Ontario acquires Euclid Avenue, plans downtown development

The city of Ontario has acquired control of historic Euclid Avenue from the state, creating new opportunities for the downtown area’s main north-south corridor, officials announced Monday.

The transfer of ownership took effect June 20, giving the city the authority to make improvements to Euclid that may include “more activation in the green belt, improved light synchronization and enhanced wayfinding and signage,” according to the city’s announcement. Ontario’s historic stretch of Euclid Avenue is between the I-10 Freeway at the north end and south up to Merrill Avenue.

Part of the road bisects downtown Ontario, where officials said “a major investment is being made to create a living, working and learning environment.”

According to the city statement, “The downtown renaissance offers a unique blend of history, economic opportunity and livability, elements of which include modern affordable housing, state-of-the-art transit, restaurants and retail, a university campus and adaptive re-use of historic structures.”

Imminent new additions are set for Euclid in Ontario.

The Mule Car Smokehouse was scheduled to open this month, according to the city. The restaurant will be at 200 N. Euclid Ave. in what was the 1923-built Bank of Italy building, which received multimillion-dollar renovation.

“The project also includes a separate rooftop restaurant and bar, El Balcon, that will offer tapas-style fare, cocktails and live music,” officials said. “It will overlook Town Square, a popular location for events such as the Summer Concert series.”

A first-floor restaurant and bar and a second-floor bar or cigar lounge with a roof deck patio is planned for across the street at 207 N. Euclid Ave.

Redevelopment is also planned for the west side of the 100 block of North Euclid with a project that includes up to 18 small food and beverage vendor spaces and three garden spaces for outdoor dining, live music and entertainment.

Also, a new restaurant-brewery will be added to the Holt X Palm showroom at 115 S. Palm Ave., and the Vault project at 211 W. Emporia St. will feature 20 luxury and classic car condominiums with an on-site brewery and tasting room.

Two mixed-use projects that are currently being constructed on Euclid’s C and D blocks will bring more than 250 residential units and 11,000 square feet of retail space into downtown. Additional housing developments include 28 luxury townhomes under construction at 120 W. D St.

The University of La Verne, which operates a law school program in downtown Ontario, plans to build a College of Health offering degrees in nursing, kinesiology and other health sciences, according to the city.

A new state-of-the-art fire station headquarters, a new 700-space parking structure and a new municipal office building are planned for the city’s Civic Center Campus makeover, which includes relocating the Ontario-Montclair School District Headquarters.

More information on Ontario’s downtown real estate development is at ontariothinksbusiness.com.