Press Contact: Dan Bell, Communications and Community Relations Director
Phone Number: (909) 395-2400
Date: June 24, 2024
Ontario acquires Euclid Avenue as downtown renaissance continues to take shape
The City of Ontario has taken yet another bold and visionary step in the renaissance of its Downtown, acquiring control of historic Euclid Avenue from the state and creating new opportunities for the central district’s main north-south corridor.
The transfer of ownership, which took effect June 20, gives the City the authority to make improvements to Euclid as it sees fit, which may include more activation in the green belt, improved light synchronization and enhanced wayfinding and signage. Euclid Avenue and its beautifully preserved median encompass all of the historic thoroughfare within the City boundaries, from the I-10 freeway at the northern edge Merrill Avenue on the southern edge.
A critical portion of the roadway bisects downtown, where a major investment is being made to create an 18-hour day that will include a vibrant living, working and learning environment that further secures Ontario’s role as the premier community in the Inland Empire.
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.
The newest addition to downtown dining will be the Mule Car Smokehouse, scheduled to open this month. It will be located at 200 N. Euclid Avenue at the former Bank of Italy building, built in 1923, and underwent a 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. It will overlook Town Square, a popular location for events such as the Summer Concert series. This development is a prime example of the City’s commitment to establishing the downtown area as a regional destination.
Across the street, at 207 N. Euclid Ave., another adaptive re-use project will bring a first-floor restaurant and bar and a second-floor bar or cigar lounge with a roof deck patio. Plans also call for the redevelopment on the west side of the 100 block of North Euclid to include up to 18 small food and beverage vendor spaces and three garden spaces offering outdoor dining, live music and entertainment; a new restaurant and 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 consist of 20 luxury and classic car condos with an on-site brewery and tasting room.
Two new mixed-use developments on the C and D blocks of Euclid will add more than 250 residential units and 11,000 square feet of retail space to the downtown mix. Construction is underway now. Additional housing efforts include 28 luxury townhomes being built at 120 West D St. The University of La Verne, which operates a College of Law in downtown Ontario, will build a new College of Health offering bachelors and masters degrees in nursing, Kinesiology and other health sciences.
The City is currently constructing a new state-of-the-art fire station headquarters, a new 700-plus space parking structure, and a new city office building as part of a redevelopment of the Civic Center Campus. Plans also include the relocation of the Ontario-Montclair School District Headquarters. All of these projects will bring new life and an increased population to downtown and act as catalysts for further development and investment.
Connecting all of these elements is a modern transportation network that includes the nearly completed expansion of the nearby Interstate 10 Freeway to include Express Lanes, the 100% zero-emission West Valley Connector bus-rapid transit system, and, with the ownership transfer, improvements to Euclid Avenue.
For more on Ontario’s downtown renaissance, please click here [u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net].
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About the City of Ontario
The City of Ontario is enhancing the quality-of-life by creating urban lifestyle districts that create sustainable places to live, work and play. Located just east of Los Angeles and Orange counties, the City of Ontario is ideally situated as a gateway to Southern California. With major freeways, rail transportation and an International Airport, Ontario invites the rest of the world to be a part of a culturally diverse community with rich history that is well positioned for quality development and economic sustainability for its residents. Complementing its business and residential core, Ontario offers premium entertainment venues such as the Ontario Convention Center, Toyota Arena, and Ontario Mills. To learn more about the City of Ontario, visit OntarioCA.gov [u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net] or call (909) 395-2000.