Newhall Rising — The SCV Talk Archive

Newhall Rising

By Jeff — Jeff Wilson

Yesterday, construction workers at the new Newhall library site stood up massive steal beams that symbolize the rise of Newhall in the last several years:

I asked TimBen Boydston last week to reflect on all that’s happened there in the last few years. Here’s what he had to say:

Downtown Newhall is starting to turn the corner and it is very exciting to see. The Canyon Theatre Guild moved to Old Town Newhall 10 years ago. When people asked why I thought that it was a good idea, I told them it was because I had seen what redevelopment could do. I had worked in the very successful process of the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, where I managed and leased properties. I was also familiar with Old Town Pasadena, another very successful redevelopment area. It was an excellent move when Santa Clarita hired the same planning firm that did the Pasadena plan. Although our demographics will not support the same economic levels of activity as those areas, we certainly can expect an area more akin to Montrose in a few years.

As the City has finished the Streetscape, we are seeing renewed interest in our Main Street. Some of the positive signs of renewal that we are seeing, especially on the Theatre block, are the opening of new businesses such as the Puchella Winery and the Out West Boutique. Just as important (if not more so) is the relocation of businesses from elsewhere such as Newhall Bicycle Company and Fresh Boutique. We have a new Spa and Beauty Salon as well. The fact that people are locating businesses in our Old town in the middle of this severe recession says it all.

If you haven’t seen Newhall recently you should come check it out.

It’s hard to remember the Old Town Newhall of just 15 years ago. No Metrolink station, no Community Center, no Veteran’s Park, and two wide & fast street lanes between decaying and under-utilized buildings on then San Fernando Road. A Railroad avenue that largely served as a junk yard to store old cars. No activity at night, let alone street fairs and farmers markets during the day. The critics, like Dave Bossert, tend to forget what it was like then.

Today -even without the library being complete- it’s a totally different area and it’s thanks to people like TimBen and other business owners who were willing to take a risk on Old Town and the City for having the vision & commitment to carry it out. Old Town Newhall redevelopment is the real public/private partnership I’m proud of in the SCV.

Comments (11)

MikeMay 20, 2011 at 9:34 am

Thumbs up.

Mr PerezMay 20, 2011 at 9:59 am

Nice frame. Not as exciting as Magic Mountain’s new Green Lantern coaster but still a nice frame

Josh PremakoMay 20, 2011 at 10:33 am

Except it will totally block my view of the American Legion when I stand on that corner, which I do … never.

Gang FangMay 20, 2011 at 11:51 am

Pre-Grand Opening drinks at the Wilson compound!

Bill ReynoldsMay 20, 2011 at 11:55 am

Count me in…

Gang FangMay 20, 2011 at 12:32 pm

“When the flower blooms, the bees come uninvited.” -Ramakrishna

Bill ReynoldsMay 20, 2011 at 12:50 pm

Geez, I’m shocked! Such rudeness. Ha!

Lori RivasMay 20, 2011 at 12:13 pm

Okay, I know next nothing about this, except my own experience. But, there was little usage of old Newhall, measured how? I used to work at 8th and Walnut (mid-90′s), and it seemed there was plenty of commerce going on — different commerce than is currently being developed, but commerce that seemed to serve the neighborhood. Restaurants were busy, stores were specific to the community, etc. I ate and shopped there many, many, many times. I mean, does everything have to be developed for the upper middle class? Is it not acceptable to have commerce serving a different population? I am really asking — do we constantly have to be increasing tax revenues? When does a commerce center serve the neighborhood, and when does a government dictate that a particular neighborhood is not valuable enough to have their own commerce center?

Lori RivasMay 20, 2011 at 12:15 pm

It just seems that constantly expanding commerce will eventually collapse on itself. Maybe zero growth economics is something worth considering, if only for the academic exercise.

CCMay 20, 2011 at 12:33 pm

I agree Lori. It may look pretty, but who shops there? I am sure the new library will be nice, but it sure looks out of place already.

spineflower2May 20, 2011 at 12:41 pm

I used to live in Newhall (near 13th and Walnut), and it has changed considerably, both for better and for worse, since the mid-80s when I was there. The downtown used to thrive, with Tresierras, Newhall Hardware, and the Newhall Camera stores (I was into film photography back then), Newhall Paint, and many others that catered to locals. The auto shops were always busy, and I used to have service done at Newhall Carburetor and also the place across from Billy’s on the corner (forget the name). The down side was the proverbial (and all too real) “other side of the tracks” where I would not stroll at night. Today it is more appealing to “outsiders” with the auto shops leaving, and sadly many of the old family businesses gone, too. I still would not stroll at night. Maybe if we worked harder to help the locals with crime prevention and day care and other facilities for teenagers, the community, not just the shopping, might improve. It’s a two-sided coin still, and that cloud may hamper both its economic success, and also the growth of the local community itself. Redevelopment puts up buildings, but our City should also think about how to build up people, too.

MikeMay 20, 2011 at 9:34 am
Thumbs up.
Mr PerezMay 20, 2011 at 9:59 am
Nice frame. Not as exciting as Magic Mountain’s new Green Lantern coaster but still a nice frame
Josh PremakoMay 20, 2011 at 10:33 am
Except it will totally block my view of the American Legion when I stand on that corner, which I do … never.
Gang FangMay 20, 2011 at 11:51 am
Pre-Grand Opening drinks at the Wilson compound!
Bill ReynoldsMay 20, 2011 at 11:55 am
Count me in…
Gang FangMay 20, 2011 at 12:32 pm
“When the flower blooms, the bees come uninvited.” -Ramakrishna
Bill ReynoldsMay 20, 2011 at 12:50 pm
Geez, I’m shocked! Such rudeness. Ha!
Lori RivasMay 20, 2011 at 12:13 pm
Okay, I know next nothing about this, except my own experience. But, there was little usage of old Newhall, measured how? I used to work at 8th and Walnut (mid-90′s), and it seemed there was plenty of commerce going on — different commerce than is currently being developed, but commerce that seemed to serve the neighborhood. Restaurants were busy, stores were specific to the community, etc. I ate and shopped there many, many, many times. I mean, does everything have to be developed for the upper middle class? Is it not acceptable to have commerce serving a different population? I am really asking — do we constantly have to be increasing tax revenues? When does a commerce center serve the neighborhood, and when does a government dictate that a particular neighborhood is not valuable enough to have their own commerce center?
Lori RivasMay 20, 2011 at 12:15 pm
It just seems that constantly expanding commerce will eventually collapse on itself. Maybe zero growth economics is something worth considering, if only for the academic exercise.
CCMay 20, 2011 at 12:33 pm
I agree Lori. It may look pretty, but who shops there? I am sure the new library will be nice, but it sure looks out of place already.
spineflower2May 20, 2011 at 12:41 pm
I used to live in Newhall (near 13th and Walnut), and it has changed considerably, both for better and for worse, since the mid-80s when I was there. The downtown used to thrive, with Tresierras, Newhall Hardware, and the Newhall Camera stores (I was into film photography back then), Newhall Paint, and many others that catered to locals. The auto shops were always busy, and I used to have service done at Newhall Carburetor and also the place across from Billy’s on the corner (forget the name). The down side was the proverbial (and all too real) “other side of the tracks” where I would not stroll at night. Today it is more appealing to “outsiders” with the auto shops leaving, and sadly many of the old family businesses gone, too. I still would not stroll at night. Maybe if we worked harder to help the locals with crime prevention and day care and other facilities for teenagers, the community, not just the shopping, might improve. It’s a two-sided coin still, and that cloud may hamper both its economic success, and also the growth of the local community itself. Redevelopment puts up buildings, but our City should also think about how to build up people, too.