Fullerton : Victorian House Gets New Lease on Life

The City Council, acting as the city’s Redevelopment Agency, has given developer Matthew Beard the go-ahead to turn a two-story Victorian house into a 10-unit affordable-apartment complex in an effort to save the old house from demolition.

The structure, known as the Grimshaw House, is at 220 Commonwealth Ave. City officials said the house would have been destroyed had it not been for Beard’s proposal because other developers are clearing the area to build a 187-unit residential hotel.

Now the Grimshaw House will be moved to Amerige Avenue.

Beard agreed to buy the house from the agency for $1. He also will be given a $377,000 loan from the agency to convert the house into the apartment complex to be rented to low-income people.