The revitalization of Downtown Ontario has been in the works for a long time. In 2016, the city acquired the historic Yangtze Restaurant, followed in 2017 by the 60s-era 64,000 square foot shopping center on the northeast corner of Euclid Avenue and D Street near the library and City Hall. The site formerly held the Secoya Market, Papa John’s Pizza and drive-through Wells Fargo ATMs. A gas station at the southeast corner of the block at Euclid Avenue and E Street was not part of the purchase. None of the buildings in the C and D Blocks are considered to be of historical significance and therefore were eligible for demolition.
These acquisitions are part of a long-term redevelopment vision for downtown that includes apartments and space for retail businesses on the east side of Euclid from C to E Street. The “C Block” (C Street to D Street) broke ground in October 2022 and is now under construction. The project includes 150 apartments and 4500 square feet of ground floor retail businesses. Pedestrians can access the businesses from ground level on Euclid.
The building is L-shaped and four stories high. One- and two-bedroom apartments are organized around three green courtyards and an outdoor recreational area. The project is expected to be completed by December 2025.
A second similar project will be built from D Street to E Street (the “D Block”). It will have 6250 square feet of retail businesses on the ground floor facing Euclid and 109 apartments above.
There are many other changes to downtown besides the C Block and D Block projects. The Civic Center Expansion is a $135 million project that was started in December 2023. The Expansion will create a downtown campus where several will city services will be relocated. The purpose is to centralize city offices and increase foot traffic downtown.
The first step in the project is infrastructure: a large-scale storm drain to prevent flooding. Grading began in September 2023, followed by excavation began in December 2023. The infrastructure project is scheduled for completion by the end of 2024.
The Civic Center Expansion project includes the construction of a three-story building, a parking garage and a new Fire Station 1, all located on Sultana between D and B streets. The entire Civic Center Campus will tie into the new storm drain to mitigate flooding when the city experiences rainfall.
The planned three-story city services building is expected to house the City’s Human Resources Department, Finance Department, and credit union. The city anticipates construction to start in October 2024 and end in January 2026. The building will be joined by the six-level parking garage for public and city use. The parking structure has 850 spaces and solar panels with entrances on Sultana Avenue, C Street and B Street. Construction began in January 2024 and should conclude in February 2025.
Future Fire House 1, located on Sultana and D Street, will replace the current fire house located on East B Street and Sultana. The new 27,835 square foot station is two stories high and oriented toward public street. Twelve fire engine bays – six facing East D Street and six at the rear of the building provide drive-through access. The facility includes administrative offices and conference rooms, several dorms, locker rooms and space for exercise and recreation. The project broke ground in November 2023; completion is expected in April 2025.
The city also expects the University of La Verne’s (ULV) College of Health and Community Well-Being to be located downtown as part of a public-private partnership. ULV accepted a $15 million grant from AltaMed for construction of the campus.
The health college will offer graduate degrees in health-related fields and a bachelor’s degree program in nursing. For $1 per year, ULV will lease a city-owed 13,000 square foot parcel at 214 E. Holt Blvd. The city hopes that adding more college staff and students downtown will increase foot traffic downtown.
Another public-private partnership is expected to bring the Ontario-Montclair School District Headquarters to join the Civic Center Campus.
Another important development is the recent acquisition of Euclid Avenue from the State of California. Ontario will take over responsibility for street maintenance but in exchange will be able to regulate things like street parking and the speed limit.
Sources: Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, Jordan B. Darling, September 18, 2023; Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, February 9, 2017;