claremont living 2014

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A closer look at all Claremont has to offer.A closer look at all Claremont has to offer.

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CLAREMONT LIVING/2014 5

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What’s in a name? by Kathryn Dunn

The story behind the names of parks and community centers.

Home is where the heart is by Beth Hartnett

Many Claremont homes are steeped in history.

Building a bigger Claremont by Ryan Zimmerman

Claremont is booming with new housing developments.

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A school for every family by Sarah Torribio

The city of trees and PhDs offers a variety of educational options.

Going green increases a home’s valueby Carlos Samuelson

When we represent clients in the sale of their home,they will often ask, “What improvements do yourecommend to increase the value and the desir-

ability of the home?” In the past, my answer would have been upgrades to the

kitchen or bathroom. Today, we recommend improvementswith cost-effective energy-efficiency measures.

Green energy efficiency upgrades are playing a majorfactor in home pricing. Green-labeled homes sell at higherprices and can add as much as a nine percent* price premi-um based on the upgrades.

Getting an energy assessment before putting your home onthe market is the first step. The purpose of the assessment isto understand how the whole house works as a system andthen pinpoint where energy use can be improved and comfortcan be enhanced, thus eliminating wasted energy while sav-ing money. Local companies, such as Home PerformanceMatters, can perform this energy audit for under $500.

It’s important to not assume that recommendations forenergy upgrades will be costly. The greatest percentage ofenergy saving may arise from some of the most affordableupgrades, such as reducing air leaks and insulating waterheaters, pipes and ducts.

Some simple items that you can start on today are installinga tankless water heater, LED and solar lighting, weatherstripping and digital thermostats. To reduce water usage,homeowners can install low-flow toilets, shower heads andfaucets, as well as include drought-tolerant landscaping in thegarden. All of these should be considered prior to installingsolar panels, which can initially be more costly.

There are many resources that can help homeowners withrebates, incentives, special finances and tax credits. EnergyUpgrade California offers resources and rebates to helphomeowners make their house more energy-efficient andmore comfortable. It’s an alliance of the state of California,local utilities and local cities and counties. For more infor-mation, visit energyupgradeca.org. Southern CaliforniaEdison and Southern California Gas Company also offerattractive rebates to homeowners.

For homebuyers, “green” is fast becoming a priority—whether it's to reduce energy costs, minimize carbon foot-prints or to improve overall indoor air quality. Why notupgrade your home with what buyers are looking for andincrease the value at the same time?[Editor’s note: Carlos Samuelson is a realtor with Century 21 PrestigeProperties and a Certified Green Real Estate Professional. —KD] *TheValue of Green Labels in the California Market (July 2012) Nils Kok,University of California, Berkeley; Matthew E. Kahn, University ofCalifornia, Los Angeles.

RYAN RZIMMERMANRZ

Perfectly uniting exceptional properties with the buyers who will cherish them.Ryan is a Claremont native; residing in the city for over 28 years, and is extremely rooted andknowledgeable about his community and local neighborhoods. Let Ryan use his knowledge of the area to help guide you to the perfect home. Ryan was awarded Claremont Businessperson of the Year 2012-2013 by the Claremont Chamber of Commerce and he compiles the COURIER’smonthly Real Estate Snapshot. Check it out to keep current on Claremont’s housing market.

Broker Associate, ABR, GRI, SRES, e-Pro. DRE# 01801354.

www.Facebook.com/ClaremontRealEstatewww.RRZimmerman.com

Wheeler Steffen

Sotheby’s INTERNATIONAL REALTY

[email protected]


Tom and Marie Playfordhave found the comfortsof the present in one of

the gems of Claremont’s past. In fact, the Playfords have spent a

significant amount of time engagingwith the history of their homes. Thecouple made their first home in a cozyold colonial in the suburbs of Snyder,New York. They later found themselvesimmersed in the rich culture ofAlexandria, Virginia, where they livedin an 18th-century home erected whenthe town served as a place of respite forconstruction crews building thenation’s capitol.

Claremont’s East Coast charm andold-town feel quickly drew thePlayfords in when a career changecalled them to the West Coast in 2000.

“The town really stuck in my mind.The houses were all different—therewasn’t that cookie-cutter look like yousee with developments. It was a realcity,” Ms. Playford said.

They thought their days of restoringhistoric homes was a thing of the pastand were looking for the convenienceof a modern abode when they stumbledupon a spacious Spanish ColonialRevival, nestled in the heart of theClaremont Village on Harvard Avenue.They found themselves falling in lovewith history all over again.

“We knew this house had greatbones,” Mr. Playford said. “It just need-ed some new skin.”

Built in 1927, the “Padelford House”has fallen into prominent hands overthe years, beginning with the originalowner Louise Padelford, a renownedsouthern California activist. The homewas later handed over to ScrippsCollege before being returned to thereal estate market. Despite the changeof ownership, the integrity of thehome’s 12 rooms remains relativelyunchanged, including the original fire-place design, wood beams and built-inshelving.

The exterior of the house features atextured stucco surface and a red tileroof, while an array of windows helpsblend the outdoors and indoors of thisoversized 12,000-foot lot. The 3,100-square-foot home also boasts adetached 500-plus-square-foot guesthouse, perfect for an office space.

While the house was idyllic, theamount of work needed to bring it backto its former glory was less so. Despitetheir original resolve not to involvethemselves in another home restora-tion, the Playfords were determined tohone their dream home. Fortunately,with two historic home renovationsunder their belts, they were accustomedto the workload. The DIY instinctkicked in the moment they saw thefront room, with overhead beams andenough room to fit a small army.

“You could play basketball in there,”Mr. Playford joked.

A gem of Claremont’s past: Spanish architecture

COURIER photos/Steven FelschundneffThe Playfords' extensive renovation of the grounds at their Harvard Avenue home included the removal of a giant palmin favor of a small lawn area as well as the extensive use of drought-tolerant plants. The home, located in the heart ofthe Claremont Village, features a detached 500-plus-square-foot guest house and a pool.

The pool area is the focal point of the Playfords' Spanish Colonial Revivalhome in Claremont. The back yard features gathering areas that are largeenough for 100-person parties. The homeʼs array of windows helps blend theoutdoors and indoors on this 12,000-square-foot lot.

Many of the home's rooms retaintheir original charm, while thekitchen and bathrooms have allbeen updated.

SPANISH ARCHITECTUREcontinues on the next page


With their initial notion of mod-ern convenience all but gone,the Playfords spent the next

three years making their SpanishColonial Revival as remarkable as its“good bones” had indicated it could be.

White paint was sandblasted off the original wood-en beams in the front room to match the woodwork inthe library/den. The front and back yards were com-pletely gutted and given a courtyard feel consistentwith the home’s style.

Original wrought-iron light fixtures are now inplace across the expanse of the home, with twoimpressive chandeliers greeting guests upon entry.One of the most striking pieces, a floor-to-ceilingstained glass window created by artist Jane Marquis,glitters with the light on the east wall of the home’sdining area.

“It really makes the room,” Ms. Playford com-mented.

The Playfords haven't forgotten to add their owntouches. The family room wall is embellished with ahand-painted mural designed by artist Marc Traudes.A four-vehicle carport out back has allowed the cou-ple to convert their garage into a roomy storage andlaundry facility.

Meanwhile, the kitchen was redesigned with newlighting, hardwood floors, black granite countertopsand stainless steel appliances.

The home is also a treasure trove of small details.There is a built-in bookshelf, now used as a chinacabinet, in a narrow passageway leading to Mr.Playford's den, as well as a series of additional nookslined with colorful pieces of tile.

While the indoor provides its share of delights, it’sthe outdoors where Mr. Playford most enjoys spend-ing time.

With a pool, flowing fountain, built-in granite-topbarbecue and plenty of sitting space (and sunshine),it’s a constant reminder to Mr. Playford of the joys ofliving in southern California.

“It’s so peaceful and tranquil,” Mr. Playford said.“Like a friend of ours called it, it’s an ‘oasis in theheart of town.’”

—Beth [email protected]

Tom and Marie Playford have extensively remodeled their 1927 Spanish Colonial Revival Home on Harvard Avenue in Claremont. The couple has lived inthe home, which needed considerable updating when it was purchased, for 15 years. The renovation took several years and included most of the home'srooms as well as the yards.

The family room at the Playfords ̓ Spanish-stylehome includes exposed beam ceilings and a viewof the pool area. The Claremont Village homeretains many of its historical features.

SPANISH ARCHITECTUREcontinued from the previous page

Prospective buyers oftencontact me looking topurchase a home in the

“area.” Sometimes, they arelooking over a span of citiesalong the foothills but, moreoften than not, they arelooking for a home inClaremont—only Claremont.As a lifelong resident, it’s nosurprise to me that Claremontcommands such a demand.

The city is beauti-ful, the amenitiesare bountiful, thefeel is charming andthe real estate mar-ket…is booming.

Home values in Claremont havebraved many different market cycles, butthe City of Trees always seems to comeout on top. In 2007 and 2008, when thereal estate market began its descent,Claremont certainly saw home valuesslipping. Average sales prices in

Claremont dropped roughly 21 percentfrom $645,000 to $507,000 over thecourse of the declining market from thepeak in 2006 to the trough in 2011. Whilethat sounds like Claremont took a hardhit, the city, in fact, held its value signifi-cantly better than our neighbors to theeast, which saw decreases in value ashigh as 38.5 percent. Those numbersonly grew worse, as much as 50 to 60percent, the further east one would traveltoward the desert communities.

Fast forward to 2014, and someClaremont home values are close to fullrecovery, nearly returning to pre-crashlevels based on average sale prices city-wide. A change in the winds for realestate occurred again in Claremont in2014, as many new housing develop-ments are moving forward, marking theonly new development in Claremontsince Village Walk and Stone Canyonbroke ground a decade ago.

There are a total of eight new develop-ments, several of which are already underconstruction with initial phases complet-ed. Citrus Glen, a 50-unit townhomedevelopment on the corner of Base LineRoad and Monte Vista, has several unitscompleted that are beginning to be sold.Serrano is a development of 93 small, sin-gle-family detached condos and is locat-ed on the southeast corner of Base LineRoad and Mountain Avenue. The old

How current real estate development will impact thefuture of Claremont’s market


OFFICE: (909) 624-8165FAX: (909) 575-3650

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Ellie GoritzREAL ESTATE BROKER Lic. #00466987

2261 Marietta AvenueClaremont, CA 91711

by Ryan Zimmerman

REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENTcontinues on the next page

Residence model one at the CitrusGlen by Taylor Morrison includes asmall porch in front of the unit. Thismodel measures at 1380 square feet,is two-stories, three bedrooms, twoand a half baths with a two-car garage.The master bedroom in model resi-dence two at Citrus Glen includes awalk-in closet and attached bathroom.

Johnson Barns property on the south side of Base LineRoad has been approved for a 60-unit townhomedevelopment. Construction has yet to begin at this site.

Another proposed development, to be built on thesoutheast corner of Base Line Road and TowneAvenue, is tentatively going to carry 95 townhomeson the site. Many longtime Claremont residents haveexpressed mixed feelings on the development, as forseveral decades it has been Claremont’s local straw-berry patch and has become somewhat of aClaremont landmark.

Heading south to the Village, the next approveddevelopment will be at the former Rich’s Products siteon the south side of West First Street. This project willinclude retail and live-work spaces on the first floor,and 74 apartment units on the upper three floors.

The Old School House is in the midst of finalizingtheir plans to develop several new housing projects,which will include the rebuilding of the old hotelstructure into new condominiums. Construction hasalso begun on a 21-unit condominium developmenton the southwest corner of Vista Drive and IndianHill Boulevard. And, lastly, a 13-unit development

is being proposed for the north side of San JoseAvenue, east of Indian Hill.

New developments have been long overdue inClaremont, though there is some concern surroundingthe volume happening within such a short period oftime. From a real estate market perspective, so muchnew development could, in fact, “flood the market”with too much like-for-like multi-level inventory hit-ting too quickly. All of the developments moving for-ward are two- to three-story condos with no single-level units, and no downstairs bedrooms with fullbathrooms, despite the high demand for such a prod-uct. This may have an adverse effect on the propertyvalues of condominiums and small single-family

homes throughout the city but, if buyer demand cancontinue to be as strong as it currently is and the avail-able inventory remains low, Claremont may make itthrough this development boom unscathed.

Only time will tell what impact all the new devel-opment will have on the overall local marketplacebut, one thing is for certain, Claremont is a resilientcity and will continue to be one of the most desirableplaces to live within southern California. [Editor’s note: Ryan Zimmerman is a Claremont native, havingresided in Claremont for more than 28 years. Mr. Zimmermanattended Claremont High School and then moved on to Cal PolyPomona, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in finance, realestate and law. He currently works for Wheeler-SteffenSotheby’s as a full-time real estate broker. —KD]


REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENTcontinued from the previous page

COURIER photos/Peter WeinbergerCitrus Glen sales agent John Laughlin, center, talks with customers Vanessa and Matthew Mauch of Claremont before they walk through the two modelhomes located on Base Line Road at Padua Avenue. The condos, built by Taylor Morrison, sell for between $400,000 to $500,000.

Three models are available to view at the Serranodevelopment. The master bedroom in the 2000-square-foot model features an attached bathroom.

The Serrano development by DR Horton is located at the corner of Base Line Road and Mountain Avenue inClaremont. There are now three models for homebuyers to see, ranging in size from 1685 to 2000 square feet.All units are three bedrooms and two and a half baths, but have a variety of options to upgrade. The kitchen,family and living rooms are all one open area in the middle-sized model, coming in at 1781 square feet.


Mallows Park

Our city’s oldest and smallest community parkopened in 1926. The little park with the tennis court onIndian Hill Boulevard and Harrison Avenue wasnamed for the Reverend JH Mallows, a retired minis-ter who lived to 100 years old and lived nearby. Thepark was improved during the 1930s by the WorkProjects Administration (WPA) to include a restroom,racquet court and picnic area.

Wheeler Park

Stuart Wheeler, a Claremont city councilman from1930 to 1954, met his future wife in kindergarten atSycamore School, just as his father and mother hadmet at the Village School nearly 30 years before. Theextended Wheeler family has had a love affair withClaremont dating back more than 100 years.

Mr. Wheeler’s father, Frank Wheeler, was bestknown for his work in real estate and with the FoothillBoulevard Association in its effort to connect the por-tion of Foothill in Claremont with the rest of the high-way. Stuart’s son, Roger Wheeler, founded WheelerSteffen Real Estate in 1960 along with ClaremonterArt Steffen.

Stuart graduated from Claremont High School in1915, followed by two years at Pomona College. Hemoved to Jerome, Arizona for a few years, staying justlong enough to earn enough money to marry. Oncefinancially flush, Stuart returned to Claremont to pur-sue work as a citrus grower until the threat of citydevelopment thrust him into politics. In an effort toconnect the small citrus town to neighboring cities, itwas suggested by city leaders that Arrow Highway bebuilt through the middle of his citrus grove. Stuartwouldn’t have it and, after a successful run for city

council in 1930, he thwarted the effort. Stuart’s grand-son, Paul Wheeler, a local architect, recalls stories ofhis grandfather’s remarkable political ventures.

“He was able to get Arrow re-routed,” Paulexplained. “That’s why it jumps south between ArrowRoute and Arrow Highway.”

This first success would result in a 25-year seat onthe Claremont City Council. Stuart’s involvement incity development led to the practice of building cityparks next to schools. Over his career, Stuart owned ormanaged more than 100 acres of groves in town andalso dabbled in silver dusting.

After Stuart’s retirement to Mt. San AntonioGardens, he traveled to more than 60 countries, tak-ing photographs and gathering the histories of thecountries he visited, only to return to Claremont toshare his travel adventures with local elementaryschool children.

Wheeler Park opened in 1957 and is located at 626Vista Dr.

Griffith Park

Jack Andrew Griffith was still on active duty withthe Marines when he and his family moved toClaremont. In 1959, Mr. Griffith signed on as cityparks supervisor, the same year his wife began her 19-year association with the Red Cross as executivedirector. With a love of the outdoors as inspiration, Mr.Griffith was known for his success in securing fundsto improve Claremont parks when city budgets werestrained—an endeavor he continued with the city untilhis death in 1970. Griffith Park opened in 1961 and islocated just east of Sumner Elementary School.

Larkin Park

Once called a modern-day Ben Franklin, theReverend Ralph Larkin had been a minister, mission-ary, astronomer, teacher, lecturer and author. Accordingto an article published in the COURIER in 1958, Mr.Larkin’s ventures included conducting weekly classesin science and working as a missionary for three yearsin Asiatic Turkey. The Larkins returned from Turkeyafter his wife and one-month-old son were taken ill.Both died shortly after returning to the US. Mr. Larkin,who lived on Berkeley Avenue for many years, movedto Pilgrim Place in 1927 to care for his mother. Afterher death in 1934, he traveled for several years, lectur-ing throughout the United States. Upon his return, Mr.Larkin taught regular Saturday evening science class-es to local junior high and high school students. Hishome was said to have been loaded with charts,experiments, diagrams and even an old printing press.He kept a radium microscope and telescope just out-side his home so local kids could come and view the

What’s in a name? The stories behind our parks and buildings

Mallows Park

WHATʼS IN A NAMEcontinues on the next page


stars. He remained at Pilgrim Place from his retire-ment at age 70 until his death in July of 1958.

Larkin Park, which is located just north of theJoslyn Senior Center on Mountain Avenue, wasopened in 1962.

Blaisdell ParkJames Arnold Blaisdell was summoned from Beloit,

Wisconsin in 1910 to help revive Pomona College,which was in the midst of a financial crisis. Known forhis exceptional fundraising skills and education phi-losophy, he was able to rejuvenate the college, leadingthe formation of “The Group Plan” that eventuallybecame The Claremont Colleges. The aim of theGroup Plan was to maintain a cluster of undergraduatecolleges of limited enrollment, thereby creating theintimate, liberal arts environment we know today. Mr.Blaisdell and his wife were also active in the forma-tion of the Padua Hills Theatre and owned 72 acres innorth Claremont, now called Blaisdell Ranch. Mr.Blaisdell served as president of Pomona College from1910 to 1927 and is the only college president to havea park named after him. Blaisdell Park was dedicatedin 1964 and is located on the east side of CollegeAvenue, south of Arrow Highway.

Lewis ParkRalph and Goldy Lewis of housing development

fame have their contributions honored with LewisPark. Mr. Lewis, as noted in the COURIER in 1958,began in the building and development field in 1956.Mr. Lewis partnered with Robert Olin to create theClaremont Highlands and the Claremont Cinderellahousing developments. At the time, a three-bedroom,two-bath home in the Cinderella tract located atArrow Highway and Indian Hill Boulevard sold for$16,750. Considered by many to be a visionary, Mr.Lewis felt the area between Foothill Boulevard andBase Line Road provided a location that “couldsomeday be solidly residential.” Turned off by the“gingerbread-style” homes of the 1950s, Mr. Lewispredicted that these homes would soon be replacedwith “cleaner, less frilly lines.” His plan to build innorth Claremont—then considered the area betweenIndian Hill Boulevard and Towne Avenue, just northof Foothill—came to fruition after he and a new busi-ness partner, John Lusk, set out to build a subdivisioncomprised of more than 180 homes in the ConditSchool neighborhood. Lewis Park was opened in1966 on a site donated by the builder.

Higginbotham ParkClaremont’s earliest city planners would find great

satisfaction in our City of Trees. Claremont hosts 23parks in all, each designed with imagination and anattention to nature. One city park, located west ofIndian Hill Boulevard on Mt. Carmel, was named forthe city’s first director of parks and recreation, JamesP. Higginbotham.

Mr. Higginbotham worked for the city ofClaremont from 1959 to 1973, with 10 of our parksopening during his tenure. He was a pioneer in devel-oping fee-sponsored recreational activities inCalifornia. Mr. Higginbotham was described as aninnovative thinker with the ability to foresee a city’sfuture parks and rec needs and to plan accordingly.Credit is given to Mr. Higginbotham for his planningand creation of Claremont’s now expansive activityschedule. The park was opened in 1976.

Jaeger ParkChester G. “Chet” Jaeger was known for his out-

going personality, generosity and, as lovinglydescribed in Pomona College’s publication PomonaToday, “His songs, his music, his verse, the limer-icks and, Lord, those awful puns!” A mathematicsprofessor with a remarkable ability to make courseseasy to follow and fun to attend, Mr. Jaeger madesure his home was a place where students couldfreely stop by for visits. He was Pomona’s mathe-matics chairman from his arrival in 1931 to hisretirement in 1961, after which he joined the facultyof Claremont’s Men’s college for six years. Mr.Jaeger balanced academic and civic life well, serv-ing as Claremont’s mayor and city councilman from1950 to 1968.

Mr. Jaeger earned his doctoral degree from theUniversity of Missouri and stayed on as a professorfor seven years as well as teaching courses at TulaneUniversity. He had served as an artillery officer inFrance during World War I and, during World WarII, was chairman for courses in mathematics for anArmy Air Force program offered at PomonaCollege. After the war, he taught at an AmericanMilitary University in Italy. His son, local jazz musi-cian Chet Jaeger, was also a mathematics instructor.

Jaeger Park is located in north Claremont, west ofMills Avenue and north of Miramar Avenue. Thepark was open in 1978 and was said to be one of Mr.Jaeger’s greatest honors.

Vail ParkClaremont has just one park named for a woman,

June Vail. Known primarily for her work with the GirlScouts, Ms. Vail received the park dedication in 1978.However, the unveiling didn’t occur until 1983. Inaddition to her involvement with the Girl Scouts, Ms.Vail taught botany and biology at Mt. San AntonioCollege and had previously been enlisted in the USNavy. Her association with Girl Scouts spanned 17years, most of which were spent attending to SeniorTroop 111. Vail Park is located on Grand Avenue,north of Base Line Road.

Shelton ParkFormer Pomona College President David Alexander

once wrote, “The life of Leonard ‘Agee’ Shelton is, likethat of all persons of noble character, much more thanthe sum of its parts.” Home to the John Fischer sculp-ture, the little grass park in the Village was named inhonor of the former Pomona College trustee and long-time Claremont resident. Mr. Shelton was a foundingpartner at the law firm of Allard, Shelton and O’Conner

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in Pomona and worked as an attorney until his retirementin 1993. During his career, he had served as city attorneyfor Claremont, Pomona and Glendora.

Mr. Shelton spent most of his life in the area, attendingschool in Glendora and then earning his bachelor’s degreefrom Pomona College in 1932. He stayed on at Pomonaas a board of trustee member from 1956 to 1981, as gen-eral counsel and secretary to the board from 1981 to 1991and as an honorary trustee until his death in 1994. He wasawarded an honorary law degree from Pomona in 1981.

Mr. Shelton was an avid birdwatcher and conserva-tionist, serving for many years on the National Boardof the Audubon Society and on the board of directorsof the International Crane Foundation.

Shelton Park, located on the corner of Harvard andBonita avenues, was opened in 1997.

Memorial Park, Garner HouseHerman and Bess Garner were active Claremont

residents from 1925 until the early 1950s. In the mid-1920s, the Garners purchased an orange grove withan adobe-style home situated on the property wherethey could raise their three sons. With dreams of con-structing a park on this centrally-located property, thecity of Claremont offered to purchase the land in1946. Partway through settling their assets due todivorce, the Garners agreed to sell. Mr. Garner oper-ated the manufacturing business Vortex on Indian HillBoulevard for many years.

The city’s human services department was settled inGarner House until 2002 when Claremont Heritagemoved in. Memorial Park and the Garner House arenow home to Monday night concerts in the park, theClaremont Heritage office, the Ginger Elliott ExhibitionSpace and virtually every major city celebration.

Joslyn Senior CenterAlthough he never lived in Claremont, Marcellus

L. Joslyn made a grand offer the city couldn’trefuse. Through the Joslyn Foundation, and an addi-tional donation from Robert Garrison, Claremontwas able to establish The Joslyn Senior Center in1985. The center offers services to Claremont’s eld-erly that extend from daily meal programs to tai chiand watercolor painting classes. Outside his philan-thropic efforts, Mr. Joslyn was an attorney in SantaMonica. On its opening day, January 28, 1985, theJoslyn Center provided 100 meals for older peopleand their guests. An opening celebration was heldjust a few weeks later with a parade and the releaseof homing pigeons, all under the slogan of “We didit together.”

Garrison TheaterAs the late Stephen Zetterberg described him,

“Robert Garrison was a quiet man with a great breadthof vision about what might be done with local money.”

In 1963, Robert and Catherine Garrison funded theconstruction of Garrison Theater. Mr. Garrison and Mr.Zetterberg had served together, along with an eight-member board of directors, on the Claremont MedicalResearch Foundation, an organization that providedgrants and scholarships to medical facilities for brucel-losis research. Later renamed simply The ClaremontFoundation, financial support was expanded to includeother endeavors. It was said that Mr. Garrison was thedriving force behind all of the foundation’s work. Largedonations were given to local concerns, including theJoslyn Center, which received a significant grant to com-


WHATʼS IN A NAME/continues on the next page

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1.“Carlos and Pat went above and beyond what is expected of any realtor and I ought to know since I’ve been in the business. This transaction was special in that my par-ents lived in this home for 45 years. It was an old home with a lot of character but also in need of repairs and upgrades. The list of vendors they provided me was invalu-

able and my family and I were very pleased with the results. It was also a great relief to know I could trust Carlos and Pat to handle everything and I didn’t have to drive backand forth from San Diego to Claremont.” –K. Block

2.“Carlos and Pat helped me find my house. Above all, they helped me all the way, from looking for a place to giving me recommendations to vendors after the close ofescrow. They both have great strengths and skills that make their combination the perfect team: Pat is very patient and always puts herself in your shoes when you are

hunting for a house; Carlos is very knowledgeable and meticulous about every detail from the nuts and bolts to the obscure parts of every document you sign. They are hon-est and always look out for you. I would highly recommend them to my friends.” –A. Chin

plete construction during its early expansion. After Mr.Garrison retired from the board, the group disbanded.

Garrison Theater was later expanded to include asecond stage—one for practice and one for perform-ance—after another financial gift from Mr. Garrison.

Garrison Theater is now owned by Scripps Collegeand is located at 231 E. Tenth St.

Hughes CenterFormer mayor and city councilman Alexander Hughes,

as many saw it, was the link between city government andschools in Claremont during his tenure. Opened in 2001,the Alexander Hughes Community Center offers activityrooms, an art gallery, dance and photography studios anda full catering kitchen. Most city classes are held at theHughes Center, along with the famous Padua Room,which has become home to most every civic meetingwhere more than 75 guests are expected to attend.

Mr. Hughes was an affable and friendly communityactivist on many levels. He came to Claremont in 1966as assistant principal for student activities at ClaremontHigh School. He was principal from 1968 to 1975, thenmoved to the district office as administrator for person-nel services. In 1981, he was named CUSD assistantsuperintendent for educational services, a role he filledfor eight years until he was appointed associate superin-tendent for the district. In additional to his academic life,Mr. Hughes was a member of the city’s architectural andplanning commissions, served on the city council, and asmayor until his death in 1989.

Mr. Hughes was affiliated with the ClaremontPresbyterian Church, both as a member of the board ofelders and in the church choir. He was also known tovisit classrooms and child-centered agencies dressed asSanta Claus during the holidays.

The Hughes Center, which is adjacent to Larkin Park,is located at 1700 Danbury Rd.

Taylor HallWalter P. Taylor spent many of his years as a city

councilman working to acquire parklands forClaremont. His efforts were successful and, paid inpart by a controversial bond measure in 1966, TaylorHall and Cahuilla Park were opened. Mr. Taylor was aClaremont City Councilman from 1960 to 1964.

As an early environmentalist, Mr. Taylor often criti-cized the Automobile Club of Southern California and

the All-Year Club for their emphasis on attracting newresidents to southern California. The increasing numberof residents, he argued, would tarnish life in the GoldenState. He was an advocate for Planned Parenthood andserved on the faculty of the Claremont Graduate School.

Bridges HallIt has been said the love between parent and child

compares to no other. For Mr. and Mrs. Appleton S.Bridges, this sentiment couldn’t have been more true.Their daughter Mabel, who died at a relatively youngage, had once declared that the happiest years of herlife had been spent at Pomona College. That was moti-vation enough for the Bridgeses to donate funds for theMabel Shaw Bridges Memorial Hall in 1916. Whenfirst built, Bridges Hall sat 800 people, with pew seat-ing down the center rows and parliament-style bench-es lining the walls. In 1931, the Bridges family donat-ed the organ, the same year Pomona had completed theconstruction of the neighboring Bridges Auditorium.Affectionately known as “Big” and “Little” Bridgesby locals, both buildings are used for music, theaterand other creative performances.

—Kathryn [email protected]


Hughes Center

Bridges Hall


Designed by Fred McDowell, this home was a regional winner inthe Portland Cement Association's 1964 competition for its unusu-al use of glass and cement. This iconic mid-century residence skill-fully situated on nearly three quarters of an acre, encompasses180 degree, panoramic views of the horizon through its soaring 14-foot windows. This stunning example of 60's modern architecturehas been beautifully and thoughtfully renovated, blending exquisitefinishes and topflight appliances, clean lines and powerful anglesthat have made this a one-of-a-kind home since its original cre-ation. The many features include, an artistic blend of terrazzo tile,birds eye maple cabinetry, designer fixtures and a magnificentbrass faced fireplace that centers the floor plan of this architectur-al gem. The master retreat, family and dining room, living room andkitchen along with the additional two bedrooms, take full advantageof the city light views. The generous outdoor space includes apool and magically, landscaped courtyard allowing seamlessindoor/outdoor flow for entertaining and conversation, whileenjoying the city light views from your private deck. A true clas-sic, modernist example of the integration of art and architecture.

Carol WardWard & Ward Team

909-717-2006

BRE# 00460702

Iconic Mid-Century Residence2535 N. Mountain Ave., Claremont

Nancy TelfordTop 1% In the USA! #1 in the Inland Empire/San Gabriel

Valley & awarded again for the Best Quality Service

Testimonials:I want to thank Tom and Nancy for their professionalism, ad-vise and expertise during the sale of our fathers home. Theirteam of contractors were helpful, quick and affordable withsome of the needed repairs and maintenance that the homerequired prior to the sale. Consequently, increasing the valueof the home. We choose Nancy Telford because of herknowledge of the area, reviews, and she returned our call in10 minutes when we needed a realtor. We highly recommendNancy Telford and her husband Tom for your Real EstateTeam. By the way, their extremely nice people too.

Nancy and her husband Tom were kind, friendly, savvy, ex-perienced, and they also helped us by sharing wisdom aboutthe process. Nancy is well-connected and hooked us up withall the right leads, all the right people. Even though we werebuying a modest home, she treated us like we were million-dollar customers. I would recommendher to any of my friends or family looking for a home in the area.

Very pleased with the attention we received. Tom and Nancy went above and beyond, to ensureour happiness. We are excited to start making our new house a home, and will use them againfor our next sale/purchase. We would, and will, recommend them.

Nancy is very friendly and professional and I was really happy with her services. Every step of the wayshe kept me informed about what was going on with the selling of my house and she would always an-swer any questions in a timely manner, Nancy is an incredible real estate agent, to say the least!

For more five star buyerʼs & sellers testimonials visit: www.zillow.com/profile/Nancy-Telford/Reviews/.

(909) 575-8411 • [email protected] • www.NancyTelford.com

NANCY TELFORDC-21 BEACHSIDE BRE #01191038

BROKER ASSOCIATE

“85% of my business is referrals from past satisfied clients. I take pride in giving each clientexceptional one-on-one personalized servicebased on honesty, diligence & knowledge.”

GRAND CENTURION • DETERMINED • HONEST • DEDICATED • DILIGENT

Along with being reno-wned for its trees,Claremont is known as

the City of PhDs. It is the collegetown’s excellent K-12 education,however, that prompts manyfamilies to move to the area.

The motto of the Claremont UnifiedSchool District is “Where students,learning and passion connect.” Thatcould just as well be the motto for thecity of Claremont, because this is acommunity that loves its schools. Ifyou head to the local Trader Joes,you’ll even find that each check-outlane is named after the mascot of a dif-ferent local elementary school!

Enrichment activities are alive andwell in the CUSD thanks, in part, to theClaremont Educational Foundation,which last year raised more than$200,000. Not only does the CEF helpfund art and music instruction in thelocal elementary schools, it also sup-ports technology at El RobleIntermediate School and at Claremontand San Antonio high schools. CEF(claremonteducationalfoundation.org)additionally runs a K-12 summerschool program called SLICE ofSummer, which provides an increasingamount of scholarships for students.

One of a kindWith eight elementary schools, one

intermediate school and two highschools, it’s still a relatively small dis-

trict. What the Claremont UnifiedSchool District is big on, though, ischoice, particularly at the elementaryschool level.

All of the local public schoolsadhere to state standards, but each ele-mentary school prides itself on havinga distinct flavor. Intra-district trans-fers—Claremont families choosing adifferent site over their neighborhoodschool—are not only allowed but

encouraged, allowing Claremont resi-dents the opportunity to send their childto the campus whose teaching style andethos best suits their family’s needs.

Along with homebuyers, the qualityof Claremont schools attracts a numberof families from nearby cities. Some1,250 students, more than 17 percent ofthe entire CUSD student body, attendedClaremont schools as a result of inter-district transfers in the 2011 school year.

The percentage of inter-districttransfers is largest at Vista del Valle andOakmont schools. Conversely, SycamoreSchool hosts the least amount of inter-dis-trict transfers, largely because it is such acoveted destination for district students.

There has long been an impressionamong some Claremonters that the localTitle 1 schools—Mountain View,Oakmont and Vista del Valle—are lessdesirable sites. In fact, Claremont’s Title1 schools, which receive federal fundingfor certain programs because they havemore students from socio-economicallydisadvantaged families, have made greatstrides in recent years by attainingexemplary test scores and offering avariety of enrichment activities alongwith a welcoming atmosphere.

Which Claremont elementary schoolis right for your child? Read on anddecide for yourself.

Chaparral Elementary SchoolChaparral Elementary School is a

high-performing site that is home to670 kindergarten through sixth gradestudents. It was recognized as a 2010California Distinguished School as wellas a 2012 and 2013 California Businessfor Educational Excellence Honor Rollschool. Currently under the direction ofJulie Olesniewicz, Chaparral is knownfor its emphasis on academics. Theschool doesn’t stress rote memoriza-tion, but instead focuses on nurturingcritical thinking skills.

A jewel among schools: Claremont district offers quality, choice

COURIER photos/Steven FelschundneffSandra Nesbit, Jennifer Gentry and Cecilia Cerafice celebrate winning a BestBET award at Condit Elementary School. The Claremont Chamber ofCommerce gives out grants each year to fund learning and enrichment pro-grams designed by teachers at various Claremont school sites.

SCHOOLScontinues on the next page


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Chaparral parents are hugelyinvolved in their child’s school experi-ence, from volunteerism to fundraisingto the tune of tens of thousands of dol-lars each year.

The school’s mission is best describedby its own website: “At ChaparralElementary School, we consider our-selves a community of learners, whichincludes students, staff, parents andbusiness partnerships... Our studentsexperience a balanced, rigorous, andchallenging curriculum that allows forindividual differences and fostersresponsible citizenship in a safe andorderly environment.”

Condit Elementary SchoolNow in its 52nd year, Condit is

another school where a challengingacademic experience is paramount. Theschool strives to make independentthinkers out of their 625 students andensure that they understand the real-world applications of their studies.

Principal Christine Mallaly and herstaff consider wisdom to be as impor-tant as knowledge.

As a result, Condit Condors areexpected to exemplify Six Pillars ofCharacter: trustworthiness, respect,responsibility, fairness, caring and cit-izenship.

Their website says it all. “We firmlybelieve that education entails academicskills taught in a rigorous and creativeway, as well as the development of thephysical, social and emotional charac-ter of each and every child. Condit’sschool community, its emphasis onhigh achievement and the collectivededication to both, make it an exempla-ry school.”

Danbury Elementary SchoolDanbury serves 75 students with

physical disabilities and/or healthimpairments. Known for its caringenvironment and comprehensive serv-ices, it is a destination school in thearea of special education.

Every possible resource—from assis-tive technology to specialists like occu-pational and speech therapists—is mar-shaled to ensure that Danbury studentsreach their highest academic, social andphysical potential.

Steve Hamilton serves as principal atDanbury, whose students range in agefrom preschool through sixth grade. Theschool offers the only conductive educa-tion program in the nation and is home toa brand-new occupational therapy clinic.The state-of-the-art facility is part play-ground, part place to strengthen bodies,hone fine motor skills, calm nerves andstimulate minds.

Danbury has a special relationshipwith Sumner Elementary School. Thetwo schools, whose campuses areadjoining, share resources and providedaily interaction between students atboth sites. The unique partnership is alesson in integration and tolerance forboth schools.

Mountain View Elementary SchoolMountain View Elementary School,

which was selected as a 2012 HonorRoll school, prides itself on the diversi-ty of its student body.

Mustangs take on challenges withenthusiasm, as evidenced by theschool’s recent win of the NASCAR-sponsored Lefty’s Reading Challenge.With 100 percent participation from thestudents, the school’s reward was$2,500 for new books as well as ticketsfor the kids to attend a NASCAR race.

The school, which has 458 students

and is 51 years old, is currently helmedby interim principal Natalie Taylor. Sheis continuing the school’s tradition ofimplementing meaningful and well-researched interventions for studentswho are underperforming while cele-brating the achievements of studentswho are excelling.

Character development is another pri-ority. Students are encouraged to makegood choices and make an impactthrough positive leadership. Good citi-zenship is encouraged via monthly char-acter words and Mustang Tickets givento students caught doing the right thing.

Mountain View’s website provides anutshell description of the school’sgoals: “Mountain View ElementarySchool is committed to ensuring that allstudents leave with the knowledge, crit-ical skills and attitudes essential tobecoming contributing members ofsociety. We want our diverse communi-ty to become…lifelong learners whoappreciate the value of education.”

Oakmont Elementary School Founded in 1952, Oakmont School is

a California Distinguished School. Oneof its key attributes is its small size.With 320 students, Oakmont stafferspromise to “offer a personal educationthat focuses on every student.”

Oakmont is often called OakmontOutdoor School for its emphasis onlearning through and amid nature. Thisfocus has increased exponentially sincethe advent of the Oakmont Biome proj-ect. The collaborative effort—whichinvolves volunteers from Oakmont,Sustainable Claremont, Pitzer Collegeand the BAM water-wise landscapingcompany—has resulted in the creationof three themed landscapes on the cam-pus. Each of these represents a naturalCalifornia biome: Chaparral, OakWoodland and Desert.

The growing biomes dovetail per-

The annual Duane Jackman Invitational Track Meet at Vista del ValleElementary School brings together students from all eight primary schools.

SCHOOLScontinued from the previous page

SCHOOLScontinues on the next page


fectly with an environmentally-basedcurriculum Oakmont introduced in2009. Over time, “Learning in theWorld’s Biomes” immerses students ineach of the earth’s six major ecologicalcommunities.

Making Oakmont more vital is agrowing partnership with Vista delValle Elementary School. BecauseOakmont Principal Stacey Stewart ismarried to Vista Principal DaveStewart, they often share resources,especially those related to sports.

Both administrators are avid track andfield athletes and fitness buffs and regu-larly welcome Olympic gold medal-winning decathlete Brian Clay to theircampus as well as members of the LosAngeles Kings hockey organization.

Oakmont has joined Vista in offeringthe AVID college preparatory program.The students involved may be youngbut they are already thinking aboutwhat college they may want to attend,what they want to be when they growup, and how to best achieve those goals.

Sumner Elementary SchoolSumner Elementary School is among

the most character-oriented of Claremontschools. Sumner students regularly inter-act with kids from the adjoining Danburyschool campus, which is geared towardsstudents with physical disabilities and/orhealth impairments. As a result, theylearn to celebrate differences and to lenda hand when needed.

A description on the CUSD websitefurther explains the schools’ uniquecollaboration: “Students will be encour-aged to appreciate their own worth andimportance as well as that of others.Sumner/Danbury Schools will providean atmosphere that will enable eachchild to … nurture a sense of responsi-bility to the community and the envi-ronment."

Sumner, which has 572 students, isunder the leadership of Principal KristinRobinson. Together with Danbury, theschool was awarded the title of aCalifornia Distinguished School in 2012.

Sumner has many impressive attrib-utes, including a burgeoning student-generated anti-bullying campaign. Itslibrary, in particular, is a haven foryoung bookworms, thanks to theefforts of librarian Marleene Bazela.Ms. Bazela describes the school libraryas “a wonderland of literary love,where kids stop by for the books andstay for the ambience.”

Sycamore Elementary SchoolFounded as Claremont Grammar

School in 1890, Sycamore ElementarySchool is the city’s oldest grammarschool. It has only 380 students, andthese spaces are highly sought-afteramong Claremont residents.

One of the school’s biggest draws isits unique, multi-grade approach.Sycamore classes feature integrationssuch as kindergarten and first, first andsecond, and second and third gradecombinations. By the upper grades,classrooms feature combinations offourth, fifth and sixth grade, with stu-dents remaining with the same teacher,and classmates, all three years. Thisapproach allows students to reachabove their grade level according totheir learning readiness and encouragesolder students to serve as mentors,among other benefits.

Sycamore is also known for its multi-cultural focus, with students encour-aged to learn about life not just outsidethe bounds of Claremont but across theglobe. Each year, the school presents anelaborate multicultural festival calledInternational Day, where classroomstransform into an array of countries.

“Each year, I am reminded of howresilient, thoughtful and creative peopleare, and how much we need one anoth-er,” Principal Amy Stanger said of theglobal extravaganza.

Sycamore is located in the heart of thepicturesque Claremont Village, withinwalking distance of the ClaremontColleges. The school takes advantage ofthis proximity, taking students on many“walking field trips” to college func-tions within the school year.

Vista del ValleVista del Valle is perhaps most

known for its annual Vista Track Meet,a tradition dating back nearly 40 years.On this special day, Vista welcomeseach Claremont elementary school toits campus “for a day of fun and good-spirited competition where lessons onperseverance, trying your best andsportsmanship are practiced.”

Cross-campus unity is enlivened oncemore with a touch of competition via anintramural sports program instituted byPrincipal Dave Stewart. Students com-pete in a rotating slate of sports such asfootball, basketball, volleyball and soc-cer during recess throughout the year.The winning team in each sport goes onto vie for the championship against stu-dents from Oakmont.

While Principal Stewart emphasizesthat “a healthy body leads to a healthy

mind,” academics are also stressed atVista. The school’s test scores havemade a remarkable jump in recent years.

There is also a growing environ-mental program, with kids workingand learning in the Vista Garden aswell as among the varied fruit trees inthe Vista Orchards. The school is cur-

rently working to implement an asso-ciated curriculum.

For more information on theClaremont Unified School Districtand its award-winning schools, visitcusd.claremont.edu

—Sarah [email protected]

SCHOOLScontinued from the previous page

CLAREMONT: An Active Adult Retirement Community

The City of Claremont is widely known for itʼs prestigious colleges, and alsoreferred to as the Ivy League of Colleges of the West Coast. However, Claremontis not just known for itʼs wonderful colleges but it has been rated #2 by HuffingtonPost as one of the Great College Towns to retire because of all of the great sen-ior services provided to its residents. With a rate of 10,000 Americans retiringevery day, more and more people will be looking at Retirement Communities asthey transition into this next stage in their life.

Here are some tips and/or questions to consider as you evaluate/research ActiveAdult Retirement Communities as one of your Real Estate housing options.LOCATION/LIFESTYLE Do you prefer living close to family/friends or in anarea for health/wealth reasons? Do you want to live in a community with minimal ameni-ties within a city or prefer a more isolated community that meets all your social needsand includes all the onsite amenities you desire? Do you prefer to live somewhere thatis close to cultural/art events? Are you interested in a “niche” community of people withthe same interests/priorities/beliefs? Do you plan on having one or more vehicles? Tip:Being close to family/friends for social connection is a key factor to healthy aging. AVAILABLE SERVICES Know your shopping options. Where is the grocerystore, major shopping? Make yourself aware of available emergency services andhospitals. Is there transportation for residents? Is there a shuttle bus? COST A major consideration depending on amount of money you have saved andsales price of your existing home. How much can you invest in your new house andwhat is your monthly budget for living expenses? Remember to include all home-owners ̓fees when making your decision. Also factor in any “up-front” move-in fees.RESTRICTIONS Do you have pets? Are they allowed? Will grandchildren oradult children be able to stay with you for extended periods of time? Are you allowedto rent your property? Check the regulations for potential community for any restric-tions that would negatively impact your decision.TAX & FINANCIAL IMPACT Seeking expert advice now could save youthousands and improve your options during retirement. How will the move impactyour tax liability, especially for capital gains when you sell your existing home orother related income. How solvent is thecommunity you are considering? If you haveto pay a large “up-front” fee will that bereturned should you decide to leave? DURING YOUR VISITBE OBSERVANT. Notice if the seniorsappear happy and active. Don t̓ be afraid toask them if they like living there. Notice ifthe landscaping is well kept and beau-tiful. Make sure the floor plan makesyour life easier.SATISFACTION Does theCommunity offer a trial stay ora short-term lease? Read allthe fine print and study min-utes from meetings of thehomeowner association ormanagement board, talk withneighbors and make sure youare informed and comfortable beforesigning on the dotted line.

In closing, seeking wise councilfrom trusted advisors is paramountto making important life decisions. Iam here as your trusted resource toguide you as you evaluate your RealEstate housing options. Feel free tocall me and schedule an appointment tobegin the steps to transition into this excitingnew stage of your life.

PAMELA BERGMAN-SWARTZ

909-636-2744Board Member Claremont Sunrise Rotary/REALConnections Volunteer, SRES® (Seniors Real EstateSpecialist), Certified Probate Specialist . BRE #01899295

Credits:huffingtonpost.com,

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