LA HABRA : Community Center Construction Nears

Construction crews will begin building La Habra’s Community Center before Christmas, with completion anticipated within a year.

The $2-million project, which has drawn the fire of preservationists, has been in the works for more than 10 years.

To make room for the new community center, which will be built in the city’s Civic Center West, 12 buildings had to be razed, including one in which former President Richard Nixon practiced law, the old Wester Hotel and the city’s first two-story brick business building.

Preservationists fought to keep those buildings, which date from the late 1910s and were considered historical landmarks.

“We had looked at restoring the buildings, but it wasn’t economically feasible,” City Manager Lee Risner said last week after groundbreaking ceremonies at the northwest corner of La Habra Boulevard and Euclid Street. The ceremony was attended by about 70 city officials and residents.

City Council members last week awarded Javaid Contractors Inc. the construction project on a unanimous vote.

The new center will house the Community Services Department, a senior citizens hall, meeting rooms for service organizations and banquet areas for parties and wedding receptions, said Gregory J. Kind, director of community services. It is designed for future expansion.

Officials said it will fill a large need.

“It’s going to be great,” Mayor William D. Mahoney said.

“It’ll fill up before it even opens,” Risner said.

“Every community hopes to have a facility like this,” Kind said. “You’ll be able to one-stop shop, so to speak. Right now, services are scattered all over the city.”

Esther Hansel and Helen Mangini took a break from a city-sponsored art class at the current community services facility across from City Hall to attend Wednesday’s groundbreaking ceremonies.

“It’s going to be terrific,” said Hansel, of Anaheim. “There will be more room for classes and more parking.”

Mark Handler of La Habra agreed. The new center “is a progressive move for the city. It’s long overdue,” he said.

Once the center opens, Risner said, he expects people to fill the 18,500-square-foot facility every day.

Although the center will replace several historic structures, it will not ignore the past. It will have space for use by the Historical Society.

“We do want to preserve the history of this community with old pictures and archives,” Risner said.