172 of the project’s 173 units already sold. The last unit available recently fell out of escrow, a sales representative said. The College Walk town homes will range from one to 3 bedrooms, 11,000 to 15,000 square feet, ranging in price from the mid $300,000 to upwards of $500,000. The 10 affordable units will be built in exactly the same design as the market priced units, Mr. McReynolds said. Available to buyers in the “moderate” or lower income categories the affordable units will run between $200,000 and $300,000. Although real estate experts and city officials emphasize the need for less pricey housing options in Claremont, some residents are worried about what the new addition will bring to their neighborhood. Living on Green Street very near to the site, one resident, who asked to remain anonymous, believes the project will add to already heavy traffic jams in the area. “With the railroad tracks, the colleges and cars coming over from Indian Hill, sometimes the traffic is backed up all the way down to Arrow Highway,” she said. “What’s going to happen to us now?”
—Tony Krickl
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August 22, 2007
August 22, 2007