First phase of Gold Line extension begins on Saturday
Real estate developers, politicians and residents hope that the 11.3 mile extension, scheduled to be completed in four years, will bring new development to the San Gabriel Valley.
 The Gold Line extension will connect commuters in the San Gabriel Valley to the light-rail network that runs throughout L.A. County. The extension is expected to be completed by 2014. (Damon Winter / Los Angeles Times / March 4, 2004) |
E-mail
Print
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority will break ground Saturday on a $690 million, 11.3 mile extension of the Gold Line from Pasadena through Arcadia, Monrovia, Duarte, Irwindale and Azusa. The line is scheduled to be completed in 2014.
Real estate developers and politicians are hoping the line will pave the way for some new residential and commercial developments in the cities.
"There's something about rail that creates an anchor for economic development," said Michael Cano, transportation deputy to Los Angeles County Supervisor and MTA board member Michael Antonovich.
Monrovia is one of the more ambitious cities.
Monrovia's proposed Station Square project would rise next to the future site of its Gold Line station, just south of the 210 Freeway. Monrovia has already invested $30 million into the project and is negotiating public-private partnerships with multiple commercial real estate developers, Monrovia Mayor Mary Ann Lutz said.
For the first phase of the project, Monrovia plans to partner with the commercial real estate developer Samuelson & Fetter, Lutz said.
The project's first phase will include approximately 700 apartment units, 450,000 square feet of office space, and 30,000 square feet of retail space, according to Blaine Fetter, the Principal/Organizer at Samuelson & Fetter. Some of those apartments and offices will be completed by the time the train begins operation in 2014, he said.
He estimated the market value of the first phase of the Station Square project at approximately $300 million to $450 million.
Development plans aren't quite as lofty or as immediate in Irwindale, but City Manager Sol Benudiz said he hopes the city can eventually attract some development near the line.
"[The line] adds value to everything," Benudiz said. "We would be so much worse off if it didn't stop here."
Arcadia, the first new stop on the extended line, is also looking at development options. Arcadia City Council member Gary Kovacic said the city is seriously considering a "mixed-use" development project at the site of its station.
Kovacic also said the Gold Line will create a new option for commuters in Arcadia, because it finally connects them to the network of light rail that runs throughout much of L.A. County.
"I think it's something we need to do as a society — to use public transportation more," Kovacic said.
Major developments have been built near some parts of the L.A.'s rail lines. Numerous mixed-use residential and retail projects have risen along the Red Line in Hollywood and North Hollywood, as well as along the Purple Line on Wilshire Boulevard. Long Beach has also developed retail centers around the Blue Line.
But others parts of the rail network have yet to attract significant development. And it remains unclear how much of the cities' grand plans will come to fruition — particularly if the real estate market remains in a slump.
Pete Siberell, director of community service and special events at the Santa Anita Park and vice president of the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce, isn't so convinced that the Gold Line will significantly impact business in the city.
For the 2009 Breeder's Cup, Santa Anita Park offered a free shuttle to the Gold Line. Only about 1% of the fans used the shuttle, Siberell said.
And even though the racetrack sits just four blocks from the future site of the Arcadia station, Siberell doesn't expect a major increase in fans using the Gold Line.
"Unless we get some big help from MTA with promotion dollars, I don't think it will be fantastic," Siberell said. "But we will certainly work hard to take advantage of it."
The Gold Line extension is the first project funded by Measure R to move to construction. The measure, passed by voters in 2008, will raise $30 billion to fund mass transit projects through a sales tax.
Measure R will only fund this portion of the Gold Line extension, known as Phase 2A. The MTA hopes to eventually connect the Gold Line to LA/Ontario International Airport with a Phase 2B extension. Habib Balian, Chief Executive of the Metro Gold Line Foothill Construction Authority, said that Phase 2B could break ground in 2015, although it hasn't yet secured funding.
Balian said officials hope the Azusa link will be followed by links to Glendora, San Dimas, La Verne, Pomona, Claremont, Montclair and then to LA/Ontario Airport.
For now the lawmakers, MTA leaders and developers are all celebrating this first extension. They will meet for a formal groundbreaking Saturday morning at New Castle Park in Arcadia.
Many see the extension as a huge economic opportunity for the cities on the new line.
South Pasadena resident Anthony George said it might take some time for cities on the new route to see all the benefits. Years ago, he saw the arrival of a Gold Line station in his community. He said that the train eventually brought life to the city, but warned that the benefits don't come overnight.
"These things take a long time," George said. "Even in South Pasadena, it took us a while to realize what the train really offered."
sam.allen@latimes.com
Construction to begin on new Gold Line Extension from Pasadena to Azusa
Construction crews break ground today on the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension. The new light rail line will add 11 miles of track from Pasadena west to Azusa.
The Foothill Extension is the first of a dozen rail projects that voters paid for through Measure R. Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority - Metro - voted unanimously last March to transfer $810 million in Measure R sales tax money to the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority.
Anyone who lives in the San Gabriel Valley and has to slog on the 210 during rush hours knows just how jammed it is all the time," said Metro spokesman Marc Littman. "So this is a project that’s gonna add not only relief to those commuters, but it’s going to create 7,000 jobs, 2,600 of those in construction alone. It’s also gonna generate $1 billion in business revenues and $40 billion in new tax revenues.”
The authority expects to complete the line in about four years. The light rail line will follow the path of the former Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railroad. Metro plans station stops in Arcadia, Monrovia, Duarte, and Azusa.
MTA board expected to approve $690 million for Gold Line extension
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board of Directors was expected to approve today $690 million in funding for the extension of the Metro Gold Line from Pasadena to Azusa.
If the board approves the funding – which is generated through the Measure R transportation sales tax – the Gold Line Foothill Construction Authority could break ground on the project in June.
The 11.3 mile-extension of the line could be in place by 2014, according to Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich, a member of the MTA board.
"This historic vote will secure victory for the San Gabriel Valley and move us toward our goal of a truly regional transit system," Antonovich said.
In an e-mail sent to project supporters, Foothill Construction Authority CEO Habib Balian expressed confidence that the Metro board would back the funding proposal. He wrote that the agreement gives Metro "assurances that the design and quality of construction meets their design criteria."
"The final draft also provides significant coordination and information-sharing between agencies," Balian wrote.
The foothill extension would include stops in Arcadia, Monrovia, Duarte, Irwindale and Azusa.
No comments:
Post a Comment