Realtors hope to resurrect stalled project in Ontario

Bloomberg

Developers are in preliminary discussions to re-stoke urban development on vacant land west of the Piemonte at Ontario Center shopping center.
The area — north of Citizens Business Bank Arena and south of Fourth Street in Ontario — had been planned as a 24-hour hub of activity filled with residents who would be drawn to the restaurant and bar scene as well as sports and entertainment opportunities from nearby Citizens Business Bank Arena.
Further development in the area is expected to help bolster further economic activity surrounding exiting homes, retailers and the arena, said John Andrews, economic development director for the city of Ontario.
“You’ve got Ontario Mills nearby. You’ve got a bulk of class A office spaces in this area. It’s not far from the airport and many of the hotels. This would be very much a draw in the region, not only for places to live, but a mixed-use environment, attractive for people to live and work or visit for that matter.”
Long-standing city plans for the 44 acres of undeveloped land called for a mix of homes and shops, restaurants and office space, all within walking distance.
“The development at Piemonte will create more entertainment and recreational opportunities for our residents and visitors with easy, pedestrian friendly access to the Citizen’s Business Bank Arena as another walkable community in Ontario,” said Mayor pro Tem Debra Dorst-Porada.
Completion of the planned development, according to Ontario Councilman Alan Wapner in a statement, would create “a linkage to other community assets, such as the Ontario Convention Center and Citizens Business Bank Arena to develop an entertainment hub in support of events in those facilities.”
Infrastructure, such as streets and street lamps, had been put in place in the last decade, but the economic downturn of the late 2000s halted further development.
“It’s fair to say the economic downtown had an impact on implementing that project, and so we’re now at a very promising stage in the (development) discussions, I would say,” said John Andrews, economic development director for the city of Ontario.
The city has been in talks with the developers, with a potential for an announcement in the coming months, officials said. Development-related applications with the city have not yet been filed so far, Andrews said. Officials could not yet announce the names of the developers, with discussions ongoing.
“These are all very preliminary discussions at this point and those discussions are all focused on implementing the mayor and City Council’s vision for that area, which is a mix of housing, entertainment and commercial restaurant uses that would compliment the arena,” Andrews said.
The exact amount and mix of housing units and retail has yet to be determined, Andrews said.
“We’re discussing all of those things,” Andrews said. “The branding of the project and the kind of the mixed use. All of those things are being discussed.”
Bringing the vision for the area to reality would be of great benefit to the surrounding economy, said Brad Umanksy, local real estate expert and president of the Rancho Cucamonga-based real estate brokerage firm Progressive Real Estate Partners.
“I think that the addition of more multifamily (housing) and the (recently approved) development of the Empire Lakes project, this should be an opportunity for some additional retail along the Fourth Street corridor,” Umansky said. “Any development in my opinion, if it’s occupied by users, is positive development. We need residents to serve retail. Offices to create jobs. This will be good when it’s developed.”