The downtown revival in Ontario is gaining new ground, following the city's acquisition of Euclid Avenue from the state. Announced on June 20, this strategic maneuver grants Ontario the power to freely make enhancements to the thoroughfare at their discretion. As reported by the City of Ontario's official website, planned improvements could include boosting activity in the green spaces, optimizing traffic light synchronization, and boosting the clarity of wayfinding and signage.
The thrust of recent redevelopment centers on establishing a bustling, all-hours hub, promoting an 18-hour day lifestyle with ample housing, employment, and educational facilities. The city's intent is to quickly to follow through on these projects, looking to ensure Ontario's place as a vibrant, premier location within the Inland Empire. Complementing the storied past of the district, a slew of economic opportunities are being crafted to enhance the urban living experience in the heart of the city.
In a demonstration of the city's renewed energy, the Mule Car Smokehouse is on the calendar to open its doors later this month. Located at 200 N. Euclid Avenue in the historic 1923 Bank of Italy building, this new culinary addition is part of a multimillion-dollar renovation project. "This development is a prime example of the City’s commitment to establishing the downtown area as a regional destination," cites the press release from the City of Ontario. Alongside Mule Car Smokehouse, the project will introduce El Balcon, a rooftop restaurant and bar bedecked to provide live music and tapas-style dishes.
Neighboring 207 N. Euclid Avenue will house a dual-level establishment, with a ground-floor restaurant and a possibly second-floor bar or cigar lounge complete with a roof deck patio. Furthermore, the area is expected to soon feature a conglomeration of food and beverage vendors within garden spaces that will host outdoor dining, music, and entertainment. Plans also incorporate the addition of a new restaurant and brewery ensconced in the Holt X Palm showroom at 115 S. Palm Ave. and a luxury car condo and brewery concept known as the Vault project at 211 W. Emporia St.
Adding to the downtown housing repertoire are two mixed-use projects bringing over 250 residences and 11,000 square feet of retail space, currently under construction. Luxury townhomes are on the rise at 120 West D St., while the University of La Verne is slated to establish a new College of Health, broadening its academic offerings.
Further contributing to the downtown vision, Ontario is constructing new facilities including a fire station headquarters, a city office building, and adding a 700-plus parking structure within its Civic Center Campus. An important educational shift will occur with the relocation of the Ontario-Montclair School District Headquarters, the entire catalog of projects poised to invigorate the downtown area with fresh energy and populations.
An enhanced transportation network ties the many facets of this renaissance together, highlighting the near-completed Interstate 10 Freeway expansion and the zero-emission West Valley Connector bus-rapid transit system. With the change in ownership, Euclid Avenue itself is set to receive improvements, connecting the dots of Ontario's urban overhaul. For more on Ontario's downtown renaissance, visit the city's official site.
