SANTA PAULA — On Nov.16, 2022, the City of Santa Paula announced that Chevron, in partnership with its affiliate Union Oil Company of California, made a generous offer to donate the historic former headquarters of Union Oil Company of California to the City. This donation would include the building, a $2 million grant to facilitate necessary maintenance, and select memorabilia displayed in the museum. Since December, staff has been conducting due diligence and negotiating a transfer agreement which would establish the City as the permanent owner of the property. In addition, the City established an ad hoc committee to assist in the evaluation of the property transition and future use of the facility.
“The donation of the former Union Oil Company of California headquarters is a remarkable opportunity for the City of Santa Paula. We are grateful to Chevron and Union Oil Company of California for their commitment to preserving our history and supporting the revitalization of our community,” stated Mayor Andy Sobel.
To ensure community involvement in shaping the future of the property, the City has planned two Community Workshops & Tours led by David Yoshitomi, Arts & Culture Manager of the County of Ventura. The workshops and tours, which will be conducted in English and Spanish, will take place on Wednesday, July 26th at 5:30 PM and Friday, August 4th at 5:30PM. Both workshops will be held at the Union Oil Building located at 1001 E Main St. Santa Paula, CA 93060.
The tour and workshops will include computer-aided design/floor exhibit layouts, visual representation of the spaces and floors in the building and provide an opportunity for the public to participate in an exercise on the future use of the building.
“The Community Workshops & Tours are a vital part of this process, as we want the residents and organizations of Santa Paula to actively contribute to the vision for the former Union Oil Company of California headquarters. We value your input and look forward to shaping a vibrant future for this historical site,” expressed Parks and Recreation Director Gregory Barnes.
Additionally, as part of this effort, the City of Santa Paula is collecting pictures and stories related to the Union Oil Museum to share during a third workshop in August. The City encourages residents and organizations to participate by submitting memories via bit.ly/3XFj9tw.
The City of Santa Paula encourages all Santa Paula and Ventura County residents and organizations interested in the future of the former Union Oil Company of California headquarters to participate in the Community Workshops & Tours.
For more information, please visit bit.ly/3pEySMM, signup up at bit.ly/43hvLZdto be notified of future events, or contact Jonathan Royas, Management Analyst, at jroyas@spcity.org
