Anaheim Mayor Harry Sidhu smiles as wrecking crews demolish the dilapidated Americana Motel on Beach Boulevard.
West Anaheim revitalization passed a major milestone yesterday with the demolition of the Americana Motel on Beach Boulevard, a classic example of post-war Googie architecture that had declined into a dilapidated public nuisance, ending it’s life as a sober living home.
The city saved the iconic Googie neon sign and is in talks with a neon museum to preserve it.
The motel is being cleared away to make room for future development (which includes adjacent sites) that will be re-developed as:
- 100 affordable apartments for those who earn various percentages of the county’s median annual income of $106,700; construction could start in 2022
- 134 townhomes for sale, including 14 homes reserved for moderate income buyers based on Orange County’s median annual income; set to break ground beyond 2022
- 5,000 square of retail at the corner of Beach and Lincoln, once the leave for the existing gas station expires in coming years
The 7.3 acre project is being steered by Greenlaw Development, and will complement the neighboring 39 Commons mixed-use development across the street (another Greenlaw project).
The 44-room Americana motel originally opened in 1958 – one of many space-age looking motor lodges that sprung up in Anaheim to accommodate visitors to Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm. It’s the third motel on Beach Boulevard in West Anaheim to be demolished as part of revitalization: the Silver Moon Motel was torn down in 2002, and Lindy’s Motel met its end in 2017.
On hand to witness the demo crews tear down the Americana, Anaheim Mayor Harry Sidhu observed, “This is our commitment to west Anaheim in action.”
District 1 Councilman Jose Diaz, whose district includes Beach Blvd., at the American Motel demolition.
The 39 Commons project will feature for-sale homes and high-end, specialty grocery store, shops, restaurants, services, community spaces and potential commercial uses. Construction is expected to begin next year, and the project opening in phases over the next several years.
And another recent development was Cal-Trans agreeing to hand over Anaheim’s stretch of Beach Boulevard to the city. Since the state is required to hand over the Boulevard in good shape, the state is paying $4.8 million to help pay for road repairs. The deal will take a few years to complete..
Anaheim Public Utilities has been saving to pay for the undergrounding of all Electrical lines, including SCE’s portion. Phone and Cable will join in, but will pay their share of the expenses.
APD has installed Cameras at Beach and Lincoln, and elsewhere. They even put Blue Lights on them, as they want the Bad Guys to know they are being watched. Yes, there is work to do, but things are slowly getting better.
The future is bright for Beach Boulevard and West Anaheim.
All the city staff, plus the Mayor and City Council are behind making all of Anaheim, including West Anaheim a better place to live. It is really nice to see Councilmembers Jose Diaz and Gloria Ma’ee working together.
One more positive note about the entire city, including West Anaheim.
Anaheim Code Enforcement working with the Orange County Health Department in inspecting Street Vendors. At Wednesday’s and Thursday’s Community Services Meeting, Sandra Lozeau from Code Enforcement, Homeless Outreach and Anaheim Beautiful talked about the growth of Taco Stands, and other street vendors.
In 2018, California passed a law allowing street vendors in most locations with very few restrictions. The main one is for health, safety, or welfare concerns.
It is the responsibility of the Orange County Health Department to inspect and cite those stands who are operating without the required Health Permit, aka, the Orange Seal you see at Restaurants that say “PASS”.
Now, many carts serving fruit and prepackaged items do not require a permit, but any sort of cooking does require one. One big clue is not having a hand washing sink for the cooking crew.
The city has partnered with the County to create teams, where OC Health is the primary agency, but the city provides backup support, such as gathering information as to where locations of possible vendors violating the law are located, then if that vendor is cited, the city will gather the equipment and impound it until the situation is resolved.
The pilot program has started with two days a week, with planned expansion to nights and weekends. Vendors can also be cited by Code Enforcement for blocking the sidewalk, aka not leaving at least 36 inches cleared for ADA purposes, and that includes canopy/tent poles.
The best things for residents to do is report vendors where there might be a violation of the law using the Anaheim Anytime system. So using the My Anaheim App, on the internet, or calling 311. Let the city and county determine the legality of the situation.
Code Enforcement wants reports, so they can have those unsafe vendors who are not practicing safe food handling educated to proper practices and if they don’t address those issues, closed, just like the brick and mortar food locations.
Just leave them alone. They’re just trying to make a living. And the tacos are really good too.
Public Health has been a big push during COVID. Food Poisoning is real and can kill people.
Having things like Hand Wash Stations is key.
Shoot. That property was wife’s BIGGEST customer for pipes and torches. If anyone knows where Jorge the “T” dealer relocated let us know. Just don’t tell Mark he’ll go all Gestapo on us.
Good to see something happening, there has been too long a gap (decades) between run down businesses and profitable ones. If business owners kept up their properties they can last indefinite. West Anaheim should be a city by itself absorb Stanton and rename. IMO
Nice info David Thank You
So happy to see it coming together–moving forward even in this Pandemic economy!
Good Job Mayor and City Council.
Now if Anaheim can do something to modernize Anaheim Plaza with more dining options and stores.
Ah sh!t! I am gonna need a place to live soon. I liked this place. It was SUPER expensive by our standards but if everybody “chip’s in” we can get a MONTHLY rate.
Maybe Jose and Cynthia can kick down (GD is poorer than us). Come on CATER! Tom. Julie……..ANYBODY.