Rosedale Groundbreaking Ceremony

August 1, 2005

City officials broke ground Thursday, July 14th on Rosedale, a 518-acre master planned community on the former Monrovia Nursery property in Azusa. The Rosedale master plan – created and approved by the Azusa citizens – includes 1,250 homes, a new school and fire station, a new community center, and several new neighborhood parks.

About 150 people attended the invitation-only ground breaking ceremony held under a white tent surrounded by plants.

Azusa Mayor Diane Chagnon said that while the project closes a chapter on the Monrovia Nursery - where the concept of potted plants was developed – it opens a new chapter that will change Azusa's demographics and be the engine needed to spur the city's economic vitality.

"I'm glad to see this day arrive and so is this community. It's a day everyone in the community will celebrate, because it will affect our future,” Chagnon said.

“This is a tribute to the city leaders who had vision. The question was, could we find a builder who would not only build houses, but buy into the community,” said Miles Rosedale, chief executive officer of Monrovia Nursery. Rosedale said he believes Azusa Land Partners is the right developer to implement the city’s vision for Rosedale. The land was owned by the Rosedale family for a half century.

“We are not just here to build homes. We’re here to also build a community,” said Chris Gibbs, President of PLC Land Company; managing partner of Azusa Land Partners.

In May 2004, Azusa voters approved the housing development by a 3-1 margin after they had turned down a larger project in 1999.

The Monrovia Nursery will always be remembered within the new development, as streets will be named after flowers and plants the nursery patented and after some of the people who worked on the land when it was a citrus grove.

The property was purchased by Azusa Land Partners, LLC, in September 2004.