THE GAZETTE.
November-December 2005 • Year 11, Number 1.
Shaping The Old Town Inside And Out.
By JASON SMISKO
Senior Planner
City of Santa Clarita.
On the inside, outdoor cafés, theaters, parking structures, public gathering places and residential units above offices and shops on Main Street are integral components of the Downtown Newhall Specific Plan that have been the subject of public meetings and news stories over the last year.
However, as much as the Downtown Newhall Specific Plan is expected to have a positive economic and social impact on the future of this historic area, many projects in various stages are happening outside and adjacent to Old Town Newhall that will have an equal contribution to the revitalization and redevelopment of the area.
Most of these developments front or are visible from San Fernando Road, a corridor that serves as both a gateway to the city of Santa Clarita from State Route 14, as well as the gateway to the community of Newhall. The following four projects will uniquely complement the Downtown Newhall Specific Plan and will support the revitalization characteristics that the city will achieve in Old Town Newhall.
Gate-King Industrial Park.
This 500-acre development, approved in 2003, consists of 4.2 million square feet of commercial and industrial development southwest of Old Town Newhall. It is anticipated to bring 6,000 jobs, significantly increase the daytime population within the Old Town area, and provide needed public improvements.
Although no projects have yet broken ground, a few are expected to be under construction within a year. This large-scale development, combined with the Downtown Newhall Specific Plan, is intended to assist in transforming the Newhall community core.North Newhall Property.
North of Old Town Newhall, at the northeast corner of San Fernando Road and 13th Street, is a vacant hundred-acre lot. In the past, the city has used this lot to park cars for the Cowboy Poetry and Music Festival.
Although no development proposals have been made, the new property owners have contacted the city about their interest in developing this site. It is currently zoned for a business park.Tresierras Market.
At the corner of San Fernando Road and Carl Court, southeast of Old Town Newhall, Tresierras Market is under construction for a second location in the Newhall community. This market will be part of a 57,537-square-foot retail shopping center. Starbucks and Subway are also expected to locate there.The Master's College.
A portion of The Master's College campus sits above Old Town Newhall, peering down onto the Jan Heidt-Newhall Metrolink Station and the East Newhall community. The 95-acre college was founded in 1927 and has a student enrollment of 1,000.
The Master's College has submitted a proposed Master Plan to the city. Key components include the college shifting its vehicular access to Dockweiler Drive; a 55,000-square-foot chapel; a new, 120-bed dormitory; improved pedestrian linkages; increased parking; oak tree preservation; new recreational and open space amenities; and additional academic, administrative and maintenance buildings.
The growth of The Master's College is expected to be harmonious with the redevelopment of Old Town Newhall, as many downtowns throughout the world have thrived in proximity to a college campus.
Community and stakeholder interest in the revitalization of Old Town Newhall is at an all-time high. Over the last year, many property owners and developers have approached the city about initiating redevelopment projects. As the areas in and around Old Town Newhall develop and grow, the Old Town will begin to take shape as an energetic hub in Santa Clarita.
As imagined, once it begins to take form as a revitalized urban village, Old Town Newhall will offer people an intriguing choice as to where to spend their retail, restaurant and entertainment dollars.
©2005, Old Town Newhall USA. All rights reserved.
