Hall of Science opens its doors for move-in

Photos by: Jaime A. Varela

       The construction of the $102 million dollar Hall of Science building, which broke ground in February 2008 is finally open for move-in. Administrators, faculty and student volunteers are taking advantage of spring break to start wheeling in cart-loads of office materials and important equipment. 

       Mark Zakhour, Senior Construction Manager at CSULB said, "although faculty have began moving in, classes will not take place here until next semester." 

       When classes do resume in the fall, physics, chemistry, biology, and marine biology will be taught here. With over 50 laboratories, four lecture halls, three greenhouses, and six large telescopes, this building is going to provide a more hands-on and research-based approach to learning. 

      Laura Kingsford, Dean of the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics said, "the nice facilities are extremely conducive to a better learning environment...no more leaking pipes to draw down our motivation to learn." 

       The biggest challenge in constructing this building was the four-month financial suspension in 2009, said Zakhour. "We only had a big hole in the ground and we weren't sure what was going to happen with it [the project]."

       With California still in financial trouble, the remaining Peterson Hall 1 and 2 will only receive minor aesthetic improvements. Once they are completed the buildings will be used for storage, research projects, and lecture space for other departments. 

      Brain Livingston, Chair of Biological Sciences said, "I was dodging falling tiles in the old place, I can't wait to see the wonderful opportunities our faculty and students will have here." 

The Hall of Science is scheduled to be fully functional by the end of the summer. 

      

     

     

     

KBeach Special Report: Second and PCH project updates

Photo by: KBeach Global Radio

     Developer David Malmuth was the guest speaker yesterday at Councilman Gary Delong's monthly meeting. The developer and councilman met with a crowd of 75 community members and special interest groups at Mckenna's by the Bay to discuss the controversial Second and PCH project. 


     Listen to the latest KBeach podcast as I discuss the project in a special report with Dave Wielenga of GreaterLongBeach.com along with Heather Alton a local environmental professional and John Trapper the student media advisor for Associated Students Inc.


Here are some questions we tried to find answers to after today's 3rd District meeting:

• What will be the environmental impact on Long Beach with the construction of this project?
• Is Delong being transparent and truly reaching out to his entire constituency to reach a consensus on the project?
• How do the people most affected by such dramatic changes, like CSULB students, feel about the project-if they even are aware of what it means to them. 
• How will this project appeal to and serve the CSULB student body?

Mixed opinions on Second and PCH

Photo by: Jaime A. Varela

    
       For many people, the word "deteriorating" is an understatement for describing the Seaport Marina Hotel, but for others, like Shane and Lawrence who are both Long Beach visitors, the word is "affordable."  Recently, the second+pch project, which proposes to build retail shops, a hotel, theater, and science center where the current Seaport Marina Hotel is located, has been getting a lot of attention. Community leaders, CSULB administrative officials, students and community residents are all speaking out about the pros and cons of this project. So I decided to find out what the people who work and visit the hotel think about this project and how they feel it will affect them.

       Saydi Mills, a Thacker Berry Farms employee who sells strawberries on the hotel premise said she has been working at the site for over a year, but the stand has been there for around eight years. She said even though this is her only job, she believes constructing a shopping village would benefit the city. "I like the idea, this place [Long Beach] needs more of a better centerpiece and this is a good spot." When asked about potentially losing her job she said in a joking manner, "I'll just move to another stand."

       A strawberry stand placed on a gravel section of the front parking lot may be a sign of the desperate financial struggle the hotel has been in for years. One out of the three middle-aged house keepers who asked to remain anonymous said she has seen the hotel transform from a busy and popular hotel to a "destroyed place." In her thirty years of working there she said it has progressively gotten worst. "People who visit treat us [house keepers] bad, they tell me this place looks like a dump and they often ask me for their money back! I say I am sorry and I just try to clean and do my job," she said. When asked about the project, she also agreed it would be a good idea since the hotel is not doing well and she only works three to eight hours when needed.

       Tourists, like Shane and Lawrence from Chino Hills, said it would be better to not build a shopping village since there are a lot of shopping centers adjacent to the hotel, but instead they suggested the owners should renovate it. "It's cheap, it's in a good location for bars, and we get a discount on the big red bus, I like it," said Shane. A couple from San Francisco also said they were staying at the hotel because it was cheap. "It's definitely seen better days, maybe some upgrades would do," said the woman.

      When I entered the hotel to ask the manager if management was considering renovations or if they were simply going to give up the property for development, she was unavailable for comment. Derek, director of operations at Platinum limousine, which leases a small shop behind the hotel, said the hotel management has told them nothing regarding the proposal. "We have heard talks about it, but we really have no clue what is happening. I guess if it passes we'll just move and put our 32 limos somewhere else," he said.

        Regardless if the proposal passes or not, it seems the property management at the Seaport Marina Hotel will have to take drastic measures in order for it to keep its doors open for business.

Photo by: Jaime A. Varela

Downtown arts district potential home to the graduate arts program

Photo by: Jaime A. Varela

       The masters of fine arts program may soon have a new facility constructed in the downtown East Village Arts District. The new campus would be built at the corner of Long Beach Boulevard and East Broadway, where there is currently a parking lot and the abandoned Bertrand Smith's Acres of Books bookstore. 

       According to an article written by the Daily 49er, Long Beach's Redevelopment Agency (RDA) has set a March 15 deadline for accepting a Request for Qualifications/Proposals. Developers will work to design a building on a 75,000 square feet site that includes classrooms, studios. a printmaking lab, ceramics studio and student housing.

       Information on the funding for this project is currently unavailable until a developer is chosen.

  

       Barbie Clark, the downtown development project manager with the RDA said this project will be a good way to link two different aspects of the city.

       There are currently 80 students in the graduate program and it is expected to increase to 100-120 students in a couple of years. Although all the current graduate students will graduate before this concept becomes reality, most are excited about the new opportunities future students will benefit from.

Photo by: Long Beach Redevelopment Agency

       

       

A New Gateway for CSULB Students and Community

Photo by: Jaime A. Varela

     
  The deteriorating SeaPort Marina Hotel located on Second and Pacific Coast Highway is the site where developers at David Malmuth Development are planning to build an environmentally-friendly seaside shopping village. The new project will include rental shops, residences, restaurants, various retail stores, a 100-room hotel and a 99-seat theater and science center operated by CSULB. 

     The theater will be home to the California Repertory Company (Cal Rep), which is composed of graduate, staff and faculty actors at CSULB. The theater will host contemporary performances, improv night, cabaret, youth theater programs, community theater workshops and musical theater.

       According to the project's website, second+pch, the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics is also looking into construction of the Coastal Science Center.  The facility would take a "hands-on approach to educating the community of wetlands and coastal eco-systems with demo-stations."


       Laura Kingsford, dean of natural sciences and mathematics, said there are currently no updates on the science center and the proposal is still an idea. In fact, the organizers behind this project have not been able to move the project from an idea to a reality because the proposal has come under attack by opponents who believe the project would interrupt the flow of traffic and damage the Los Cerritos wetlands. 


       The second+pch website is now trying to gain support from CSULB students by offering them the chance to have their voices heard on their Facebook page. According to the team of professionals collaborating on this concept, if approved for construction, it will create 920 permanent jobs and contribute approximately $45 million to the city's general fund over 20 years. This means CSULB students will have more opportunities for employment, still there are a lot of people, including students, who feel this project may not be worth the environmental risks.

Photo by: second+pch