Lake Elsinore to purchase key parcel

By: AARON CLAVERIE - Staff Writer
City buying prime piece of property near lake that could become site of civic center | Friday, February 8, 2008 10:24 PM PST ∞

LAKE ELSINORE ---- This city's Redevelopment Agency is close to buying 7 acres of land that could breathe life back into the redevelopment of the city's downtown, city officials said.

The agency is expected to approve spending $4.1 million to buy the acreage, a triangular wedge made up of four parcels located near Warm Springs Park, during Tuesday's agency meeting. That meeting will immediately follow the regularly scheduled council meeting, which starts at 7 p.m.

City Councilman Thomas Buckley, chairman of the agency, said the acreage, owned by TSG Waterview of Irvine, is a crucial piece of whatever the city does in the downtown area in the future.

If the city decides to move forward with a shelved plan to build a multimillion dollar civic center, the center could be built on that land, Buckley said, pointing out that it is big enough for two of the designs unveiled last year.

The city pulled the plug in November on plans to build a $90 million civic center due to economic uncertainty, general discontent with the designs produced during a design contest and a preference for a comprehensive downtown redevelopment plan.

The civic center idea, still percolating on the city's backburner, would have combined a post office, city offices and more under one roof.

Some members of the downtown merchants association are in favor of building it near the center of the city's Main Street, near the cultural center, while some residents prefer building it closer to the lakefront.

No matter what the city does with the land, Buckley said the timing is ideal.

"Comparing the original price to the price we're paying now; it came down," he said.

Taking into consideration falling construction costs and the generally slumping economy, Buckley said it's a great time for the city to stockpile land that could be used for future civic projects, including, but not limited to, a civic center.

"The RDA is actively pursuing property in the downtown area," he said.

Ruth Atkins, a member of the city's downtown merchants association and president of the historical society, said Friday that she hoped the agency continues to buy property near the lake.

Speaking about the 7-acre parcel the council will consider buying Tuesday, she said it could become a nice extension of the city park.

If the city decides to move forward with a civic center there, she said, she could support that location if they select a design that takes the city's rich history into account.

Some of the designs produced during a recent design contest were "outrageous" and "modernistic," she said.

"They were out of character for this town. People say there's no style to Main Street, but there is style on Main Street. Some of those buildings have been there for more than 120 years," Atkins said.

Contact Aaron Claverie at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2624, or e-mail aclaverie@californian.com.