The slope beneath the Casa Romantica in San Clemente is being restabilized after a landslide on April 27 caused structural damage to the cultural center, according to city officials.
The work is expected to take around two weeks.
The building suffered damage to its deck and outdoor amphitheater, as a result of the landslide. The cultural center—which stages performances, exhibitions, lectures, and workshops—remains closed after the incident.
Additionally, 24 nearby homes were also red-tagged as a result of the landslide, which occurred after substantial saturation due to excessive rain. All but one has been given the green light for occupants to move back in, according to city officials.
“This work is a temporary stabilization effort and more permanent work will be needed to secure the Casa Romantica building as well as the entire slope in the future,” according to a May 11 press release issued by the city. “Design of a permanent solution has already begun.”
According to city spokesperson Andy Hall, restoration work on the slope will come next.
The priority right now, he said, is to ensure the slope’s integrity so people can return to their homes.
It is unclear how many people have moved back into their condominiums following the slide, excluding the one unit that remains tagged, according to Hall.
The walking path below the area has reopened since the incident, and freight trains are now able to use the railroad tracks below. Passenger train service has been suspended since the slide from Laguna Niguel to San Juan Capistrano, San Clemente, and Oceanside.
According to Hall, it is unclear when communal trains can resume running on the tracks.
