Former Citrus Plant to Get Facelift

Redlands is selling the city’s historic citrus packing house to a Pomona company that will restore it and convert it to restaurant and retail operation.

Arteco Partners, which undertook a similar project in the Claremont Village, will buy the 104-year-old structure at 330 N. Third St.
for an estimated $320,000, said Mike Nelson, the city’s economic development manager.

The company, which has restored several major properties in downtown Pomona, including the Fox Theater, is expected to spend several years and about $2 million restoring the building, Nelson said.

The structure, which was used by Mutual Orange Distributors, is owned by the successor agency to Redlands’ redevelopment agency. The agency decided in March to restore the building after residents said they wanted to see it preserved, Nelson said.

Both parties are working out details of a transaction. An agreement could be reached next month, Nelson said.

Arteco was one of seven companies that submitted bids on the project, Nelson said.

“They have a lot of experience in these kinds of projects and they’ve worked in the Inland Empire before, so they know the market,” Nelson said. “They’re also going to get a very good price on the property.”

Redlands officials want the 18,792-square-foot building to house restaurants and food-oriented retail exclusively, with much of the one-story structure to be open-air, Nelson said.