Courier Place a Multi-generational Trailblazer

By Jeffrey Steele, Contributing Writer

Claremont, Calif.—With its recent grand opening, the 74-unit Courier Place Apartment Homes in Claremont, Calif., became the first-ever multi-generational affordable housing to be developed by Jamboree Housing Corporation. Located at 111 South College Ave. in Claremont, Courier Place is to be home to senior citizens and families earning between 30 and 50 percent of Area Median Income (AMI).

In addition to its status as a multi-generational affordable community, Courier Place is notable for other distinctions. It is Jamboree’s first development to achieve a LEED-certified Platinum rating, and showcases transit-oriented design, with more than 350 bus or Metro rides available daily to residents. It is adjacent to the historic Claremont train depot, and just a quarter mile from downtown Claremont Village, with its civic center, post office, boutique shops and eateries.

The building housing senior residents is a three-story-tall, garden-style building with 38 one-bedroom apartments, an elevator and a two-story recreation space. The family apartments will feature 36 two- and three-bedroom, two-bath homes spread across a pair of three-story garden-style apartment buildings.

The location was the key to the development. “Courier Place Apartment Homes were developed on the former site of the Claremont Courier newspaper,” Laura Archuleta, president of Irvine-based Jamboree Housing Corporation, tells MHN.

“With the relocation of the newspaper to another facility, the site became available for Courier Place, creating the opportunity to provide a true transit-oriented development near downtown Claremont. Access to the rail station and the adjacent Claremont Village reduces the site’s carbon footprint, and provides a walkable, pedestrian-friendly environment for residents.”

What’s more, due to the development’s strategic walkable downtown Claremont location, almost two-dozen residents of Courier Place work in Claremont, eliminating the need for these individuals to commute lengthy distances by car.

The biggest hurdle in getting the project under way was the need to work with neighbors and other stakeholders in residential neighborhoods contiguous to Courier Place.

The goal was to “effectively address concerns about traffic and other issues that were expressed during numerous community meetings over the course of many months,” Archuleta says. “Eventually, all the concerns were answered to the satisfaction of residents and city officials by embracing community input and with creative planning. At the conclusion of the process, the City Council unanimously approved the development by a 5-0 vote.”

Each home in Courier Place features Energy Star appliances and energy-efficient lighting, among a long list of green features. Each unit is wired for Internet access. Common area amenities include a recreation building and seniors recreation center with roof deck, swimming pool with patio area, tot lot, barbecue and picnic areas, central laundry facilities in each building and complimentary Wi-Fi in both clubhouses.

“Courier Place initiates a new age of housing that is sustainable, affordable and multigenerational,” Archuleta says. “We salute the City of Claremont and all of our partners for helping to bring Courier Place to reality.”