Nestled into the hills of Northern OC are two of my favorite sibling twin cities. I would consider living there for many reasons and facets that would enrich my lifestyle and culture. Although a portion of Brea and Fullerton are situated on flat land with traditional gridded street some of their neighborhoods are situated into the rolling hills with picturesque windy streets. The view from the view terraced lots offer forever spectacular view of city lights vanishing into the Pacific and spectacular fireworks every night at 9:35.
Brea was founded because of the oil boom at the turn of last century while Fullerton flourished from its agricultural legacy. Brea for years and still is the less populated cities compared to its sibling and other OC cities due to its location far removed from major transportation corridors such as railroad and freeway. The 57 freeway was constructed during the 70?s providing access to Brea and prior to that, drivers were using back roads. Freeway 5 was Coast Blvd during the 1910?s connected Fullerton to LA by cars but a majority of its population traveled by train. The Fullerton train (Amtrak) boarding depot also is utilized as a Greyhound terminal still function as a vibrant amenity serving commuters.
Brea and Fullerton since the early 80?s was blessed with visionary planners recruited from famed universities near by. The solutions that we are seeing today in both towns are the results of almost 25 years of revitalizations.
Both have their unique ?main street like? downtown. Fullerton has the finest architectural landmarks in OC encompassing many permanent civic buildings from the WPA (Work Progress Administration) era to stimulate economic growth from the 1929 depression. The old city hall and police headquarter are two of my favorite Spanish Colonial/ Deco buildings. Many buildings in Fullerton date back to the early 1900?s along Harbor Blvd and Commonwealth. Many of the old structures are now concert halls, museums, city college buildings, and city sponsored clubs. Walking through the campus of the old buildings reminded me of a by gone era neighborhood that no longer exist and a community that was built for people and aesthetic and not base on land economics.
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Plummer Auditorium Concert Hall
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Chapman Bank Building
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Fullerton City Hall
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Cultural Center
The decline of railway patronage after 1940?s eventually took a toll to the main terminal building which almost led to its demise during the late 70?s. A strong group of preservationist mothballed the structure with intention to rehab it for future use. It remained transient for many years until the Old Spaghetti factory moved it to the current location from across the street. This successful template of rehabilitation led to a unique mission embraced by the City of Fullerton. Several landmarks include the Fox theatre sat in vacancy for decades waiting for a glamorous revival. A famous banquet restaurant White House rejuvenated a large vacant renaissance revival mansion.
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Adaptive use of Union Pacific depot Spaghetti Factory
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Train boarding depot
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Fox-Warner Theatre
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Revitalized office structure
Wealth of Fullerton came from its agricultural packing factories south of the track. Most of the farmers from OC including Irvine, Tustin, and Santa Ana sent their crops to Fullerton for packaging via the railroad and from there crates of fruits and vegetable were supplied to the west coast and out of states. Sunkist had a packing house in Fullerton as well. Later the city matured into food processing and benefitted adjacent cities as the empire of food headquarter such as Kraft and Nabisco in Buena Park and the Knott family also started their berry and jam operation.
As many of the manufacturers aged and cost of labor and living went up Fullerton could no longer operate efficiently and profitably. Large acreage of land of the former packing plants became excellent candidates for housing for the returning GIs from WWII and Korean War. The former Hughes aircraft facility is another example of reclaimed land. Fullerton reflected a community that slowly grew over the last 100 years. Homes that Madonna 1980 has seen reflected the trend of various periods from Mission Revival 1890s to transitional craftsman 1905, Craftsman Bungalow 1910s, Spanish Colonial Revival 1920s, French Normandy cottage 1925, Anglo Colonial 1930, Deco Moderne 1935?s, International Style 1940?s, single story ranch 1945, mid century modern 1950, builders craps after 1955.
Fullerton downtown in the last decade was blessed with tremendous revitalization success. Restaurants and bars introduced life back into the city. It was a double edge sword success also came with negative such as public drunkenness and loitering. The area of Raymond hills is one of the oldest areas west of downtown within walking distances full of beautiful period houses from 1920-1940. The tree line streets of Jacarandas and well setback homes has the charm of Floral Park is among the best in OC.
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Downtown shops
The success of its school was predominant helmed by white but slowly retained its accolade by other ethnicities including Asians. Both Sunny Hills and Troy held up home values. The nature park systems are all connected through ravines, hills, valleys and golf courses that stretched from Brea to the heart of Fullerton cumulatively a 10 miles stretch with interesting terrains and city view unlike the flat parks on least desirable land that we see in master planned communities. The most scenic lands were dedicated to parks.
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10 miles stretch of parks and water ways
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Steps to hilly terrains
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Typical period style park recreational structure
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Weddings held at the parks
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2 vast area of green zones measuring 10 miles of green space are connected from Brea to Anaheim.
Fullerton is connected to Brea through Old Brea Blvd along the back side of Brea. The Saint Jude medical headquarter is a positive attribute benefitting both Brea and Fullerton. Doctors living nearby demand a higher quality of environment in both commercial and residential. Newer master planned communities are not packed in yielding a lower density along Bastenchury is pleasant and natural. View is phenomenal from these newer homes. Beware of speed traps on this road.
These 2 cities are ideal for Asians because Rowland Heights is only 10 minutes away by taking Harbor Blvd or the 57 freeway. Demographic of Brea Mall shoppers is 35 percents Asians and shops are catered for affordability unlike South Coast plaza. Other signs of strong Chinese and Korean restaurants are strong indicator of ethnicity migration around the area by Costco. Yum Cha Caf? not far from there is just one of the many to come. South Brea lofts should have been built in Fullerton downtown rather than on Brea Blvd. Downtown Brea has not acquired its critical mass for this type of product. On the other hand Soco Walks (south of Commonwealth) by Olson Company by the train depot is at a better spot but it also hit hard time.
The area south of the track is referred to as South Fullerton but north of 91 fwy was the blue collared neighborhoods for the factories and it has not changed over the years. Maple Elementary School in the neighborhood offers numerous Christian outreach program and soup kitchen for the poor families in partnership with EV Free Church of Fullerton. The train track separates the wealthy and the poor just like 17th street separates Floral Park from Santa Ana.
Lesser known higher learning institution such as So Cal school of Optometry and South Western Law School also add prestigious reputation to this well rounded City of Fullerton.
The quality of lifestyle, character, diversities, history, scenic parks, recreation, education, city legacy and convenient location is unmatched by any newer cities. I will stamp a high level of ?Bkshopr? approval for Fullerton.
