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View Winners → The Derby Arcadia – What’s Next?
Arcadia Weekly Aug 13, 2020
The Derby. - Photo by Terry Miller / Beacon Media News
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Last week we wrote about the proposed moving of 99-year-old The Derby restaurant in Arcadia to allow a mixed-use development on the very lot where the restaurant now rests.
The nextsteps are for the developer (of The Derby project) to submit an actualapplication for the zone change, designs, and other entitlements they areseeking, according to Arcadia City Manager Dominic Lazzaretto. “Part of thatsubmittal package will include environmental reviews, parking studies, trafficstudies, and other technical reports that will enable everyone to fullyunderstand the proposal. Part of that environmental assessment will be ahistoric resources review. Relocating a building is a common and accepted meansof preserving a historic resource such as The Derby,” Lazaretto said.
Thesignificant project will require robust planning and may take years, ifapproved. However, local historians and some community members are crying foulas it appears that part of Arcadia’s history may be threatened to be wiped outby bulldozers, much like the Anoakia 50-room mansion/estate in 1999. Anoakiawas the historic home of Lucky Baldwin’s daughter and was razed in 1999 after acouncil decision, despite considerable public outcry and offers to preservethat landmark.
Although theproject does not call for the demise of The Derby, speculation is high thatthis could happen, especially as the restaurant industry has been hit so hardby the coronavirus.
George Woolfbought The Derby in 1938, originally named the Proctor Tavern when it operatedin 1922. Its proximity to the racetrack attracted horse owners and horsebetters alike. In 1931, it moved to its present location at 233 E. HuntingtonDrive. It was here that Woolf became co-owner in 1938 with his partner BillPeterson.
In 1946,Woolf was fatally injured when he was thrown from his mount “PleaseMe” during the running of the fourth race at Santa Anita Park on Jan. 3,1946. Bronze statues of Woolf and Seabiscuit remain at Santa Anita today.
ArcadiaWeekly will follow this story closely and report any major developments as theycome to light. As always, we welcome community input on this and any otherissues facing the city.
