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The Redevelopment Story of the City of Santa Clarita

The saying first impressions are everything holds true in just about every part of life – and certainly when it comes to
neighborhoods where a community shops and spends time with family and friends. Old Town Newhall, a historic
neighborhood in the City of Santa Clarita struggled for decades with its first impression. Nestled a few miles off
Interstate 5 and serving as one of the main gateways into the City, Old Town Newhall is home to some of the region’s
most exciting history dating back to the 1870s - from silent film stars like William S. Hart and the region’s Western film
industry to Indian settlings and America’s quest for gold and oil. Despite the area’s historic appeal, Old Town Newhall
began to decline as new subdivisions in the Santa Clarita Valley emerged in the late 1980s.

Old Town Newhall, and specifically Main Street, lacked the charm and polish residents and visitors expect from a historic
point of interest, and instead offered deteriorated and dilapidated buildings and public spaces, a high vacancy rate, and
many struggling businesses that were not a fit with Santa Clarita’s needs. Elements of charm and appeal were present,
but didn’t blend well with Main Street’s 40 mile per hour thoroughfare setting, which did not invite pedestrian traffic or
special events. Recognizing these challenges, the Santa Clarita City Council formed the Redevelopment Agency (Agency)
in 1989 and the Newhall Redevelopment Project Area (Project Area) in 1997 to revitalize this part of town. When the
Agency was originally formed, the City loaned funding to start the operation, until tax increment started to generate.
Then in 2008, the Agency issued bonds to be utilized for financing all the large-scale capital improvement and
infrastructure enhancements that we have seen in Old Town Newhall.

Since the inception of the Agency significant changes have taken place on Main Street. It has become home to two
reputable performance theaters, several signature restaurants, and the City has continued to highlight the famed Walk
of Western Stars (which is a tribute to the men and women of film, the arts, and entertainment who honor the West).

PUBLIC SPACES FOR ALL TO ENJOY

The heart of any successful downtown is great public places for the residents and visitors to enjoy. The Redevelopment
Plan for the Newhall Project Area outlined a goal to provide public improvements and public facilities where they are
missing or inadequate and enhance the role of Newhall as a center for the entire community to enjoy. Since adopting
the Project Area, the Agency has completed a number of significant enhancements for the area.

Construction is currently underway on the Old Town Newhall Library, a 30,000 square foot, two story public library
designed to serve a community that has historically been lacking adequate public library resources. In addition to being a
state-of-the-art facility with specialized programming designed to welcome over 500,000 visitors on an annual basis, the
library is expected to be certified as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver.

The construction of the Newhall Community Center brought significant improvements to the local residents and
continues to provide many enhanced amenities to the Newhall community that desperately need access to these
services in a fun and safe environment. Today, approximately 2,500 community members use this facility on an annual
basis. This center features a full gymnasium for numerous youth sports and recreation programs, as well as a
professional boxing gym for child and adult boxing program. Additionally, the Newhall Community Center hosts a toy
library where kids can check out games and toys, like a library, a teen group, a Ballet Folklorico program, after school
programs, and summer programs.

Redevelopment thrives on the assembly of oddly-shaped and
underutilized parcels. An example of this principle in action is
the Veterans Historical Plaza located in the center of a
residential neighborhood. This one-of-a-kind park is a
beautiful gathering place to celebrate all of the branches of
the armed forces and serves as a tribute to those who have