Downtown San Bernardino

Downtown San Bernardino is a district in the city of San Bernardino, California, in San Bernardino County, United States. It is home to city and county government buildings, and to the city's central business district.[1] The downtown area of San Bernardino is home to multiple (and the only) diplomatic missions for the Inland Empire, being one of only four California cities with multiple consulates (the other cities being Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco). The governments of Guatemala (opened July 2014) and Mexico have established their consulates in the civic center.[2] Downtown San Bernardino is bounded by I-215 to the west, Waterman Avenue to the east, Baseline Street to the north, and Mill Street to the south.[1]

Downtown San Bernardino
Downtown San Bernardino
Downtown San Bernardino
Coordinates: 34°7′46″N 117°17′35″W / 34.12944°N 117.29306°W / 34.12944; -117.29306
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
CitySan Bernardino
Elevation
1,059−1,500 ft (602 m)
Time zoneUTC-8 (PST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-7 (PDT)
WebsiteOfficial website Edit this at Wikidata

The San Bernardino City Council has initiated several redevelopment efforts. The city's Economic Development Agency presented the council with a draft of the Downtown Core Vision / Action Plan in 2009,[3] created in partnership with the urban planning firm EDAW, as a guide for revitalizing downtown San Bernardino over the next 10 years. The city has also discussed the construction of a new government center/civic plaza that will contain an iconic 24-story tower.[4] On May 11, 2014 the county of San Bernardino opened a 12-story, 200-foot-tall courthouse known as the San Bernardino Justice Center. The county is consolidating many county-wide court functions into the new structure, which is the tallest building in San Bernardino.[5][6][7]

Parks edit

Seccombe Lake edit

Seccombe Lake Park includes a lake named after a former Mayor of San Bernardino. It is located at the corner of 5th Street and Sierra Way.[8] On December 10, 2015, federal authorities searched the lake after receiving a tip that the shooters in the San Bernardino terrorist attack visited on the day of the attack. A dive team searched for evidence,[9][10] but nothing relevant was found.[11]

Entertainment district edit

 
The historic California Theater.

Downtown is home to three performing arts venues and a movie theater, the most for any central business district in the Inland Empire. The city is planning a new district along Fourth Street. The key aspect of the plan is to make the area around the California Theater and future Regal San Bernardino Theater Square Stadium 14 site on Fourth Street as an area for entertainment and dining. The Regal Stadium 14 opened in the spring of 2012, but the need for new dining opportunities remains.[12]

 
Regal Theater Square Stadium & RPX 14

Opening of Regal Entertainment Group edit

Downtown San Bernardino had a large, luxurious, two-story theater until it closed in September 2008.[13] Maya Cinemas was expected to open at the old site of the CinemaStar on February 27, 2009, however it failed to do so, and plans for a downtown San Bernardino theater were scratched.[14] As of January 2011, Regal Entertainment Group was in negotiations with the city of San Bernardino to open a theater in the former Cinema Star site. In November 2011, the city of San Bernardino approved a negotiation with Regal has now taken over/rehabilitated the theater, which opened on June 29, 2012 with RPX under the name of Regal San Bernardino Theater Square Stadium 14 & RPX.[15][16]

Norman F. Feldheym Central Library edit

 
Norman F. Feldheym Library

The Norman F. Feldheym Central Library is the flagship of the San Bernardino Public Library system. It opened on September 30, 1985, and is the city's fifth central library building since the first one was operated out of a rented house in 1891. Architects Gregory Villanueva and Oscar Arnoni designed the 64,000-square-foot (5,900 m2) $6 million facility, which was named in honor of the late Rabbi Norman F. Feldheym.[17] The library provides a number of cultural enrichment programs for youth and adults in the local community.[18] Partnering with the San Bernardino City Unified School District, the library supports a community Reading Festival for third-graders and their families.[19] The library also sponsors an annual book fair at Cal State San Bernardino, reading clubs, and an "Academy of Public Scholars" critical review club devoted to works of Continental philosophy.[20][21]

City Hall edit

 
San Bernardino City Hall

City Hall is a six-story building designed in 1963 by César Pelli to reflect the urban environment around it.[22] Completed in 1972, the City Hall is modernist in style,[23] has curtain walls, and is clad entirely in glass, with slim aluminum mullions.[24] Parts of the building are raised off the ground by pilotis.[25]

Downtown universities edit

American Sports University was a private, non-profit [26] sports business university in the downtown area which has remained unaccredited since its inception in 2006; it is seeking accreditation.[27] It was granted approval to operate from the Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education of the State of California. It closed in 2016.

California State University, San Bernardino has plans to open a downtown campus/center near the 2nd/E Street intersection.

Transportation edit

 
sbX Green Line's Civic Center Station in downtown San Bernardino, northernmost downtown stop.

Transit Center edit

The Downtown Transit Center is located on a five-acre site located on the southwest corner of Rialto Avenue and E Street near the San Manuel Stadium. The Transit Center connects the Mountain Areas and the High Desert with the rest of Southern California, via Omnitrans, the Mountain Area Regional Transit Authority and the Victor Valley Transit Authority. It serves as a transfer point for bus routes the county, with connections to the sbX Bus Rapid Transit system, which connects Verdemont/California State University, San Bernardino to the Veterans Hospital in Loma Linda and the Downtown San Bernardino Passenger Rail System; which is a one-mile Metrolink extension from the Santa Fe Depot, and the Arrow commuter rail service with stops en route to the University of Redlands.[28][29][30]

San Bernardino International Airport edit

The San Bernardino International Airport provides both domestic and international air services. Bus services serve the airport, which lies two miles (5 km) from downtown.

Buildings edit

Main buildings edit

Rank Name Street address Year Use
1 San Bernardino Justice Center West 3rd St., San Bernardino 2014 Government
2 Rosa Parks Memorial Building 464 West 4th St., San Bernardino 1998 Government
3 The Enterprise Building[31] *as of 2017* (formerly known as: The Andreson Building) 320 North E St., San Bernardino 1927 Office Space and Entertainment Hub
4 Hotel & Convention Center 295 North E St., San Bernardino 1987 Hotel
5 St. Bernardine Plaza Fifth St., San Bernardino Residential
6 Vanir Tower 290 North D St., San Bernardino 1974 Office
7 San Bernardino City Hall 300 North D St., San Bernardino Government
8 303 Building 303 West Third St. San Bernardino 1966 Government
9 The Heritage Building 440 W. Court St. San Bernardino 1946

Other buildings edit

 
American Sports University's Fox Theatre
  • San Bernardino Employment and Training Agency Building
  • The Enterprise Building (formerly known as The Andreson Building)
  • American Trust Building
  • Bank Of America Building
  • Wells Fargo Building
  • Chase Building
  • First American Title Building
  • Building 505
  • San Bernardino County Center Building
  • County of San Bernardino Court 2 Building in 3rd Street
  • County Records Tower
  • Vanir Tower
  • Norman F. Feldheym Central Library
  • Medrobrook Tower

Gallery edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b Advisory Services Panel (June 24–29, 2007). "San Bernardino, California: Crossroads of the Southwest". Washington, D.C.: Urban Land Institute. Archived from the original on April 22, 2008. Retrieved December 26, 2007. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  2. ^ "IMMIGRATION: Guatemala to open San Bernardino consulate | Local News | PE.com". Archived from the original on March 17, 2014. Retrieved March 2, 2014.
  3. ^ City of San Bernardino EDA, Pirih Productions, and Brostrom Software Solutions. "Downtown Core Vision". Sbrda.org. Archived from the original on October 9, 2011. Retrieved December 10, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ [1][dead link]
  5. ^ "Courthouse construction begins - San Bernardino County Sun". Sbsun.com. Archived from the original on December 4, 2011. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
  6. ^ "San Bernardino Justice Center opens for business -". Sbsun.com. Retrieved June 2, 2014.
  7. ^ "San Bernardino County courts reorganization draws criticism". Sbsun.com. Retrieved June 2, 2014.
  8. ^ Molina, Alejandra (March 14, 2016). "Restoring Seccombe Lake Park is key for city". The Press-Enterprise. Retrieved March 16, 2016.
  9. ^ Serrano, Richard A.; Winton, Richard; Parvini, Sarah; Queally, James (December 10, 2015). "San Bernardino shooters planned bigger attack, investigators believe". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
  10. ^ "FBI Searching California Lake in Connection to San Bernardino Shooting". ABC News. December 10, 2015. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
  11. ^ Karimi, Faith; Cabrera, Ana (December 13, 2015). "Items found in San Bernardino lake not related to attack, source says". CNN. Retrieved December 13, 2015.
  12. ^ Josh Dulaney (November 29, 2011). "EDC gives approval for lease to return movie theater to San Bernardino's downtown". San Bernardino Sun. Archived from the original on December 1, 2011. Retrieved November 29, 2011.
  13. ^ Edwards, Andrew (September 29, 2008). "SB cinema fades to black". San Bernardino County Sun. Archived from the original on September 29, 2011. Retrieved October 11, 2008.
  14. ^ Juares, Leticia (October 3, 2011). "CinemaStar theater multiplex an economic boon for San Bernardino". ABC 7 San Bernardinol. Archived from the original on October 8, 2011. Retrieved October 3, 2011.
  15. ^ LAURIE LUCAS (January 14, 2011). "SAN BERNARDINO: Downtown cinema could open by fall". The Press-Enterprise. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
  16. ^ "Grand Opening Locations | Regal Theaters". Regmovies.com. Archived from the original on December 3, 2011. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
  17. ^ "About Us" (PDF). San Bernardino Public Library. Retrieved October 12, 2008.[dead link]
  18. ^ Nolan, Michel (March 2, 2008). "Librarian focuses on youth needs". San Bernardino County Sun. Retrieved October 12, 2008.
  19. ^ Nolan, Michel (December 7, 2006). "Librarian makes big mark beyond books". San Bernardino County Sun. Retrieved October 12, 2008.
  20. ^ Minaya, Zeke (June 21, 2008). "Cal State book fair honors disappearing independent booksellers". Press Enterprise. Archived from the original on September 19, 2012. Retrieved October 12, 2008.
  21. ^ Schoenmann, Matt (March 6, 2008). "Academy of Public Scholars is for Redlands bookworms seeking a challenge". Press Enterprise. Archived from the original on January 31, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2008.
  22. ^ "City of San Bernardino - City Halls of San Bernardino". www.ci.san-bernardino.ca.us. Retrieved February 7, 2008.
  23. ^ David Walters, "Pelli, Cesar 1926-" in Encyclopedia of Twentieth Century Architecture (Vol. 3), p. 994 (ed. R. Stephen Sennott; Fitzroy Dearborn: 2004).
  24. ^ Michael J. Crosbie, Curtain Walls: Recent Developments by Cesar Pelli & Associates, (Walter de Gruyter: 2005), p. 20.
  25. ^ Raul A. Barreneche, Joseph Giovannini, & Hiroyuki Suzuki, Sections Through a Practice: Cesar Pelli & Associates (Hatje Cantz, 2003), p. 578.
  26. ^ "::: American Sports University :::". Archived from the original on September 24, 2010. Retrieved August 21, 2010.
  27. ^ Becker, Michael (September 24, 2008), "Unique sports university kicks off in San Bernardino", Press Enterprise, retrieved December 2, 2009
  28. ^ Macduff, Cassie (February 26, 2014). "SAN BERNARDINO: Agencies pool money for transit center, Metrolink extension". The Press-Enterprise. Retrieved March 16, 2016.
  29. ^ "Downtown San Bernardino Transit Center - Downtown San Bernardino". Archived from the original on June 24, 2013. Retrieved June 5, 2013.
  30. ^ "San Bernardino Transit Center: a closer look". Omnitrans.org. July 25, 2012.
  31. ^ "The Enterprise Building". Theenterprisebuilding.com.

External links edit