To contact Nuala Gasser, Marketing Manager Call (626) 858-7277
or e-mail at ngasser@ci.covina.ca.us for additional information.

ARROW GRAND OFFICE/COMMERCIAL AREA
(updated July 2000)

Covina Technology Center

In a unique partnership, Covina Technology Center, LLC, the Covina City Council and the Covina Redevelopment Agency worked together to redevelop a neighborhood shopping center into the Covina Technology Center, a 14-acre master-planned high-tech office/light industrial park.

In 1996, the Covina Redevelopment Agency staff began discussing with a representative of the Alamo Group (former owners of the master lease of one of the anchor retail buildings) the possible renovation of the Arrow/Grand center. The Alamo Group was at the time pursuing maintaining the site as a commercial shopping center. After several meetings, the City Council and staff became convinced that the best course to pursue was the development of an office/light industrial "Tech Center."

After the Alamo group relinquished its rights to the lease of the Builders Emporium building, the owners of the shopping center's in-line stores Bill Myers and Doug Woodard stepped up to take the lead on the project. At that point Covina Technology Center, Inc. was born. Their plan to renovate the three large stores (the former Builder's Emporium, Sav-On and Ralph's), tear down all the in-line stores, build two additional buildings and ultimately create a "high tech center", was enthusiastically supported by the City Council.

Located at the southwest corner of Grand Avenue and Arrow Highway the Covina Technology Center, which includes five buildings ranging in size from 24,000 to 43,000 square feet, is designed to accommodate office, R&D and light industrial users with requirements from 8,000 square feet to 72,000 square feet.

Covina Technology Center, which is the area's first business park catering strictly to technology users, is strategically located between the Foothill (210) and San Bernardino (10) Freeways with easy access to the 57 and 605 freeways. The center has been specifically planned and designed to accommodate tenants in technology related fields. With the dramatic growth in these fields in recent years, the entire San Gabriel Valley, and specifically the 210 corridor from Pasadena to San Dimas, has experienced a significant increase in the number of high tech companies locating in the area. Growth moving east from the vicinity of Cal Tech in Pasadena has spurned the demand for office space that is able to accommodate these new companies extensive telecommunication needs.

Studies were conducted by the Redevelopment Agency staff and supported by the City Council, which indicated the former retail center would find success as a business park targeting technology and back office users. After this lengthy assessment of the site the staff began discussing the idea first with the Alamo Group and eventually with Mr. Myers and Mr. Woodard.

The property has been rezoned to meet the requirements of technology users. The City is fast tracking permits and in some cases offering incentives. According to officials of the Covina Technology Center, LLC "the City of Covina Redevelopment Agency has made this dream of a technology center into a reality".

The business park corporation has already signed its first four tenants. Kaiser Permanente Federal Credit Union has inked a 10-year lease for approximately 20,000 square feet of space at 1359 N. Grand Avenue. Kaiser, whom is expanding from Pasadena, is slated to occupy its new space in May 2000. The facility will house administrative services for the Pasadena-based credit union.

The Kelly Paper Company has also signed a 10-year lease for 13,000 square feet of space at 1411 N. Grand Avenue. Kelly Paper has as of the fourth quarter of 1999 already occupied its new space, which houses paper and printing supplies store serving printers, businesses and the SOHO (small office/home office) market. It is a new location for the Los Angeles-based paper company.

The most recent tenant Apollo Enterprises, a national accounting and data processing company for retail drug chains has signed up for 33,802 square feet of space. Apollo, who employs more than 120 people is scheduled to be operating at the Tech center in June.

A fourth tenant already moved in is the Covina Police Department with a 1043 square foot Neighborhood Office. Currently two other deals totally over 16,000 square feet are being negotiated.

Among the things that attracted Kaiser Permanente Federal Credit Union, Apollo Enterprises and Kelly Paper to the Covina Technology Center were its central location, competitive rents, the accessibility of fiber optics, and the availability of skilled labor force.

Arrow Grand Business Park

In 1980 the Redevelopment Agency developed and marketed this 21-acre site as light industrial/high tech business park. The area was an immediate success as the properties were quickly purchased by a wide variety of manufactures. Twenty businesses and office/commercial strip were developed on 31 parcels. Today the park continues to operate with all buildings being utilized by primarily the original occupants.

Centers like Arrow Grand are critical to Covina's economic strength, said Mike Marquez, City of Covina Deputy Director of Redevelopment. "This center alone represents more than 500 professional jobs. We plan to maintain our current position as a site where we have high quality employers," said Marquez. "Covina has always prided itself on being a well rounded and diverse community with a variety of industries that benefit the general public. We're quite proud of the technologically advanced industries that continue to prosper within our community and support Covina's strong economy. With centers like Arrow Grand, we've become a standard for other cities to emulate."

Arrow Grand is the cornerstone center in Covina's developing Technology Corridor - a concept that Redevelopment staff has helped to encourage since first construction began at Arrow Grand in the early 1980s. The park is positioned near the new Covina Technology Center, also a Redevelopment Agency assisted project that is rapidly attracting new tenants. The City of Covina is currently working on bringing fiber optic lines into this section of the city to help local industries keep pace with worldwide progress, and city officials are discussing options with phone and cable companies.

Building a high tech base means looking beyond city boundaries. Covina city officials are working with the nearby cities of Glendora and Azusa to convert existing properties along the Arrow Highway corridor into technology facilities. "It will become an eastern extension of the high tech corridor being developed in Pasadena, Duarte and Monrovia."

Covina is a natural draw for high tech and industrial companies due to its central Southern California location, reasonable costs, skilled labor pool, and hospitable, business-friendly local government. The City offers easy access to the 10, 210, 605 and 57 freeways, which provide direct links to all Southern California cities, airports and shipping ports. Ontario Airport is located a half-hour away and Burbank is only 45 minutes. Arrow Highway provides a state highway link for the Technology Corridor and Metrolink service stops in Downtown Covina.

These transportation resources are critical to many of Arrow Grand's corporate residents. Previously know as Arrow Company, AFC is a major stocking distributor for electro-mechanical components and fasteners used in everything from telecommunications to computers, semiconductors and lighting. "The whole country needs fasteners," said Karen Ardizone at ACF who said that ACF is in an ideal position to grow with the fast-paced and ever-changing world of technology, and they can change inventory to meet clients' needs. Projects shipped through ACF are distributed throughout the world - and customers order everything from the black weather resistant cable ties used on windmill generator in Palm Springs to electronic hardware.

ACF has been operating at Arrow Grand since 1976 and has seen the high tech and manufacturing park develop and grow. "It's a nice area and a central location," said Ardizone who said they serve a major customer base in the City of Industry. "Freeway location is critical." ACF operates a 10,000-square-foot warehouse at Arrow Grand that serves business throughout all of Southern California, Arizona and Mexico.

Another of the companies flourishing at Covina's Arrow Grand Business Park is telecommunications test equipment giant Ameritec. This successful established corporation specializes in the design, manufacture and sale of state-of-the-art communications test equipment used for diagnosing telecom transmission, wireless and switch testing problems. The company is also a leading industry provider of sophisticated call generation systems, switch and network simulator and signaling analyzing and simulators.

Nearby, Superior Communications Products is riding high on the wireless wave. Started in 1991, this young Covina company has experienced phenomenal growth - 30 percent per year since 1994 - when it began to specialize in manufacturing and distributing accessories for wireless phones. Products include leather phone cases, car adapters, batteries, antennas, desktop speaker phones and hands-free devices - a major demand in recent years. Covina is Superior's distribution center; manufacturing facilities are in Taiwan. Superior ships 60,000 units per day out of Arrow Grand where facilities now cover 80,000 square feet in three separate buildings. Current Covina employee base for Superior is 120. Major clients include GTE, Bell South, Sprint PCS, Ameritech, Us West and Target stores. Superior is also a regional retailer for small phone companies and produces its own product line.

Arrow Grand has been an excellent base for a take-off company like Superior, says Mike Cavanah, Executive Vice President. Last year, the company enjoyed revenues totaling more than $50 million in sales. "The labor pool is good and educational levels are high," said Cavanaugh. Superior's employee base is mainly local. "There are plenty of benefits for families who live here. Freeway access is excellent." Benefits for families include Covina's excellent quality of life as well as home ownership opportunities. Housing costs are among the most reasonable in Southern California and the city has long been known for its safe, stable neighborhoods.

Arrow Grand's location is also an important resource for Rolyn Optics. "It's convenient to all freeways and there are places nearby for my employees to eat," said John Ross, President. Started in 1925, Rolyn moved to Covina in 1981 to produce its highly specialized product for an international market. The company designs, creates and tests a diverse range of hardware such as studio motion picture cameras, spectrophotometers, tracking cameras, radiometers, star trackers, satellites and test equipment as well as a broad range of optical components.

Success at Arrow Grand isn't only limited to high tech industries. Johnston Manufacturing, once a part of the renown Vuiton luggage concern, is a Covina-based luggage manufacturer. Johnston focuses on hand crafting and is known for its top-of-the-line product. Recently, Johnston reacquired its former label, The French Company, which had been sold to Travelpro, and is expecting to expand both its facilities and pool of craftsmen in coming months.

Johnston brings a philosophy of old-world quality into the new millennium. Luggage is produced here much the same way it was when the company was founded in 1946, top quality fine leathers and domestic fabrics are carefully stitched into premium products and customer service levels match the price tags for these upper end suitcases. "People still appreciate fine quality," said Tom Johnston, President. "We still have customers who like fine things." Johnston sees luggage "as an expression of yourself," and sees a pride of ownership in hand crafted pieces that are purchased as prized possessions.

Please contact Nuala Gasser, Marketing Manager at (626) 858-7277
or e-mail at ngasser@ci.covina.ca.us for additional information.