Good Start for Art Center

It is hard to keep a good idea down, and so construction problems delayed but could not derail the ambitious renovation of the 75-year-old Grand Central Building in downtown Santa Ana. Last weekend, the new Grand Central Art Center, a key component of a colony of urban artists in central Orange County, drew hundreds of visitors to the opening.

There’s a lot that still has to happen to make this project at a once-abandoned urban site a real success story. But, the delays notwithstanding, it’s off to an auspicious start.

Cal State Fullerton and Santa Ana deserve credit for recognizing the importance of a cooperative venture and going forward with their joint undertaking. The $7.2-million complex of classrooms, art galleries and studios at Broadway and 1st streets combines the visions of both the city and the academic world. For the city, there is the promise of urban renewal. For the university, it’s an opportunity to open a satellite campus that brings education directly into the community. Already, the town-and-gown collaboration has prompted an ad agency to locate nearby in order to be close to the university’s graphic design students.

The center is to be the cornerstone of the nine-block Artists Village, home to roughly 50 artists’ galleries and studios, theater troupes and a folk music and dance ensemble. Santa Ana is also the site of the new Ronald Reagan Federal Building, the Bowers Museum of Cultural Art and the Discovery Science Center. The opening is a milestone, creating another important downtown destination.