[ Long Beach Port Funds Preservation Projects ]

The Port of Long Beach has completed demolition of the former Long B
each Naval Station, triggering the transfer of $4.5 million in preserv
ation funds from the port to the Long Beach Navy Memorial Heritage Ass
ociation. The funding fulfills an agreement reached last year by the p
ort, Navy and preservation groups, clearing the way for construction o
f a shipping terminal at the former Navy site.

Under the accord, the non-profit Navy heritage association is to use
the money for "fostering and supporting the identification, evaluatio
n, preservation, rehabilitation, restoration and interpretation of his
torical resources" within the city of Long Beach.

The board of directors of the newly formed association consists of t
wo members from Long Beach Heritage, two from the Wilmore City Heritag
e Association, two from the Historical Society of Long Beach and three
members from the city's Cultural Heritage Commission.

"This fund was arrived at after serveral years of thoughtful conside
ration by the port, Navy and preservation groups,"said Nancy Latimer,
the Navy heritage association's president and a Long Beach Heritage me
mber. 'The historic Naval Station has been demolished but we feel tha
t a lot of public benefit will come from this fund."

The group's intent is to use only the internet earned each year so t
hat historic presentation grants can be awarded indefinitely, said Lat
imer. The memorial heritage association has obtained its tax-exempt st
atus, and it plans on issuing it first grant next year.

Under last year's agreement, the port placed the $4.5 million into a
n escrow fund when it began redeveloping the Naval Station. When the
port demolished Pier 7 at the Naval Station in mid-July, completing t
he razing of the former Navy facility, the money was transferred to th
e memorial association.

The Port is building a 200-plus-acre container terminal. Since the
beginning of the year, it has awarded contracts for a new wharf, gradi
ng and the installation of utilities for the new terminal.

In addition to the preservation fund, the port has taken several ste
ps to memorialize the Naval Station. Architectural drawings for the Na
vy buildings will be preserved at the National Archives facility in La
guna Nigel, with copies going to the Historical Society of Long Beach
. Historic photographs of the Naval Station are going into the Special
Collections at California State University, Long Beach. The port als
o is preparing an exhibit, including a three-dimensional model of the
Naval Station, and video documenting the architecture and history of t
he facility.