STANTON : City’s Revitalization Effort Set in Motion

After a decade-long struggle to overcome crippling financial woes and a tattered image, Stanton will focus on building a new civic center, accelerating business revitalization and completing an ambitious senior housing project, Mayor Paul G. Verellen said.

Money was so tight during the 1980s that the city was forced to eliminate its police and fire departments, relying instead on Orange County services, and lease a former elementary school site for its City Hall, the mayor said.

Stanton’s biggest challenge in the coming year will be to maintain and expand its financial stability, Verellen said.

Revenues from ongoing redevelopment projects make up the bulk of the money that will pay for the new $3-million civic center and a $17.75-million high-rise seniors housing complex, both of which are scheduled to be built during the new year, Verellen said.

The civic center project, to be located at the former City Hall site on Katella Avenue west of Beach Boulevard, is planned as a multi-use complex to include a new City Hall, community recreation centers and county government offices.

The seniors facility, the city’s first such major seniors housing project, will be a 325-unit building on Katella Avenue near Beach Boulevard to help serve Stanton’s growing seniors population.

Verellen said the major sites targeted by the City Council for redevelopment include Stanton Plaza, a former shopping center on Beach Boulevard near Orangewood Avenue. Another goal is to attract a solid developer to build on the site of the Pick-Your-Part auto salvage yard on Beach south of Ball Road. The salvage yard’s conditional-use permit expired in 1989.

The other major facet of the city’s revival drive, Verellen said, will be its joint effort with the Chamber of Commerce to reverse the dismal commercial vacancy rate citywide. With the gradually mounting clout of the chamber, he said, he hopes that the city can move away from its industry-dominated image and better emphasize a broad commercial base by attracting more businesses of varying sizes to the city.