Santa Clarita / Antelope Valley : Newhall Looks Back to Its Future : Business: Wish list to revitalize downtown emphasizes community’s Western heritage and transit changes, including Metrolink rail station.

Residents are calling for a mix of old and new to revitalize east Newhall, which once served as the valley’s center for retail businesses.

Interviews of merchants, residents, senior citizens, city staffers and local historical society members this month reveal a wish list that focuses on late-1800s heritage and late-1900s technology.

Participants want to emphasize Newhall’s Western history and slow the pace for potential consumers by increasing parking and possibly reducing traffic through downtown’s primary thoroughfare, according to comments gathered by the consulting firm of Jeff Oberdorfer and Associates. A Western theme would build upon the William S. Hart Park and annual Walk of Western Stars event.

Those who live, work and support downtown Newhall also want face lifts for stores and a Metrolink commuter rail station in the community, an addition to the station in Saugus.

Newhall was established in 1876 and is considered the first permanent settlement in the Santa Clarita Valley, according to local historian Jerry Reynolds.

The community grew up around a railroad depot and was the business and social center with its shops, public service buildings, Wells Fargo office and a hotel. It remained the Santa Clarita Valley’s leading community until the 1960s when Valencia and Canyon Country began drawing companies away from downtown--a trend that continued with the opening of the Valencia Town Center mall in September.

“The surprise is how much consensus there is in the direction of restoring Newhall and the desire to (resurrect) downtown despite the success of satellite shopping areas,” said Jeff Oberdorfer, urban planning consultant.

Santa Clarita hired Oberdorfer’s firm for $35,000 to develop a process to guide the resurrection of downtown Newhall, the latest in a series of efforts to attract businesses and consumers back into the area. During the 1980s, Los Angeles County installed sidewalks, park benches and trees in the community while offering low-interest loans for downtown firms to make storefront improvements.

The current wish list may offset actions in the 1960s when merchants and residents began looking outside Newhall.

“In order to attract the businesses (downtown), they knocked down the Western buildings to put in concrete, glass and steel. I think they actually did more harm. Now they’re taking away glass and steel to have Western buildings,” Reynolds said.

There has been no discussion of how Santa Clarita will fund the revitalization or how much money will be committed, according to Mayor Jan Heidt. City officials are waiting to see what various interest groups want for the community.

“It’s important to hear what the community wants for itself,” Heidt said.

A community workshop will be held to gather public input on the revitalization efforts. Oberdorfer said he hopes to have the meeting conducted before his Sept. 29 presentation of a preliminary report to the City Council.