City and regional officials gathered to celebrate the opening of the Crescent House and Chimes Events Center. (Photo courtesy of City of Lake Elsinore)
One of Lake Elsinore’s oldest and most historic structures has become the hub of a redevelopment program in the city.
The Chimes Building, located just off Main Street on Graham Avenue in the historic downtown area, is now the site of a business incubator and has been renamed the Chimes Event and Training Center. Once used as a bath house in the 1800s because of the hot springs beneath it, the building now also includes Borsellino Travel and a café/coffee shop.
On Feb. 3, the building hosted an Entrepreneur Kickoff Event celebrating the launch of the incubator concept and bringing together business leaders and economic development partners. It was held in partnership with the Emprendedor@s Program, the Riverside County Economic Development Agency, the City of Lake Elsinore Economic Development Department, Bank of America, and the Chimes Event Center.
That ceremony marked the soft opening of the Crescent House 1887 and The Chimes Event Center. Attendees included Mayor Bob Magee; Gina Gonzalez, economic development director for the City of Lake Elsinore; a representative of Senator Kelly Seyarto’s office; Assemblywoman Natasha Johnson; a representative of County Supervisor Karen Spiegel’s office; and Marlene Marroquin of the US-Mexico Chamber of Commerce.
“The Chimes building represents more than a historic structure — it represents opportunity,” said Mercedes Borsellino, The Chimes Founder/CEO. “By transforming this space into a business incubator, we are creating real pathways for entrepreneurs to start and grow businesses in Lake Elsinore. This project directly supports job creation, small business success, and long-term economic vitality in our downtown.”
The Emprendedor@s Program provides business education, technical assistance, and mentorship to aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs. The first graduates of the Lake Elsinore program were honored recently.
“Supporting entrepreneurship is essential to building a strong local economy,” said Magee. “By investing in spaces like The Chimes building and partnering with proven programs like Emprendedor@s, Lake Elsinore is creating an environment where businesses can grow, jobs can be created, and downtown can continue to thrive.”
A future grand opening will be announced once all business permitting and expansion improvements have been completed.
The first graduating class of the local Emprendedor@s program pose with their diplomas. (Photo courtesy of the City of Lake Elsinore). 
