This two- story Craftsman- style home is located at 4801 Park Ave on the corner of Park Ave and Lemon. It has been the discussion of many a Council meeting for the past 5-6 years, after the home was vacated and allowed to deteriorate. The home listed as a City Historic resource in 1981, is currently uninhabitable.
The home, built in 1918, was inhabited by some of our earliest settlers, the Trueblood’s and the Janeway’s.
Mr. Trueblood had the distinction of being the first passenger to ride the Pacific Railroad from Pillsbury, a town now abandoned, to Yorba Linda. Mrs. Ada Trueblood enjoyed writing and chronicled events occurring in the area at that time. Mrs. Trueblood was active in the community and was one of the charter members of the Yorba Linda Women’s Club. Three members of this family were charter members of the Yorba Linda Friends Church.
The Mr. and Mrs. Luther Janeway operated a grocery store on Main Street. Their daughter, Clara Mae Janeway Stephans, was one of the early Librarians of the Yorba Linda District Library. This family was also active in the Yorba Linda Friends Church.
There is documentation that Richard Nixon spent time on the property when he was a young boy.
The current owners expressed an interest to demolish the home and to replace it with a larger home that was out of scale for the surrounding neighborhood. The Planning Commission reviewed the plans and reduced the scale of the planned residence. This plan was still out of proportion for the surrounding area.
The Historic Society and other members of the community had hoped the home could be salvaged. After much deliberation, in an effort to save one of the last, true historic sites in our community, the City Council unanimously approved the purchase of the property and to “mothball” the structure protecting it from further deterioration. I did have reservations about this decision. The cost to purchase the property and mothball it is about $475,000. But given the historic nature of the building, I felt it was wise to give the community one last opportunity to raise the funds needed to preserve the home and determine a functional use for the property. I supported this action with the caveat that no further City funds would be used to rehabilitate the home. As a sign of “good faith” I have requested the community group/ entity be required to raise 30% of the funds needed to rehabilitate the home within a year they are awarded the contract following an RFP. If this does not occur, the home will be demolished and another use will be determined for the site. This will be discussed at a Council meeting at the end of January or beginning of February.
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{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Jan,
With regard to the Janeway/ Trueblood house purchase by the city, I am truly disappointed that happened. What a waste of Yorba Linda taxpayers money. So it’s a two story Craftsman home. So what. If you want to see one go the Nixon Library. I would think it would be more etter to raze the home and sell the property for a business such as a restuarant.
Again, I am truly disappointed in this waste of taxpayer money.
Tom
Regardless of the historical value of this home, it is a community eyesore and a potential fire hazard. Waiting another year for the house to be “rehabilitated” is unsafe.
These residences do not represent the history of Y.L. The people settling the area- Yorba’s, Kraemer’s, etc., are the history. Their creativity, resourcefulness, business management are what made the area. Isn’t North Orange County a contiguous area, developed by industry of those ‘founding fathers?’ I see more history & interest in the mounted pictures within many of the facilities I frequent than would be apparent visiting a structure that is supposed to represent another era, but doesn’t really.
I believe few records exist showing the original structure plans, much less the accouterments of the time/era. Aren’t we trying to measure ‘what was’ vs. ‘what is’ by our metrics of the day? After the structures are captured, how are they going to be outfitted inside & out? What is that expense & who bears it?
Obviously, there isn’t enough information posted for an intelligent appraisal of what is being contemplated.
Jan, etal,
Lets see if I have this right. $475,000 to buy and mothball an un-safe community eyesore and probably another $500, 000 to $600,000 to restore it. As near as I can tell that is close to a million dollars of taxpayers money, wasted.
Tom Reiter
The City paid for the property and to “mothball” the site. It is now up to the community to raise the funds necessary to save the home. There will an RFP developed asking for interested candidates to apply. If there is an interested party, the contract will be awarded. They will have up to a year to show they have significant enough funds to complete the task. There are some on this Council wanting to extend this period to two years . After discussion, the period of time remained one year. Construction on the home will need to be initiated within 2 years. What is important for everyone to understand, this decision is not binding. The 2010 election will determine whether the City will revisit this item and chose to spend additional City funds to rehabilitate the home. Be careful and make sure you ask a lot of questions of all candidates in the 2010 Council election.
It is without question the city has far greater prioities to spend money on than to rescue a piece of delapidated property of questionable historical significance. Let the free market determine what the property is worth and keep city government out of it for anything other than zoning and best usage decisions.
Why on earth did we buy this?
I am a HUGE historian buff and it turns my stomach to see any piece of OC history lost…BUT this property is so so so SO far beyond saving. I have followed this property…thru all of this….and I was just floored at where it has taken the city. I actually went to the property to see for my self (as a restoration buff) and let me tell you…there is nothing there that can be ‘preserved’ or even restored. It will all have to be ‘re-created’ in a Disneyesque manner.
Thank you for covering this issue on your blog. I plan to attend the next city meeting when this is discussed!!!!!!!!
This is done Marcy. I encourage everyone interested on this topic to attend a Council meeting soon and to speak during public comments. Remember we have a 3 majority Council. That means when something is going to get passed by the three that is not good public policy, the best I can do is minimize the effect of the decision.That is what happened here. If the majority is allowed to continue after the next election and/or they are able to get an additional ally elected, there is no doubt they will use City funds to rehabilitate the home. Estimates right now are between $500,000 to $800,000! I have been very vocal that this now has to be done by a private group. I do not support using City staff to find funding sources. If a private group comes forward with a funding source that requires the City to sign off on the project, no problem. But the residents of Yorba Linda have paid enough for this home.
I think the house is beautiful.
It would be nice to see some kind of documentation on how the price was arrived at. It would also be nice to some pictures of the inside of the house to know what we are dealing with.
If I remember right this sounds like another Council folly similiar to paying $600,000 and some odd taxpayers dollars to redo the landscaping on Imperial Highway after Caltrans completed the expansion because it wasn’t the “Yorba Linda” way. Every time I drive through there I think about how they wasted our money. Same goes for every time I drive by the house. That thing will fall to the ground in another year. Termite haven.
Jan,
I am appalled. After reading the two blogs here on saving these houses, I am in shock that any council member would be so irresponsible to do such thing. What an enormous waste of taxpayers money. Please post the council members names that were responsible for this ridiculous act so those of us that prefer to vote them out during the next election can be sure we know exactly who they are.
T.M.
@T.M., per Jan’s inital blog about this post, they ALL voted to save this property.
“.. the City Council unanimously approved the purchase of the property and to “mothball” the structure protecting it from further deterioration.”
We all voted to purchase this property for a number of very different reasons. We were facing possible litigation from the previous owner. In reality, we would have been faced with paying for her “losses” with the costs undetermined. I can assure you that is the primary reason I voted to purchase the property. I have made it perfectly clear during Council meetings, there is a time limit on how long the house will sit in its current condition. Either a viable person/ group with financial backing will start the rehabilitation within a year or the house will be removed from the property and the property re-purposed.
I am the great grandson of Luther Janeway. MY grandfather, Rev John Janeway, when I was a child would tell us how is family baby sat President Nixon at thier house when he was young. I was able to finally see the house a few years ago. If I had the money to buy and restore the house I would do so but I have to agree with the other comments in that saving seems to be more of a drain on your city than it is worth. The main intrest I have in the house your blog was the history of my family.
Thank you so much for writing and commenting on this home. If you have more information on the history of this home or Yorba Linda in general, I would love to hear from you.
What purpose would a restored Janeway house serve? Would it be a museum? Would admission be charged? If a $5 admission was charged, it would take 95K visitors to break even assuming the acquisition cost was $475K and not counting the renovation costs.
Aren’t there other needs in YL?
Thank you for your blog!