THE GAZETTE.
January-February 2006 • Year 12, Number 1.
Newhall: A Gem In The Making.
By PAUL BROTZMAN
Director Of Community Development,
City Of Santa Clarita.
This is an exciting time to live in Santa Clarita! The city is about to embark on one of the most ambitious projects it has ever undertaken: the redevelopment of historic Old Town Newhall.
For the past eighteen months, the city has been working closely with the community, local business owners and consultants to draft the Downtown Newhall Specific Plan. This document, which has now been adopted by the City Council, will act as a guidepost for the city, residents, business owners and partners on how to enhance what is already a vibrant community.
It is important to realize, however, that the specific plan is only a guide. The city will be reliant on continual input from the public in order to shape and update the overall vision as the project grows and evolves. So please stay involved and keep up to date on the ongoing developments, because the city will be relying on you.
This month, the city is beginning the process of inviting developers or owners to submit proposals for the development of a parking structure and civic sites. By mid-year, we expect to begin entering into development or owner participation agreements for site development, and by the end of the year we hope to see actual development beginning.
There is already a lot of activity happening in Newhall right now. In addition to a variety of unique restaurants and shops, Old Town Newhall is home to two outstanding local theater groups — the Canyon Theatre Guild and the Repertory East Playhouse. It is also the home of several exciting community events including the Newhall Art Festival. This year the festival was held on October 1 and 2 and featured nearly one hundred street artists along a five-block section of San Fernando Road.
Newhall is also home to one of the city's most important resources: the Santa Clarita Community Center. This facility supports a variety of youth and family activities, as well as athletics and the arts. The grand opening of the Community Center this month is a focal point for the community, and one that we at City Hall have looked forward to since construction began.
In the near future, you will begin to see a lot of work being done in and around the Old Town area. The goal of the project is to enhance Newhall, both by working with and assisting existing residents and business owners, while at the same time bringing in new opportunities for development and commercial growth.
Whereas the city recognizes that a considerable number of enhancements can be made to the Newhall area, we care committed to preserving and highlighting the Old Town's historic themes and feel. Work will begin on specific projects in Newhall following the start of the next calendar year.
I hope you are as excited as I am about revitalizing Old Town Newhall. There is a lot of hard work and collaboration on the long road ahead, but together we will craft an outstanding Old Town area that will become yet another gem within our city.
©2006, Old Town Newhall USA. All rights reserved.
