MIRACLE ON 50TH STREET NEW TOWN CENTER SET FOR COMING OUT PARTY.

Byline: Greg Botonis Staff Writer

QUARTZ HILL - Volunteers are putting the finishing touches on the new Quartz Hill Town Center in preparation for the March 23 grand opening festival.

The town center, which townsfolk have taken to calling The Miracle on 50th Street because of the struggles involved in rebuilding it, will house the Chamber of Commerce as well as a Sheriff's Department substation, which will be shared with the Los Angeles County police force.

``It's an effort to put the whole town together in one building and have a place they can be proud of,'' said chamber Chairman Bill Carr. ``Our idea is really to bring everyone together and wrap their arms around each other and truly be a united community.''

Despite more than a year of work and numerous hurdles with various permits and licenses, the town center is finished with the exception of some paint touch-ups and other minor work. The landscaping, and concrete for driveways and walkways will be finished within the next couple of weeks, officials said.

The center is scheduled to open March 23 in a ceremony that will include a horse ride by Sheriff Lee Baca and other dignitaries through the center of town.

As many as 200 riders are scheduled to participate in the ride.

Work on the center has been done by Sheriff's Department personnel, county police officers and members of the Quartz Hill Chamber of Commerce and Town Council. They credit community involvement for the center being where it is today.

``It's truly been a community effort,'' said sheriff's Deputy Mark Cripe, who with Sgt. Brian Hawksley has helped organizing work crews and performed a good deal of the work themselves. ``It's not any one person or business that stands out above the others in these efforts. There's so many cogs in the wheel that if any one cog is missing, the entire project wouldn't have happened.''

The building on 50th Street West south of Avenue L-14 was built just after World War II by a soldier from Muroc Army Air Field - now Edwards Air Force Base - using scrap lumber, Cripe said.

While tearing out the walls to rebuild, volunteers found a 1945 newspaper with an article about the Hiroshima bombing. To continue the tradition, volunteers placed inside a wall a newspaper from Sept. 12.

The 1945 newspaper will be framed and hung in the center.

The March 23 grand opening will include music, a silent auction featuring celebrity memorabilia and a raffle with prizes ranging from dinners to holiday getaways and a $1,200 saddle.

A barbecue will cook more than 500 pounds of ribs, links and chicken along with side dishes.

``This center is for the whole community and the grand opening will be, too,'' said Town Council member Ed Froemer.

Everything used in rebuilding, designing and decorating the center was donated or purchased through donations. More than 40 businesses and residents donated time, money or materials to the center.

The March 23 festival will begin with the horse ride at 9 a.m. with the dedication following at 10 a.m.

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Volunteers, sitting from left are Town Council member Sheila Kennedy, council President James P. Biddle, council member Ed Froemer and Chamber of Commerce President Bill Carr. Standing is Harry Brodock, a member of a group of retired executives.

(2 -- color) Volunteers work on the new Quartz Hill Town Center, which is set for a grand opening celebration March 23. From left are Harry Mossinger, Harry Brodock and Jerry Holt.

Jeff Goldwater/Staff Photographer