Facebook Fans can now share their thoughts, comments and opinions about the City of Rancho Cucamonga’s “Rancho Googlemonga” Campaign.

When you join the "Rancho Googlemonga" Facebook Group, you can discuss and share with your friends and neighbors why Google’s Fiber for Communities Project should come to Rancho Cucamonga; upload a video telling Google why Rancho Cucamonga should be its number one choice; and get direct access to the nomination link so that you can nominate Rancho Cucamonga too!

The Rancho Googlemonga Facebook Group can be found at: RCRDA.us/Googlemonga

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The City of Rancho Cucamonga announced today the launch of its "Rancho Googlemonga" campaign, a community-wide effort to bring Google’s Fiber for Communities project to this Southern California community of 177,000.

Google, Inc. recently announced its intentions to initiate an experiment that it hopes will make Internet access faster and better for everyone. The company plans to test ultra-high-speed broadband networks in one or more trial locations across the country. The networks will deliver Internet speeds more than 100 times faster than what most Americans have access to today — over a gigabyte per second fiber-to-home connections.

Currently, Google is soliciting Requests for Information (RFI) from communities that are interested in being considered as potential candidates. In response to Google’s RFI, the City of Rancho Cucamonga has begun the RFI process and intends to submit its package prior to Google’s deadline.

In addition to Google’s request that municipalities provide information about their communities including demographic and geographic data, infrastructure assets and related information, the company is also soliciting feedback from community stakeholders — residents, business owners and their employees, representatives of community organizations, etc.

Through its "Rancho Googlemonga" campaign, the City will take a multimedia approach to encourage all community stakeholders to submit a nomination form on behalf of Rancho Cucamonga. The City will utilize multiple media platforms to accomplish this task in hopes of generating thousands of online submittals to the Google website. In addition to traditional media outlets (newspapers, print materials) the City will also tap into its electronic resources such as the City and Redevelopment Agency websites, email blasts, electronic newsletters, social media sites and digital displays.

Even though it is anticipated that there will be numerous cities competing for a slice of the Fiber for Communities pie (which may ultimately be only one slice), Rancho Cucamonga officials are confident that the City has as good a chance as any to convince Google that Rancho Cucamonga should be the community selected to launch its fiber network.

"We have a very enthusiastic and engaging group of citizens when it comes to innovation and technology," commented Rancho Cucamonga Mayor Donald Kurth. "That’s why Google’s Fiber for Communities effort is the right project at the right time for the right community — and we believe that community is Rancho Cucamonga."

With the assistance of its 177,000 residents, thousands of business professionals and representatives of local community organizations communicating the same message, it could certainly bring more awareness of the City’s desire to bring Google’s project to Rancho Cucamonga.

Rancho Cucamonga residents, business owners, employees, community organization members and anyone else who lives or works in the community can nominate the City through a special web page that has been posted on the Rancho Cucamonga Redevelopment Agency website at:

RCRDA.us/Google

The web page provides information, instructions and direct access for submitting a nomination form to Google, and the City is encouraging the entire community to take part in the effort. The deadline for submitting nominations is March 26, 2010 unless Google chooses to close the nomination period early.

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The Ellen Capital Group has purchased the former PFF Bank & Trust Headquarters building on Milliken Avenue in Rancho Cucamonga.

The corporate office facility, which is 47,720 square feet in size and is situated on approximately 4.33 acres, was purchased for $4.1 million, or about $85 per square foot, from PFF Bank & Trust in an REO sale.

The building was constructed in 1990 and has, over the years, housed Citi Group and Sears Credit financial operations, as well as its most recent tenant, PFF Bank & Trust. The PFF office facility, prior to being acquired along with other assets by U.S. Bank in 2008, had undergone a major renovation for use as PFF’s corporate headquarters.

The buyer, Ellen Capital Group, LLC plans to occupy the building. According to California Department of State records, Ellen Capital Group is related to CALTROP, a professional consulting firm specializing in managing large programs from inception through construction, operations and maintenance for public and private clients. Some of CALTROP’s projects have included the I-405/SR-55 interchange and I-5 Gateway projects in Orange County, reconstruction of the San Francisco Bay Bridge and the I-405 Del Amo Overcrossing project in Carson, to name a few.

In addition to its proximity to the Rancho Cucamonga Metrolink Commuter Rail station, the office building is located near many restaurants and services including the Victoria Gardens Regional Town Center.

Comerica Bank announced today that Rancho Cucamonga will be one of the company’s six new locations in Southern California in 2010.

The Rancho Cucamonga Comerica Banking Center will be located at 12035 Foothill Boulevard in the Victoria Commons shopping center and is scheduled to open in the fourth quarter. The expansion to the Inland Empire area and Rancho Cucamonga is due in part to the bank’s confidence in the local economy.

"Because of the size and diversity of the Southern California regional economy, we have opened more new banking centers here in the last six years than in any of our other markets," said Mike Fulton, president and CEO of Comerica Bank's Western Market. "We're continuing to invest in the region because we believe in its potential for continued economic growth."

Before Comerica Bank began its California expansion in 2004, it had 42 banking centers statewide, 14 in three Southern California counties. By the end of the year, Comerica is slated to open more than 100 banking centers in California including the Rancho Cucamonga location.

Comerica Bank is a subsidiary of Comerica Incorporated, a Dallas-based company strategically aligned into three major business segments: the Business Bank, the Retail Bank, and Wealth & Institutional Management. Comerica reported total assets of $59.3 billion at the end of 2009.

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In an economy where many company executives are mulling their next move, Rancho Cucamonga’s Pyramid Mold and Tool is moving forward.

Pyramid Mold & Tool recently invested about $200,000 for its second injection molding press, a water temperature controller and a material dryer for its year-old technical center. The Rancho Cucamonga-based firm now anticipates investing about $350,000 into its operations during 2010, primarily for mold making equipment.

Pyramid installed and began operating its new electric 220-ton Arburg 570A press, Frigel Microgel RCD60/12 dual-zone high-precision water temperature controller and Maguire LPD 100 low pressure vacuum material dryer with dry air conveyor prior to the end of 2009 to take advantage of tax incentives, said Tony May, director of business development and technical sales.

The company’s tech center currently occupies 1,200 square feet within Pyramid’s 31,000-square-foot building with adequate space for internal expansion.

"Our next addition will require moving a wall to expand the [tech center] room," May said. "The projection at that time will be approximately 3,500 square feet."

With tech center capabilities, Pyramid can provide in-house sampling and first articles to customers.

"Tools are scheduled for sampling seamlessly and immediately upon being completed," May noted.

The tech center can sample tools as small as single cavity unit die prototypes on the 110-ton machine and as large as those able to fit within the 22.4-inch tie bar spacing of the 220-ton machine.

Pyramid Mold & Tool designs and manufactures world-class plastic injection molds and is recognized as a leader in the mold-making industry. Since mid-2009, Pyramid added three employees bringing its total to 35. The new employees added in the shop include a computer-numerical-control-machine operator, a mold maker and an apprentice.

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Bicycle retailer, Incycle Inc., will be opening its fourth Southern California location in the Orchard Plaza Shopping Center in Rancho Cucamonga.

The high-tech bicycle company purchased a building at 9110 Foothill Boulevard for $1.06 million, or about $220 per square foot, from a private trust. It will be the fourth location for Incycle in the Los Angeles/Inland Empire region.

Built in 1982, the 4,800-square-foot retail building is located on Foothill Boulevard, just east of Vineyard Avenue, in the Orchard Plaza Shopping Center.

Incycle carries top brand mountain, road, BMX, cruising and children’s bicycles, as well as cycling gear and apparel, books/DVDs and novelty items, and has its own in-house maintenance and repair shop.

The Rancho Cucamonga Incycle location, which is in proximity to the western portion of the Pacific Electric Trail route (to be completed over the next 18 months) will be convenient to visiting bicyclists too because the company not only sells bikes but also rents them.

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