SOUTH BAY & GATEWAY CITIES | Development News [Archive]

croyboy

June 3rd, 2009, 04:42 AM

give the people the bailout so we can actually have money to go to these places and spend it or businesses should just do bussiness cheaper. this place looks gorgeous, but if noone is going, why provide unused business? it's not like it gets demolished... state takes over if anything. and private investors that can afford to keep it in use to people that can actually afford to go there will eventually invest in it... look at hearst castle! someone who couldn't keep it any longer passed it on to someone that can.

did they even take donations first? i mean i don't live in palos verdes, but a city just giving a bailout is also part of a state in debt to a poorer USA.

i pay this poor country so that i can be protected, be given multiple options to go wherever i want to in my country (since i'm paying for it), and to just live (reside) in it. if i want to pay for chevrolet to stay afloat, i'll buy a car if it is the best to what i can afford (if the product is actually good). if i want AIG to stay up, i'll invest in their life insurance to what i see fit for me and my family (not bail them out so they can spend half of that money to send their workers to a resort for free, which they did). since i don't have a family, well AIG seems pretty useless to me.

i like sony products, toyotas, itunes, converse shoes, i guess mostly gap clothes, samsung phones, whirlpool washers, blahblahblah... if i liked a single product better, i would get it. why would i pay for something to stay around if i don't like (or can't get) what they put out? businesses have to work around the buyer if they even think they can survive in last place. if they make something bad or unaffordable to everyone, why whould they stick around? and they're getting a bailout, so it's like i'm paying for a resort and not going to it.

GM should have built better cars or not have payed their average employees like they're some great doctors or something (wish i made 50 bucks an hour). this resort probably could have taken donations (more publically and in advance) or maybe have lowered prices or stocked cheaper drinks from cheaper manufacturers.

sorry, i probably stirred something up, but i feel pretty annoyed about the bailout-happiness going on.

saiholmes

June 5th, 2009, 04:29 AM

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Rancho Palos Verdes gives luxury resort an $8-million bailout
Developers of Terranea Resort, slated to open June 12, say the credit crunch forced them to ask the city for a loan. The council unanimously OK'd the deal despite concerns from city staff.
By Jeff Gottlieb
From the Los Angeles Times
May 31, 2009

When the owners of a $480-million seaside luxury resort said they needed more money to ensure it would open, they turned to Rancho Palos Verdes.

The City Council last week unanimously agreed to give Terranea Resort what amounted to an $8-million loan by allowing Lowe Enterprises to defer payment of its hotel tax for several years. The vote came despite concerns from city staff members who said the loan was "not fiscally prudent."

The 102-acre resort is scheduled to open June 12 where the Marineland of the Pacific oceanarium once stood. It will include three restaurants, a nine-hole golf course, a 360-room hotel and 20 bungalows. Also on the grounds are 82 casitas and villas that range in price from $2 million to $4 million.

Mayor Pro Tem Steve Wolowicz said the city, which has few businesses, has never provided an economic stimulus package like this one, or dealt with a project like Terranea.

"We have not had anything like it before, and our city is not likely to encounter something like this again," he said.

According to the deal, Terranea will be allowed to keep the 10% hotel tax customers pay. The resort will receive $8 million or collect the taxes for 27 months, whichever comes first.

The loan will be repaid by 2013 at the London interbank offered rate, plus 8 percentage points. LIBOR is a benchmark used globally, similar to the prime rate. The deadline can be extended for a year at a higher interest rate. The rate for three-month LIBOR loans last week was .66%.

The council made its decision Wednesday morning at a special meeting that ended around 1:30 a.m.

Robert Lowe, chairman and chief executive of Lowe Enterprises, said in an interview that he was forced to go to the city for the funds because of the credit crisis.

Asked what would have happened if the city had turned him down, he said, "I don't want to speculate. It's not going to happen."

He said the resort should provide the city with $7 million to $8 million in taxes annually once it reaches "stabilization" in three to four years.

Among the resorts and hotels the company owns are the Resort at Squaw Creek in Lake Tahoe, Stowe Mountain Lodge in Vermont, Sheraton Universal Hotel in Hollywood and the Miramonte Resort and Spa in Indian Wells.

Lowe first approached the city in April with a deal that would have provided the company with about $35 million of hotel taxes over 10 years.

"It was problematic whether the city would be repaid," Wolowicz said. "An outright gift by the government we didn't think was right."

Still, there was opposition to the deal that the council approved. The city's Finance Director, Dennis McLean, wrote that it was "not fiscally prudent."

Wolowicz said the council seldom goes against city staff recommendations.

The councilman said the city had not made plans yet to spend the hotel tax money, so the deal would not require budget cuts.

He said the city has reserves of about $19 million.

The city is low on the list of creditors who would be repaid in case of default.

"We made this decision understanding there is a certain element of risk, but feeling the benefits and safeguards and economic substance of the city's position warrant the decision that we made in granting the request," he said.

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Plans to replace Hollywood Park racetrack progress
Developers intend to unveil a model of the retail district that would be built on the Inglewood site. The project, which would also include residences, must still be approved by the city.
By Ari B. Bloomekatz
The Los Angeles Times
5:57 PM PDT, March 10, 2009

The controversial plan to raze the landmark racetrack at Hollywood Park is coming into clearer focus this week as developers plan to unveil a model of the proposed 620,000-square-foot retail district that would partially replace it.

The Hollywood Park Tomorrow project would mark one of the region's largest redevelopment projects, covering 238 acres in Inglewood -- though it faces hurdles.

The plan has yet to be finalized, and Inglewood officials still must approve it. The developers say that once they get the go-ahead, they're ready to tear down the track and break ground on the roughly $2-billion project.

A question remains about the feasibility of launching such a large project amid an economic downturn that has stalled similar developments.

Hollywood Park officials have guaranteed horse racing only through this summer.

The proposed project's plan is to mix the retail space -- which includes dozens of shops and restaurants, a 15-screen movie theater and a refurbished casino at its existing location -- with nearly 3,000 residential units, 75,000 square feet of office space, a 300-room hotel, 25 acres of park space and a four-acre civic site that could be a school.

"What they're proposing is the Hollywood Park of tomorrow," said Inglewood City Councilman Daniel Tabor. "I hope this is the model of what Inglewood will be, at least to some people, an upscale, growing, livable community where people can own a home, shop for the . . . goods and services that they need, and enjoy themselves at restaurants and night spots."

Tabor said one of his priorities before moving forward is that developers "promise the community that it will create not just employment opportunities during the construction phase, but employment opportunities with livable wages into the future."

Tabor said the council could vote on whether to approve the plan as early as April or May and that he hopes developers are able to break ground around January 2010.

A small-scale model, 5-by-5-feet, will be shown Thursday to Inglewood's city leaders and will be on public display this weekend at the racetrack to provide a glimpse of what the future could hold.

Gerard McCallum, a project developer for Hollywood Park Land Co., a subsidiary of Bay Area developer Wilson, Meany, Sullivan, estimated that the project would take two to three years to complete.

Although there is broad support for the project at Inglewood City Hall, some race fans at Hollywood Park have been hoping the track will be saved.

The closure of the Hollywood Park racetrack and the construction of a major mixed-use development would be a definite milestone for Inglewood, which several years ago lost its beloved Los Angeles Lakers when the team moved from the Forum to Staples Center in downtown L.A.

Hollywood Park opened in 1938 -- and was known as the racing track of the stars. Hollywood moguls Jack L. Warner, Samuel Goldwyn and Walt Disney were early leaders, and the park attracted its share of Hollywood types well into the 1980s.

klamedia

June 6th, 2009, 06:25 PM

How do we work transit into this massive project? Crenshaw line?

AlexTheMartian

June 7th, 2009, 01:40 AM

saiholmes

June 11th, 2009, 04:25 AM

Inglewood approves report on Hollywood Park development
-- Ari B. Bloomekatz
From the Los Angeles Time
5:24 PM | June 4, 2009

The Inglewood City Council has approved the final environmental impact report for a proposed $2-billion real-estate development that would replace the Hollywood Park racetrack.

The council voted 4 to 0 on Wednesday to approve the report, with one member abstaining. The panel discussed other issues regarding the project, but the 「big news is the passage of the EIR, because without that, the whole thing would have died,」 said Ed Maddox, city spokesman.

The council will reconvene Monday to listen to public input and possibly vote on other aspects of the project, including approval of the specific plan for the proposed 238-acre development.

The racetrack's owner, Bay Area developer Wilson Meany Sullivan, plans to begin construction on the massive retail and residential complex about a year after the project is approved.

The development would end racing at Hollywood Park, which opened in 1938 and remains one of the nation's most prominent racetracks. The new project, called Hollywood Park Tomorrow, would incorporate the existing casino.

saiholmes

June 15th, 2009, 12:18 AM

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Tensions flare between bar owners and residents in Long Beach
The Belmont Shore Residents Assn. is seeking increased police presence along 2nd Street, where bar patrons have been videotaped creating disturbances.
By Louis Sahagun
From the Los Angeles Times
June 14, 2009

Smarting from disturbances caused by rowdy bar patrons, a fashionable enclave in eastern Long Beach has become engulfed in a squabble between homeowners and business leaders over how to control the summer onslaught of customers who represent an economic benefit to the community and the city.

The Belmont Shore Residents Assn. wants an increased police presence along a 14-block stretch of 2nd Street to deal with the noise and violent behavior that can erupt as revelers retrieve their cars on neighborhood streets. Merchants and bar owners, however, say they are taking steps to police themselves and the customers attracted to the area's late-night party scene.

A focus of controversy is Mike Ruehle, president of the residents association and primary writer for its newsletters and blogs, which routinely make accusations against business owners and city officials, most of them vigorously denied. The retired engineering firm manager said he devotes "14 hours a day, six days a week" to the task of making bar owners more responsible for the behavior of their customers.

Ruehle, 53, has been banned from the most popular bars on 2nd Street and, he alleges, threatened by opponents. Ruehle said Long Beach City Councilman Gary DeLong, whose district includes 2nd Street, won't speak with him.

"I'm standing up for the community," Ruehle said. "There are 262 businesses in Belmont Shore, and 54 of them have alcohol licenses. Of those, less than 10 are open after 11 p.m. Five of them are open after midnight, when about 90% of all public disturbances occur."

"The people who oppose me own those bars," Ruehle added. "They are waiting for me to burn out and go away -- but that's not going to happen. You get in my face, I'll get back in yours just as hard."

That kind of talk has made Ruehle a hero to some homeowners who feel empowered by his relentless campaign against public drunkenness. Armed with video cameras, some residents have started posting videos of unruly behavior on YouTube: a young woman urinating in the middle of Covina Avenue, a fight in a parking lot, scuffles and screams in the shadows.

On May 28, at the bustling corner of Covina and 2nd, a police officer shot and critically wounded a man who tried to grab the officer's baton.

Adding a new wrinkle to the controversy, the Press-Telegram disclosed that Ruehle is on probation in connection with his arrest two years ago for drunk driving and speeding on 2nd Street.

In an interview with The Times, Ruehle acknowledged the incident, saying, "I made a mistake."

"We support Mike -- his efforts on our behalf have been heroic," said Cynthia Barron, an interior decorator who lives a few doors from Legends, a sports bar with 30 flat-screen televisions and seating for 300. "Every other night, we are awakened by horrifying street scenes."

But some business leaders said the problems have been exaggerated by residents who should have known about the neighborhood's night life when they moved there. They also say that Ruehle's accusations are so riddled with unsubstantiated statements that they seem to stretch freedom of speech to its limits.

For example, Ruehle tells anyone who will listen that certain Belmont Shore Business Assn. members are part of a secret alliance of business owners and city officials helping one another to illicitly further their interests.

"If Mike Ruehle can prove that, I'll pay off his mortgage," said Gene Rotondo, owner of Legends and president of the business association. "If he can't, he should apologize, then shut up."

A frequent target of Ruehle's allegations is Kurt Schneiter, chairman of the city parking commission.

"If Mike would only work with the rest of the community, we could move mountains," Schneiter said. "But too often, he creates conspiracies and drama out of rumors that are unfounded. As a result, it unleashes an environment of distrust and lack of commitment on all sides to work together."

Since the police-involved shooting, law enforcement authorities have been beefing up patrols on 2nd Street, and bar owners have been trying harder to be good neighbors.

"We hope to put some sort of long-term end to some of the problems on 2nd Street. Calls we get have been for public fighting and disturbing the peace," said Long Beach police Cmdr. Cynthia Renaud. "Overall, it's a complex situation with many players and many interests."

About midnight Thursday, the whoops of carousing were joined by grumblings about police and paddy wagons parked near the entrances of popular bars, including Legends and nearby Belmont Station.

At two bars, crowds filing out at closing time had to zig-zag past sidewalk signs that said, "Quiet please: You are entering a residential area" in large red letters. Those establishments and others had also positioned staff members outside to hush noisy patrons and prevent loitering.

"Things are going to get better," DeLong said. "Within 30 days, you will see a dramatic difference on the street that will manifest in fewer calls for police services and fewer incidents of inappropriate behavior on 2nd Street."

Ruehle said that remains to be seen. "All we want is better control of the street," he said, "and to protect our property values."

saiholmes

July 6th, 2009, 07:23 AM

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Remaking Avalon as a prime island getaway
The Santa Catalina Island Co. wants to turn the tiny harbor community into a 'resort without walls.'
By Louis Sahagun and Roger Vincent
From the Los Angeles Times
July 5, 2009

Eight decades ago, William Wrigley Jr. added amenities to the tiny harbor community of Avalon that transformed Catalina Island into a storied getaway for movie stars and the early power brokers of Los Angeles: steamships, hotels and a landmark "casino" building featuring a theater and a ballroom.

In the 1960s, development slowed as big spenders and tourists gravitated toward newer resorts -- Disneyland, Palm Springs, Lake Arrowhead -- blossoming on the mainland. Now, Avalon is experiencing a steep decline in tourism that has contributed to this year's city budget deficit of $3 million. Its municipal plumbing is in such bad shape that residents worry about polluting the harbor every time they flush the toilet.

Hoping to again make Avalon a leading Southern California destination, the Santa Catalina Island Co., which the chewing gum magnate bought in 1919, has embarked on a series of projects to turn the city into a "resort without walls," featuring upgraded restaurants and shops, eco-adventures, hillside condominiums, a deluxe hotel and an 18-hole golf course with ocean views.

Some short-term projects -- a zip line that will whisk customers by cable from a mountain peak to the beach and an underwater "Sea Trek" attraction that will let people walk through kelp forests while wearing helmets attached to air hoses -- are being funded by the company and are expected to open this summer.

The largest projects, such as the hotel and golf course, would be funded by other developers and investors. The island company would provide the land. These ventures, company officials said, would not be launched until some recovery is seen in the hotel and resort industry.

The projects, which company officials said could total $500 million over the next decade, would be among the most expensive planned or underway in Los Angeles County. The aim is to revitalize the 1-square-mile city of Avalon, spurring growth without destroying its nostalgic charm.

"We're building a brand based on adventure, natural environment, history and exceeded expectations -- and it's full steam ahead," said Randy Herrel, president and chief executive of the land trust company. "Over the next 18 months there will be more investment in Avalon than in the previous 18 years combined."

Gambling is out of the question. "The chances of gambling coming to Catalina are between zero and zero," Herrel said.

New investments in Avalon, a community of 3,500 residents about 22 miles off the Southern California coast, cannot come soon enough for some business leaders.

"For quite some time, Catalina has been battling a perception that there is nothing to do here, a notion fueled by the fact that we've had no new products to offer in decades," said Wayne Griffin, executive director of the Avalon Chamber of Commerce. "We finally have a lot of new things to talk about."

The town has a rich history. Zane Grey wrote Western classics in an Avalon pueblo. NBC broadcast big-band performances from the casino ballroom during World War II. Marilyn Monroe lived in Avalon with her first husband, a member of the merchant marine.

Yet a leisurely and quaint routine unfolds each morning. Tourists clad in flip-flops, Hawaiian shirts and shorts lick ice cream cones as they shuffle past T-shirt and trinket shops, pubs and restaurants. Couples sun themselves on the beach. Glass-bottom boats cruise the harbor. Scuba divers explore the shoals. Fishermen lug poles and ice chests to the water's edge.

The city has been waiting decades for something new to offer visitors from its target market: the coastal communities stretching from Santa Barbara to San Diego.

Earl Schrader, a real estate broker who's lived in Avalon 21 years, is cautiously optimistic about the company's development plans.

"While I'm excited about the prospects, I'll believe it when I see it," he said. "We've been down this road a hundred times."

Serious talk of moving in new directions was initiated two years ago by Alison Wrigley, the great-granddaughter of William Wrigley Jr., and her husband, Geoffrey Rusack, both of whom sit on the company's nine-member board of directors. Another Wrigley descendant, Paxson Offield, also is on the board.

"They are the spark plugs behind this proposal," Griffin said.

About 88% of the 75-square-mile island is owned by the nonprofit Catalina Island Conservancy. The island company owns about 11% of the land mass, and about 1% is owned by private individuals and the city of Avalon.

"We appreciate that a revitalized Avalon will continue to be a gateway to the island's 42,000-acre nature preserve," said Ann Muscat, president and chief executive officer of the conservancy. "And we think the revitalization of Avalon and the nature preserve are consistent with the original vision William Wrigley Jr. had: that the island would be a destination for people to enjoy in many different ways."

The company initially intended to announce its investment plans after a significant uptick in the overall economy. But with financing for new resorts all but nonexistent and cross-channel visits plummeting, Wrigley family members were not willing to wait any longer.

"Alison and Geoffrey said, 'It's time,' " Herrel said.

"That's extremely exciting news," said Avalon Mayor Bob Kennedy, owner of the ScubaLuv dive shop and operator of the new "Sea Trek" concession. "The era of the Santa Catalina Island Co. planning improvements but not pulling the trigger on development for fear of making a mistake is over."

The company's long-term goals include a complex starting on the western edge of town at scenic Descanso Beach that would be anchored by a 71-room boutique hotel, an 18-hole championship golf course, luxury homes and condominiums on the surrounding hills.

A partnership of the Koll Co. and Lambert Investments has selected Auberge Resorts of Napa Valley to develop the hotel, homes and condominiums.

Jack Nicklaus Cos. has been selected to develop the golf course, which would replace an existing nine-hole course built just south of town in 1892. Several holes would be developed on nearby mountain ridges overlooking downtown Avalon and the Pacific.

These large projects would require approval from the city of Avalon, Los Angeles County planners and the state Coastal Commission. They would also require city infrastructure improvements to accommodate the growth.

Construction has begun on 17 middle-income houses in a canyon at the south edge of Avalon.

Later this year, the company plans to spend $3.5 million remodeling the downtown 73-room Pavilion Lodge to include what developers described as "quasi-private outdoor living rooms." Remodeling is also planned for two popular waterfront restaurants -- Antonio's and Armstrong's -- as well as a block-long stretch of commercial space dominated by a vintage hotel, a Chinese restaurant, a hardware store and a post office.

Near-term improvements such as the zip line and underwater kelp walk should attract more visitors and provide a financial boon to the island, said Lisa Grobar, professor of economics at Cal State Long Beach.

"It really would broaden the appeal of Catalina a little bit more to families," Grobar said. "It's a nice romantic place to go for the weekend, but if you have kids, you wonder what there would be for them to do."

As for whether a deluxe hotel and golf course would pan out, she said: "Eventually, consumer spending will recover -- and they are not talking about having to fill a Las Vegas-style hotel with a thousand rooms each night."

"Given that, plus the uniqueness of the island," she added, "I think they have a shot at it."

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klamedia

July 7th, 2009, 06:15 PM

I do not know much about what kind of retail or residential development is planned, but I already starting to think it would not be appropriate to the area. The project's website says "FOR INGLEWOOD, BY INGLEWOOD", but really, I bet it just means the Inglewood people will be working there, and the people to actually use the new development will be out-of-towners.

If you haven't checked out the project you really should.....it's massive! "For Inglewood, by Inglewood" means that the city will be making money from this massive development and hopefully returning that money back to the city and to its citizens. If this is done right and rail comes to Inglewood, the city has the potential to reach the bar of a SM or Pasadena.

pesto

July 7th, 2009, 07:26 PM

AlexTheMartian

July 7th, 2009, 10:08 PM

Klamedia: you make a good point. I am surprised that there hasn't been more discussion of this since it is huge, raises racial and ethnic issues, is in a part of town that needs help, and could impact the future of the area for 50 years.

Contrary to what has been suggested in some other threads, there is development south of the 10; the Fox Hills, Westchester, the Northeast areas of Inglewood and other areas (usually around hills) have clearly upgraded in the last decade. But the Hollywood Park project brings the potential for development well inland into the "flats" and areas that are as yet largely untouched by redevelopment. The developer takes a huge risk in these areas since they do not have the name recognition or "curb appeal" that some areas do. I am curious to see how quickly he is willing to go and how many corners the city is willing to cut to get something into their coffers.

I lived right next to the northwest corner of Inglewood, near Fox Hills and Howard Hughes Center, for about a year. yes those are developments in the nearby areas, but that isn't Inglewood. Just like LAX and the surrounding hotels, it is near Inglewood too, but that is not a sign Inglewood is being upgraded. I noticed whenever I crossed into Inglewood city limits, the upgrades stop for some reason. I am guessing many companies aren't willing to do developments in Inglewood, and that is unfortunate because it could have upgraded the area.

I am not making assumptions here, I actually lived right between Fox Hills and the Inglewood city limits, so I saw the differences between the areas. The northwest corner of Inglewood is supposed to be the higher-class area of Inglewood because it is bordering Westchester, but there is still lots of crime. I have had friends and roommate be attacked when walking back from a Ralphs there, and heard people living in my apartment complex have been shot at or stabbed on those streets.

So maybe this project is big enough to make major change to Inglewood, if it is, that would be great. I just had doubts, but over time I am seeing potential here.

pesto

July 8th, 2009, 01:32 AM

We are really saying the same thing: northwest Inglewood (I said n/e by mistake) or the areas near it have shown some development, even if it's just some stripmall re-do's and the like. Of course, I am not talking about putting up $1M condos, but still some improvements.

The developer has a bit of a problematic history, but that may have more to do with the economy. In any event, I would assume that the development is going to be for low to moderate income families and singles. But there are lots of ways to do these right and lots of ways to do them wrong. Does anyone have any detail on pricing and timing for the roll-out? Transportation options? Walkability and open space?

Imperfect Ending

July 8th, 2009, 02:01 PM

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Plans to replace Hollywood Park racetrack progress
Developers intend to unveil a model of the retail district that would be built on the Inglewood site. The project, which would also include residences, must still be approved by the city.
By Ari B. Bloomekatz
The Los Angeles Times
5:57 PM PDT, March 10, 2009

The controversial plan to raze the landmark racetrack at Hollywood Park is coming into clearer focus this week as developers plan to unveil a model of the proposed 620,000-square-foot retail district that would partially replace it.

The Hollywood Park Tomorrow project would mark one of the region's largest redevelopment projects, covering 238 acres in Inglewood -- though it faces hurdles.

The plan has yet to be finalized, and Inglewood officials still must approve it. The developers say that once they get the go-ahead, they're ready to tear down the track and break ground on the roughly $2-billion project.

A question remains about the feasibility of launching such a large project amid an economic downturn that has stalled similar developments.

Hollywood Park officials have guaranteed horse racing only through this summer.

The proposed project's plan is to mix the retail space -- which includes dozens of shops and restaurants, a 15-screen movie theater and a refurbished casino at its existing location -- with nearly 3,000 residential units, 75,000 square feet of office space, a 300-room hotel, 25 acres of park space and a four-acre civic site that could be a school.

"What they're proposing is the Hollywood Park of tomorrow," said Inglewood City Councilman Daniel Tabor. "I hope this is the model of what Inglewood will be, at least to some people, an upscale, growing, livable community where people can own a home, shop for the . . . goods and services that they need, and enjoy themselves at restaurants and night spots."

Tabor said one of his priorities before moving forward is that developers "promise the community that it will create not just employment opportunities during the construction phase, but employment opportunities with livable wages into the future."

Tabor said the council could vote on whether to approve the plan as early as April or May and that he hopes developers are able to break ground around January 2010.

A small-scale model, 5-by-5-feet, will be shown Thursday to Inglewood's city leaders and will be on public display this weekend at the racetrack to provide a glimpse of what the future could hold.

Gerard McCallum, a project developer for Hollywood Park Land Co., a subsidiary of Bay Area developer Wilson, Meany, Sullivan, estimated that the project would take two to three years to complete.

Although there is broad support for the project at Inglewood City Hall, some race fans at Hollywood Park have been hoping the track will be saved.

The closure of the Hollywood Park racetrack and the construction of a major mixed-use development would be a definite milestone for Inglewood, which several years ago lost its beloved Los Angeles Lakers when the team moved from the Forum to Staples Center in downtown L.A.

Hollywood Park opened in 1938 -- and was known as the racing track of the stars. Hollywood moguls Jack L. Warner, Samuel Goldwyn and Walt Disney were early leaders, and the park attracted its share of Hollywood types well into the 1980s.

Anyone mentioned yet that this looks like the Coit Tower

http://www.staysf.com/upload/attraction/20080519180416_coit%20tower.jpg

milquetoast

July 9th, 2009, 05:32 AM

Packing boxes has made you dizzy

croyboy

July 11th, 2009, 07:37 AM

Anyone mentioned yet that this looks like the Coit Tower

http://www.staysf.com/upload/attraction/20080519180416_coit%20tower.jpg

i don't remember if i mentioned, but yeah. i thought that when i first saw the concept art

saiholmes

October 14th, 2009, 04:39 AM

Long Beach Studios deal with Boeing to be signed Monday, chairman says
By Paul Eakins, Staff Writer
Updated: 10/12/2009 08:26:10 AM PDT
DailyNews Los Angeles

LONG BEACH - A much-hyped movie studio is in, a studio executive said Friday, and a Tesla Motors assembly plant may be out at the former Boeing 717 manufacturing site.

Long Beach Studios Chairman Jack O'Halloran said he expects to sign a deal with Boeing on Monday to develop a $375 million movie studio at the 77-acre site, which ceased production in 2006.

"The film studio's definitely happening, it's going to happen," O'Halloran said by phone.

The project, announced a year ago, encountered financial problems and fell out of escrow in March.

Further casting doubt on the project's future was an announcement by electric car manufacturer Tesla Motors in August that the Boeing site and the Downey Studios property were finalists for a new assembly plant.

O'Halloran said the Long Beach project will be the hub of a chain of five movie studios that will be built around the country.

"Which means all the people, the jobs, the training, everything will come out of Long Beach," said O'Halloran, a former boxer and actor who is best known for playing Non, a villain in the movie "Superman2." "It's an amazing deal, it's better than we thought it was going to be and it's phenomenal for Long Beach."

O'Halloran wouldn't give further details, noting that the deal isn't signed yet. City officials have said the movie studio is expected to create 2,500 to 3,000 jobs.

Given that fact, Mayor Bob Foster was guarded in his response Friday.

"I want to see a deal that's inked," Foster said.

John Morris, owner of Smooth's Sports Grille, said Friday that when O'Halloran was eating at the restaurant Thursday the movie studio executive showed Morris a letter of commitment from O'Halloran's investors.

If all goes as O'Halloran plans, when the movie studio is completed it would contain "40 soundstages ranging in size from 12,000 to 200,000 square feet, and over 300,000 square feet of full-service rental office space," according to the Long Beach Studios Web site, www.longbeachstudiosllc.com. The site also says the studio site would have a 5-star hotel spa.

What this all means for Tesla - and Downey, which has been aggressively courting the company - isn't clear.

Foster said that Tesla and Boeing met about a week ago, so some negotiations for the 717 site may still be in the works. The mayor said the movie studio or Tesla could be a boon for Long Beach.

"I just want to make sure that we get a business in there that is very productive and beneficial to the city," Foster said.

Representatives from Boeing and Tesla didn't return phone calls seeking comment Friday evening.

Reached by phone Friday night, Downey Mayor Mario Guerra said his city is in negotiations with Tesla but wouldn't say how close they are to a deal.

Tesla is looking for a production site for its new Model S, a four-door all-electric family sedan. CEO Elon Musk has said the car plant could create 1,000 to 1,200 jobs.

The Bay Area company based in San Carlos is known for its Tesla Roadster, a two-door all-electric sports car. Musk said that when Tesla begins production on the next-generation sports car in 2013, the work likely will take place at the new plant as well.

saiholmes

October 21st, 2009, 07:52 AM

Coming attractions: The Tesla-studios drama has another reel to go
Long Beach Press-Telegram
Posted: 10/20/2009 08:30:20 PM PDT

If you believe Gov. Schwarzenegger's assertion that California drives business away, consider Enterprise Zones and why Tesla and Long Beach Studios find Long Beach an attractive place to set up shop.

Tesla is considering building all-electric cars in part or all of Boeing's former 717 production facility, while Long Beach Studios is considering building an equally innovative production center that would have 40 sound stages, state-of-the-art digital equipment and a luxury hotel.

How did Long Beach get so lucky? Boeing's 1.2 million-square-foot buildings are available, of course, but Long Beach is also an Enterprise Zone, one of 42 in the state. What that means for Tesla and Long Beach Studios are huge incentives: For each new hire, there's a $37,400 state tax credit and millions in sales and use tax credits - all from "business-unfriendly" Sacramento. Long Beach, which would welcome either or both projects, can't afford any incentives at the moment, and, considering what the companies would get from the state, hardly need to offer them.

But the big question is, of course, what's in either project for Long Beach, and if Downey, which is aggressively courting Tesla, hasn't made a go of its studios, what makes Long Beach think a studio complex would work here?

For starters, the Downey Studios has only two sound stages, certainly not enough to attract much movie and TV production. City officials say that the studios have created only seven low-paying jobs. If Variety were writing about the project, the headline would be a simple "Stinker."

Then there is a sense of history. In the early part of the last century, Long Beach was home to Balboa Studios, once Long Beach's biggest employer. The complex included "20 buildings on 8 acres downtown, with 11 additional acres for outdoor shooting in Signal Hill ... ," according to a Long Beach International Film Festival publication. Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle made movies at Balboa Studios, and as many as 10 silent films were being shot at the same time. Actors and actresses helped define the social scene during the two decades the studio was producing silent movies.

Since then, Long Beach has attracted countless movie shoots (including one stinker that was shot in the P-T's newsroom). Permits and sales tax from businesses the companies frequent add up to about $5 million a year.

There's another benefit of a state-of-the-art production studio in Long Beach, and that's keeping TV and movie production where it's traditionally been. High fees and taxes have forced far too many productions out of Hollywood to states such as Michigan and New Mexico, which welcome the companies with attractive tax and other incentives, courtesy of those states' taxpayers. Sometimes, however, those incentives can backfire. Iowa recently suspended its 50 percent tax incentive program after widespread abuses were uncovered. In one case, according to the Wall Street Journal, a director used those incentives to buy a $61,000 SUV for himself, saving thousands in sales tax. Still, state officials point out that despite the possible fraud, local businesses - restaurants, hair dressers, hotels and the like - thrived with Hollywood types around.

Both Boeing and Downey officials are keeping a lid on announcing which city will get which enterprise. At least one Downey official has said that Tesla is in the bag for that city, while Long Beach Studios is saying that they're ready to ink a pact (pardon the Variety-speak).

But, like all dramas, it's not over 'til the lights come up.

pesto

October 21st, 2009, 11:55 PM

The suspense is killing me!

I think that Tesla is HQ'ed in San Carlos, near San Mateo. I suppose they are going to leave the HQ there? I guess one advantage of LA's south bay area is that the major US and Japanese, and specialty automotive designers have been there some time so the relevant design, fab and support people are there.

saiholmes

November 27th, 2009, 12:24 AM

LA suburb's rebirth rides on electric car plant
By DAISY NGUYEN (AP)
The Associated Press
November 26, 2009

DOWNEY, Calif. — This city that once helped send men rocketing into the space now wants to help earth-bound motorists to become more fuel efficient.

Downey's City Council has approved an agreement aimed at luring Tesla Motors' electric car manufacturing plant to the former site of a NASA plant that helped develop the Apollo program and the space shuttle fleet.

"Not only will it bring money to the city, it will establish us as a leader in electric car and green technology production," Mayor Mario Guerra said of the unanimous approval Wednesday.

The city is pinning hopes that the car factory could bring $21 million in city revenues over 15 years, create about 1,200 jobs and help revitalize its reputation as Southern California's high-tech hub.

Downey, a city of 115,000, was once a vibrant center of high tech manufacturing jobs where aerospace engineers designed and built parts for America's space program. At its height, there were some 30,000 employees at the complex, but when the plant closed in 1999, the complex fell into disrepair.

Sandra Barrett, a 19-year resident of Downey, said she can recall when the NASA facility closed and thousands of people lost their jobs. The 69-year-old said a Tesla factory would "be a big boost to our city. There are so many people in need of a job here."

The city bought 160 acres of land from NASA and has been trying to redevelop it. A hospital, park, shopping center and memorial dedicated to the shuttle Columbia now occupy half of the complex. The other half became a film production facility used in the making of "Ironman," "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra" and at least one of the "Spiderman" films.

Industrial Realty Group owns nearly 60 acres of Downey Studios, and the city owns the remaining 20 acres.

Under a memorandum of understanding with IRG, the city agreed to waive $6.9 million in rent on those 20 acres and promised to expedite the permit process if IRG enters into a lease with Tesla.

Tom Messler, senior vice president of IRG, said his company is holding final discussions with the carmaker.

For nine months the city has aggressively courted Tesla, a Bay Area company known for its sporty all-electric Roadster and now moving toward more mainstream sedans.

In September, the council took out a half-page advertisement in the Los Angeles Times featuring a photo of the members wearing "Downey (hearts) Tesla" T-shirts and holding a banner that read: "Downey Welcomes Tesla Motors. Apollo to Tesla ... the legacy continues."

The rotund mayor vowed to purchase a Tesla, even lose weight to fit into the sleek vehicle, if the carmaker comes to town.

"We're continuing to make progress," he said.

San Carlos-based Tesla has been looking for a place to build its next-generation Model S sedan, its seven-seat, $57,400 alternative to the $109,000 Roadster.

The Roadster's chassis is assembled in England and its guts — the powertrain, battery and so on — are installed at Tesla's factory in Menlo Park.

Tesla Motors Inc. initially planned to build the Model S in New Mexico but was persuaded to stay in California when Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger offered to exempt Tesla from state sales tax on equipment it buys to build the sedan. That will save the company 7 percent to 9 percent on each part purchased.

When the Model S was unveiled to reporters in the spring, Tesla said it would bring the plant to Southern California. The company has also flirted with Long Beach, and Tesla spokesman Ricardo Reyes would not confirm if it has chosen a site.

In June, the company was awarded $465 million in low-interest loans from the U.S. Department of Energy to help build the Model S, which is designed to travel as far as 300 miles on a three- to five-hour charge.

The car is slated to go into production by late 2011, and with a federal tax credit for battery-powered cars, the cost to buyers could be less than $50,000.

If Tesla comes to Downey, it would mark the return of auto manufacturing to Southern California for the first time since General Motors Co. closed its Van Nuys Plant in 1992.

Barrett said she isn't bothered by the incentives the city is offering to lure Tesla.

"In order to get, you have to give," Barrett said. "I'm willing to see us make a little sacrifice to get people working again."

saiholmes

December 12th, 2009, 09:22 AM

Meet the Silver Line
New line will have frequent direct connections to downtown landmarks
By SCOTT WEBER
NBC Los Angeles
Updated 4:00 PM PST, Thu, Dec 3, 2009

Gold, purple, blue, and now silver.

The Silver Line, a new bus service connecting the San Gabriel Valley and South Bay via downtown Los Angeles, will begin operating later this month, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced Thursday.

Starting Dec. 13, the Silver Line will operate between the El Monte Station and the Artesia Transit Center via the Harbor Transitway on the Harbor (110) Freeway and the El Monte Busway on the San Bernardino (10) Freeway.

It will have frequent, direct connections to downtown landmarks such as the Staples Center, Walt Disney Concert Hall, L.A. Convention Center, CalState Los Angeles, and more. L.A. Live, California Science Center, USC, L.A. Coliseum, and other work, school, shopping and dining centers.

It will operate every 5 to 15 minutes during rush hour. Base cash fare is $2.45 one way, $1.15 for senior/disabled cash fare during peak times, and $0.85 cents in off-peak times.

Metro Day Passes will be honored as base fare, and Metro weekly, monthly and EZ transit passes will be accepted with an additional $1.20 charge when boarding.

The Silver Line will replace the Metro Express Bus lines 444, 446/447, 484, and 490, which will be rerouted.

http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local-beat/Meet-the-Silver-Line-78470017.html

line map:
http://www.metro.net/riding_metro/maps/images/Silver_Line_carcard.pdf

schedule and detailed map:
http://www.metro.net/riding_metro/bus_overview/images/910.pdf

saiholmes

April 21st, 2010, 05:06 AM

Green Line extension meetings on tap
-- Steve Hymon

An extension of the Green Line from its current terminus in Redondo Beach to the Torrance Transit Center is currently being studied by Metro. The project is in its draft environmental study phase and a new round of meetings begins soon to give the public a chance to catch up on the relevant issues.

The press release is after the jump — the meetings are between April 26 and May 5.

The draft environmental report is considering whether it’s best to upgrade traffic management systems in the area, extend the light rail line or not build anything (an alternative that the law requires to be studied). When the report is complete, Metro staff will make a recommendation which of the above is best and ultimately the agency’s Board of Directors will select what to do. A Green Line extension would be funded in part by the Measure R sales tax.

The Green Line extension, if built, would certainly help fill out Metro’s rail network. A passenger in Torrance could take the Green Line to the future Crenshaw Line, which will terminate at the Expo Line — meaning a trip originating in Torrance could end in Norwalk (with transfers to Metrolink), the LAX area, the Crenshaw business district or any of the places served by the Expo Line, including USC and Culver City. Metro to Hold Public Scoping Meetings for the South Bay Metro Green Line Extension Project

Metro will hold four public scoping meetings beginning Monday April 26 for the South Bay Metro Green Line Extension project. These scoping meetings are the first step in the environmental process and Metro is seeking public comments and input for extending rail service farther into the South Bay to improve mobility in southwest Los Angeles County.

Metro is currently preparing a Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (DEIS/DEIR) to identify transit improvements that would provide an alternative to the I-405 corridor by accessing the regional rail network through connections to the Metro Blue Line and the proposed Crenshaw/LAX Transit Corridor, currently under environmental review.

As part of the Draft EIS/EIR, Metro will assess existing conditions in the study area, further refine the project alternatives, assess their potential impacts and identify possible and reasonable mitigation measures.

Two ‘build’ alternatives are being considered in the DEIS/DEIR. The Light Rail Alterative will evaluate extending the Metro Green Line from its current terminus at the Redondo Beach Station to the proposed Torrance Regional Transit Center (RTC).

The freight track alternative will evaluate operating rail transit vehicles on the Harbor Subdivision right-of-way using upgraded rail tracks from the El Segundo/LAX area to the proposed Torrance RTC. In addition the Draft EIS/EIR will evaluate the No Build and Transportation Systems Management alternatives.

The public is encouraged to attend the public scoping meetings and provide their input. The following is a list of upcoming meetings:

• Monday, April 26, 2010 (6-8 p.m.) Nakano Theater, 3330 Civic Center Drive, Torrance.

• Wednesday, April 28, 2010 (6-8 p.m.) North Redondo Senior Center, Perry Park, 2308 Rockefeller Lane, Redondo Beach.

• Saturday, May 1, 2010 (10 a.m. – 12n) Lawndale City Hall, 14717 Burin Avenue, Lawndale.

• Wednesday, May 5, 2010 (6-8 p.m.) Automobile Driving Museum, 610 Lairport Street, El Segundo.

The study area encompasses approximately 30 square miles and includes the cities of El Segundo, Hawthorne, Inglewood, Lawndale, Los Angeles, Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach and Torrance as well as the Del Aire and Lennox areas of unincorporated LA County.
The project is partially funded under Measure R, the half-cent sales tax approved by the voters in November 2008. Under Measure R, the project is provided $272 million in funding for the Metro Green Line Extension to the South Bay Corridor. This project is contained in the constrained element of the 2009 Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP).
For information on the project and the Draft EIS/EIR process the public can call

http://thesource.metro.net/2010/04/20/green-line-extension-meetings-on-tap/

http://thesource.metro.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/GreenLine1-194x300.jpg

saiholmes

November 20th, 2010, 04:47 AM

L.A. group gains in fight for USS Iowa battleship
By Donna Littlejohn, Staff Writer
Long Beach Press-Telegram
Posted: 11/18/2010 09:55:50 PM PST
Updated: 11/18/2010 10:08:56 PM PST

With a berth commitment in San Pedro finally in hand, members of the Pacific Battleship Center are set to submit their application for the donation of the USS Iowa before the Navy's Nov. 24 deadline.

More than 1,000 pages of text, graphs, comparison charts and backup material and letters are included in the massive document that will be sent by FedEx to the Navy on Monday, said Robert Kent, the center's president.

Nailing down a berth site was the final piece of information the group needed to formally ask the Navy for the donation of what is the nation's last World War II-era battleship available for use as a floating museum.

The ship now sits with the Navy's "ghost fleet" in Northern California's Suisun Bay. Millions of dollars will be needed to bring the vessel up to museum ship status.

Navy officials will review the applications - only two are being submitted for the Iowa - with an announcement expected by May 2011 or earlier.

In addition to the Pacific Battleship Center's application, an older and now updated bid from the Historic Ships Memorial at Pacific Square, a nonprofit group in Vallejo, remains on the table.

The Vallejo group in August submitted an updated application after the Navy earlier determined there was insufficient planning and funding in place.

Dissatisfied with the group's progress, the Navy reopened the bids in May, giving the Pacific Battleship Center an opportunity to also vie for the Iowa.

But Vallejo remains active in its pursuit of the historic ship, with a new fundraiser scheduled to benefit the HSMPS effort on Dec. 1 at the California State Military Museum in Sacramento.

If both Vallejo and Los Angeles submit qualifying applications, the Navy will conduct a comparison evaluation to choose the best plan.

Under the Navy's 60-year-old Ship Donation Program, 47 ships now operate as floating memorials and public education centers. Most are stacked along the East Coast, with only four on the West Coast between San Diego and Washington state. None is in Los Angeles or Long Beach.

If the Iowa is not donated, it will be destroyed.

That's a fate many would hate to see occur, particularly those veterans who have served aboard the Iowa over the course of four wars.

"We've taken the position that we'll support anybody trying to get the ship," said Gerald Gneckow of Homosassa, Fla., president of the USS Iowa Veterans Association.

But while the group remains neutral on the Vallejo and Los Angeles bids, Gneckow said it now appears that LosAngeles has the best shot at getting the ship.

Gneckow, commanding officer of the Iowa from 1984 to 1986, said the ship is a historic icon that should be preserved.

"This is one of the greatest ships of all time and it's the last one available as a memorial," he said. "It represents

50 years of history in sea power."

Veterans and history buffs will flock to the area to see the ship, Gneckow predicted, with those in the 1,500-member USS Iowa Association sure to be among them.

The association is quietly betting on the Iowa coming to Los Angeles, he said.

"We've already got our irons in the fire," Gneckow said, adding that plans for the association's 2012 reunion are just now getting under way.

The location already chosen? San Pedro.

Read More: http://www.presstelegram.com/news/ci_16654426

saiholmes

November 23rd, 2010, 03:51 AM

http://www.lbpost.com/images/image1290452732-96335.jpg

Gerald Desmond Bridge Readies For Replacement Project
by Daniel DeBoom, Long Beach Post
Monday, November 22, 2010

State Senator Alan Lowenthal (D-Long Beach) and Mayor Bob Foster chat in the shadow of the Gerald Desmond Bridge earlier today.

3:40pm | Officials from the Port of Long Beach and local government held a ceremony today to celebrate the future Gerald Desmond Bridge replacement that has been approved and green-lighted.

The state California Transportation Commission approved final funding and building plans for the bridge earlier this month. Construction on the five-year project is expected to begin in 2012. It is expected to generate about 4,000 jobs per year.

“It’s a proud day for the City of Long Beach, the County and the State,” said Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster. “We acted — in time — to replace this aging bridge, and in so doing, we will build a landmark structure that will create jobs now and guarantee a stronger Port and smoother transportation network for the future.”

Port officials estimate that the bridge carries about 15% of the nation's container goods as they enter the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles and are shipped out across the country. The bridge replacement will create wider lanes for normal traffic and an additional emergency lane. In recent years, concerns had grown as concrete pieces had deteriorated and a netting "diaper" had to be installed beneath the bridge.

“The new Gerald Desmond Bridge will reduce congestion, enhance safety and improve traffic flow,” said Caltrans Director Cindy McKim. “By undertaking bold projects like this one, we’re improving mobility and encouraging commerce across California.”

The bridge replacement is a $950 million project, funded by $500 million in state highway transportation funds and $300 million in Federal sources. The Port of Long Beach is pledging $114 million and Los Angeles County Metro is committing $28 million.

Read More: http://www.lbpost.com/news/deboom/10702

saiholmes

December 1st, 2010, 04:47 AM

Chairman tapped to help Vallejo land the USS Iowa
By Sarah Rohrs / Times-Herald
Posted: 11/30/2010 01:01:09 AM PST

The former president and chief executive officer of a leading Silicon Valley technology startup firm is the latest addition to an organization aiming to bring a famed World War II battleship to Mare Island.

William Musgrave is the new chairman of Historic Ships Memorial at Pacific Square and its efforts to bring the USS Iowa to the former Naval shipyard.

"It's an honor to serve on this board and I think the timing is better now. We got a shot at raising the money and getting it all together," Musgrave said Monday.

Musgrave is the former leader of The Enterprise Network (TEN) of Silicon Valley, a leading accelerator for technology startups which helped launch eBay and similar companies.

He's no stranger to efforts to save the battleship, which is now part of the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet north of Benicia.

In the late 1990s, Musgrave served on the board for several years and worked on a campaign to bring the battleship to San Francisco.

He said he left the organization because his work with burgeoning Internet companies grew and monopolized his time.

As Musgrave joins the board of directors now, he said he would like to focus on fundraising and helping spread the word about the benefits of Mare Island.

He would also like to find a role for wounded war veterans to play in bringing the ship to Vallejo, and performing other tasks should the vessel arrive.

Promoting the Iowa's educational opportunities for legions of school children to learn about its history and science is another opportunity Musgrave would like to explore, he said.

Historic Ships Memorial is in competition with a Southern California group to secure the famed battleship which once carried President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Merilyn Wong, who serves as Historic Ships board president, said Musgrave brings a experience and expertise to the organization. "He's had a tremendous business and military background in a nonprofit world," she said.

Wong said her organization has raised $1 million in pledges, and should bring in at least $12 million to cover the costs of moving the ship and getting it open for public tours.

The Navy re-opened bids to allow other groups to try to acquire the USS Iowa as a floating museum. That action allowed the Pacific Battleship Center to throw its hat in the ring.

Meanwhile, activity along the Mare Island waterfront has heated up as work begins on the dismantling of old ships within the Suisun Reserve Fleet, also known as the Mothball Fleet.

Wong said there's plenty of space along the Mare Island waterfront to accommodate the ship dismantling operation and the USS Iowa.

Musgrave previously served as a career U.S. Navy officer, completing his service in 1992 as a captain in the Supply Corps.

While in the Navy, he managed large-scale business and logistics operations and was engaged in weapons system acquisition and DOD procurement reform initiatives, according to Historic Ships Memorial.

A resident of San Jose, Musgrave is currently a professor of management at Silicon Valley University.

Read More: http://www.timesheraldonline.com/news/ci_16740771

saiholmes

December 10th, 2010, 04:08 AM

Company is first to return spacecraft from orbit
By MARCIA DUNN
The Associated Press
December 9, 2010, 9:41AM

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.

NASA took a giant leap away from the spaceflight business Wednesday as a private company launched a spacecraft into orbit and for the first time guided it safely back to Earth, a feat previously achieved only by large national governments.

The capsule built by Space Exploration Technologies Inc. splashed down into the Pacific Ocean, right on target, following a three-hour mission that should pave the way for an actual flight to the International Space Station next summer.

NASA wants to enlist private companies to handle space station supply runs as well as astronaut rides after the shuttles stop flying next year. Until then, the space agency will have to continue paying tens of millions of dollars to the Russians for every American astronaut ferried back and forth.

Prior to Wednesday's test flight, recovering a spacecraft re-entering from orbit was something achieved by only five independent nations: the United States, Russia, China, Japan and India, plus the European Space Agency, a consortium of countries.

NASA immediately offered up congratulations, as did astronauts, lawmakers, and aerospace organizations and companies.

"I'm sort of in semi-shock," said the company's CEO, Elon Musk. "It's just mind-blowingly awesome. I apologize, and I wish I was more articulate, but it's hard to be articulate when your mind's blown -- but in a very good way."

Speaking from the company's headquarters in Hawthorne, Calif., Musk said his Falcon 9 rocket and the capsule named Dragon operated better than expected.

If astronauts had been on board, "they would have had a very nice ride," Musk told reporters. "The vehicle that you saw today can easily transport people," with the addition of escape and life-support systems.

The Dragon flown Wednesday -- nearly 17 feet tall and 12 feet in diameter -- was reminiscent of the NASA capsules of old, which ended their missions with ocean splashdowns.

Designers of most next-generation spacecraft have abandoned the shuttle system, which proved extremely complicated, expensive and vulnerable to damage. Many engineers believe Apollo-style capsules will be cheaper, safer and capable of a wider variety of missions.

Wednesday's flight was only the second for this type of rocket.

Musk envisions that later models of the capsule, for crews, will be equipped for precision landings on patches of ground as small as a helipad. These would be powered touchdowns using landing gears, similar to the lunar landings. The spacecraft could refuel and then be used again, he said.

This early version of the capsule circled the world twice, then parachuted into the Pacific. It splashed down roughly 500 miles off the Mexican coast, within a few miles of the targeted area. Recovery crews were quickly on the scene, putting floats on the spacecraft.

Musk raised his arms in victory when the three red-and-white-striped parachutes deployed. He knew then "it was a done deal."

"This was done with 1,200 people," Musk noted, versus the efforts of entire countries and their supporting industries.

The spacecraft carried thousands of patches for company employees; no official payload was required for this test. A humorous payload, though, was on board. Musk promised to divulge its identity Thursday so it would not overwhelm Wednesday's headlines. An Army nanosatellite hitched a ride on the upper stage of the 158-foot rocket in a technology demonstration.

The accolades quickly mounted as the afternoon wore on.

"These new explorers are to spaceflight what Lindbergh was to commercial aviation," said NASA Administrator Charles Bolden.

"SpaceX changes the game in spaceflight," noted the Space Frontier Foundation.

And from Sen. Bill Nelson, a Florida Democrat and former space shuttle flier: "We've arrived at the dawn of new era of U.S. space exploration that should ensure America remains a leader in space exploration."

In orbit, space station commander Scott Kelly nagged NASA's Mission Control for updates. He told a reporter earlier in the day he would gladly fly on a commercial rocket "if that's the path we're proceeding on."

If, after Wednesday's success, any detractors still doubt the prospects for private spaceflight, Musk said, "I pity them ... They would be fighting on the wrong side of yesterday's war."

This was the first flight under NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program, as well as the first flight of an operational Dragon spacecraft. SpaceX's first flight of a Falcon 9 rocket, in June, carried a capsule mock-up that deliberately burned up on re-entry.

Last month, the Federal Aviation Administration issued its first re-entry license to SpaceX, paving the way for Wednesday's flight.

SpaceX intends to fly to the space station on its very next Dragon flight, targeted for next summer. During Wednesday's mission, the capsule replicated some of the orbital maneuvers that would be needed for a station docking.

Musk said he could be launching station crews within three years of getting the go-ahead from NASA.

The Dragon spacecraft as well as the first stage of the Falcon 9 rockets are meant to be reusable, a long-term goal intended to save money. The company notes it will take many missions, however, to achieve that.

NASA already is relying on Russia to ferry U.S. astronauts to and from the space station. It's an expensive arrangement: $26 million per person this year, rising to $51 million next year, and to $56 million in 2013.

Ideally, NASA wants multiple companies to take over the job of cargo and crew transport, which would allow the agency to focus on deep-space travel to asteroids and to Mars.

The effort has taken on increased significance since the working lifetime of the space station was extended to at least 2020.

NASA has just two shuttle missions remaining, in February and April. The space agency hopes to get funding for a third and final flight next summer, to restock the orbiting lab in case the commercial launch companies fall behind, before ending the 30-year shuttle program.

SpaceX currently has a $1.6 billion contract with NASA for 12 supply runs. Orbital Sciences Corp. of Virginia has a $1.9 billion contract for eight.

SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell said the company has poured more than $600 million into the test flight effort so far and received $278 million from NASA. She took aim at critics, some of whom don't trust companies to provide the same level of crew safety as NASA.

"I bristle a little bit at the whole concept of 'cutting corners,' " she said earlier this week. "Just because it's faster doesn't mean it's more risky."

To be clear, "there were no corners cut" in this week's rocket repairs, Shotwell noted. The Falcon should have blasted off Tuesday, but two small cracks were discovered Monday in the upper-stage rocket nozzle. A technician simply cut away the nozzle extension containing the cracks, enabling the company to launch Wednesday, a day earlier than anticipated when the damage was detected.

The quick repair work and grasp of the problem demonstrates the company's skill and agility, said Alan Lindenmoyer, NASA's commercial crew and cargo program manager at Houston's Johnson Space Center.

"Thank you for the early Christmas present," he told SpaceX officials with a smile.

Read More: http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9K0EL7G1.htm

saiholmes

January 5th, 2011, 05:05 AM

Iowa governors back San Pedro bid for USS Iowa museum
By Donna Littlejohn Staff Writer
dailybreeze.com
Posted: 01/03/2011 07:05:08 PM PST

The USS Iowa, commissioned in 1943 for World War II, would need... (Kit Bonner USS Iowa at War)

Iowa Gov.-elect Terry Branstad has been joined by three of his predecessors - former Govs. Bob Ray, Tom Vilsack and Chet Culver - in endorsing plans to bring the state's namesake battleship to San Pedro as a permanent museum.

The U.S. Navy is reviewing two bids - the other is from Vallejo - in its effort to donate USS Iowa World War II vessel for tourist and educational uses.

"We are excited about the Pacific Battleship Center's plan to create a world-class museum and memorial to honor veterans and to educate all generations," the governors said in a Dec. 7 letter to Robert Kent, president of the nonprofit group that has proposed San Pedro as a site for the ship.

The letter is posted on the organization's website, www.pacificbattleship.com.

The Navy is expected to announce its decision early this year.

- Donna Littlejohn

Read More: http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/ci_17001207

saiholmes

January 17th, 2011, 04:28 AM

Former Navy chief helps Vallejo's bid for the USS Iowa
Times-Herald staff report
Posted: 01/14/2011 01:08:33 AM PST

Former U.S. Navy Secretary Richard Danzig has joined efforts to bring the USS Iowa battleship to Mare Island as a floating museum.

Historic Ships Memorial at Pacific Square announced that Danzig will serve as honorary co-chairman of its board of directors.

Danzig served as Navy secretary from 1998 to 2001, and undersecretary between 1993 and 1997.

From 2007 through the 2008 presidential election, Danzig was a senior adviser to Barack Obama on national security issues.

He is currently chairman for Center of New American Security, a member of the Defense Policy Board and a RAND corporation director.

As Navy secretary, Danzig authorized the relocation of USS Iowa from Rhode Island to the ship's current home as part of the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet north of Benicia, according to the foundation.

Silicon Valley entrepreneur William Musgrave, who serves as foundation chairman, said the organization is "thrilled to have Richard Danzig on board this effort. We are grateful for his help in bringing the battleship Iowa to Northern California."

The U.S. Navy is evaluating two proposals for the battleship.

Besides the Vallejo proposal, the Navy is examining a plan that comes from the Pacific Battleship Center, which proposes to have the vessel transported to San Pedro near Los Angeles.

The Navy's aim is to donate the ship as quickly as possible, but has no deadline on when a decision will be made, officials said earlier this month.

The Navy re-opened bids to allow other groups to try to obtain the ship as a floating museum after informing the Vallejo group that it had not made enough progress.

Read More: http://www.timesheraldonline.com/ci_17094929

saiholmes

January 23rd, 2011, 12:22 AM

One last fight looms for the battleship Iowa
San Pedro wants the World War II ship on the waterfront, but so does a group from Vallejo. The U.S. Navy gets the final call.
December 28, 2010|By Steve Chawkins, Los Angeles Times

When San Pedro held its annual holiday parade a few weeks ago, the message to the Navy was unmistakable.

One of the grand marshals — although it couldn't be there in person — was the Iowa, the storied battleship that, with the Navy's blessing, could be permanently berthed on San Pedro's waterfront.

A cheering crowd gave the thumbs up to a float with a 40-foot-long billboard showing "the Big Stick," the vessel that carried President Franklin D. Roosevelt to crucial meetings during World War II. Veterans marched alongside, and a 93-year-old who was among the Iowa's first sailors waved, with other aging warriors, from atop a truck loaded with hay bales. Their aim was to show support for turning the vintage ship into a San Pedro tourist attraction.

Although other Navy vessels have been transformed into floating museums — including the aircraft carrier Midway in San Diego — there are no battleships available for boarding on the West Coast. That's why Bryan Moss, a radio operator aboard the Iowa during the Korean War, thinks passing up such an opportunity would be a loss.

"This is the last available battleship anywhere," Moss said. "I think a lot of people would miss an awful lot of history."

The Los Angeles City Council has unanimously endorsed the effort and the Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners, after a previous rejection, approved it in November. By May 2011, the Navy is expected to decide between San Pedro and the Bay Area city of Vallejo.

Nearly 900 feet long and 15 stories tall, the 67-year-old Iowa is one of the biggest and most powerful battleships ever built. It also is the only Navy vessel with a bathtub — a feature installed for Roosevelt when he was shuttled to the Middle East to meet with Churchill and Stalin at the Teheran Conference in 1943.

Decommissioned in 1990, the iconic ship is languishing with about 50 other old vessels in the "ghost fleet" of Suisun Bay, a few miles northeast of San Francisco. In an agreement with environmentalists concerned about pollution from some of the mothballed ships, the federal government has promised to remove them by 2017.

The Iowa's fate has been debated for years. In 2005, San Francisco's county supervisors turned down a chance to acquire it, citing opposition to the Iraq war and the military's ban on gays and lesbians serving openly. In the wake of San Francisco's rejection, Stockton mounted a bid that was ultimately scuttled.

In Vallejo, a group called the Historic Ships Memorial at Pacific Square wants to place the Iowa at nearby Mare Island, the site of a naval shipyard that opened before the Civil War and operated until 1996.

"It's known as one of the most historic sites on the West Coast and it's a stunning location for the Iowa," said Merylin Wong, a former banker who is the group's president. Besides, she said, the Iowa would generate more revenue in the tourist-rich Bay Area than in comparatively off-the-beaten-track San Pedro.

Vallejo filed for bankruptcy in 2008 and the Iowa could be its "economic salvation," Wong said. It would be appropriate, she added, for the Navy to offer a lifeline to a struggling former Navy town.

But last May, the Navy, expressing concerns about Wong's ability to raise funds and secure a site, reopened the bidding process, enabling the 11th-hour attempt by San Pedro's Pacific Battleship Center.

Wong said that the Navy was misled about her group's finances and that the city of Vallejo is making a Mare Island berth available for the Iowa. Her competitors say the years-long effort in Vallejo has demonstrated "a lack of progress."

"Our site is ready to go," said Robert Kent, a battleship enthusiast who founded the Southern California center after breaking away from Vallejo.

Kent, an Orange County construction project manager, said the Iowa would be perfectly placed to attract the thousands of cruise-ship passengers who embark at San Pedro. It would breathe life into the waterfront and the nearby Ports O' Call Village mall, he said.

Many San Pedro residents seem to agree. In a letter of support, a neighborhood council said the ship would "provide the wow factor" needed to upgrade the waterfront.

The Iowa would be placed at Berth 87, a dock now used about six times a year, when San Pedro's other cruise-ship docks are occupied. AECOM, a San Francisco firm that consults for the harbor district, said the ship likely would draw an average of 188,000 visitors a year.

"They'll have one of the most high-profile berths in our port," said Geraldine Knatz, the harbor district's executive director. "We're trying to build a critical mass of activity along the waterfront. The Iowa is a small piece of a much grander plan."

Still, the Iowa could have some choppy seas ahead. Although Kent said his group has received a bank's letter of intent for a loan of $12.5 million, a harbor commission staff report pointed out that the cash isn't in hand. A letter from Torrey Pines Bank indicated that approval of the loan would be contingent on the Navy's decision and other unspecified factors.

Maintaining a battleship is costly and in the Iowa's case would run $2 million to $3 million a year more than projected ticket sales, according to AECOM'S Steven Spickard. But such a shortfall, he told the board, would be "very much in the range of typical, healthy cultural attractions," which usually get the extra money in donations from foundations, governments or individuals.

Kent's group is hoping that the state of Iowa will kick in $5 million, but a fund established by the state has drawn only about $3,000. He has lined up professional fundraisers in both Iowa and California.

Cyndi Pederson, director of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, said donations will probably start flowing once the Navy makes its decision. Schoolchildren touring the state Capitol always stop by a model of the Iowa, she said, adding that Iowans have a special place in their hearts for their namesake ship.

"I looked into bringing it back here," she joked, "but there was no way."

Read More: http://articles.latimes.com/2010/dec/28/local/la-me-uss-iowa-20101228-1

saiholmes

February 6th, 2011, 07:44 AM

San Pedro USS Iowa museum backers challenge need for study
Environmental review a waste of time, money, they contend.
By Donna Littlejohn, Staff Writer, Press-Telegram
Posted: 02/05/2011 09:07:24 PM PST

As the Navy continues to deliberate the fate of the USS Iowa battleship, supporters of a plan to bring the ship to San Pedro are questioning the port's assertion that a $1 million environmental study will be required for the endeavor.

Arguing that a simple addendum to the already certified waterfront study would suffice, John Miller of San Pedro said doing a separate and full report would result in an "outrageous expense" and delay.

"At a briefing in early January we were told that the Iowa project would have to analyze downstream effects which were already analyzed in Alternative Four of the waterfront project," said Miller, who serves on a port advisory committee.

Port officials and Iowa supporters have been meeting to discuss the project's specifics, which may include some flexibility on the scope of the study ultimately needed, said Port of Los Angeles spokesman Phillip Sanfield.

"It's still being discussed and we're working with the Iowa folks," Sanfield said, adding that some assessment, however, will be required for the ship's proposed location at Berths 87-90 in the space between the choreographed fountains on the north and the harbor fire boat station on the south.

"The USS Iowa project was not assessed in the waterfront plan. That space was to be a north (harbor) cut," Sanfield said. "So we're doing something completely different and we really do need to do an environmental assessment."

Robert Kent, president of the Pacific Battleship Center, the nonprofit leading the effort, said he remains positive about discussions that are ongoing with the port. Under the berthing site agreement with the port, Kent's group would pay for the cost of any environmental reports needed.

"We're just working through the process," Kent said. "Obviously we'd like not to do a full EIR (environmental impact report) if it's not required ... but we're looking at the options right now."

Miller and Richard Pavlick, chairman of the waterfront plan advisory committee, believe doing a full EIR could delay or even kill the project.

"This is no different than bringing a cruise ship in and berthing it," Pavlick said. "It's set up to have a ship in there."

"Requiring an outrageously expensive EIR behind closed doors would certainly be a way to kill (the project)," Miller said. "I'm not saying that's (the port's) motive, but you have to wonder if that's why they're requiring this."

Miller has written a letter to harbor commission President Cindy Miscikowski stating that the citizen's port environmental subcommittee believes a costly new study is not needed. His letter states that the port was given an estimate of more than $1 million to do a full EIR by one firm.

"The (Iowa) project as we understand it so far is basically to berth a ship where ships have historically been berthed and cars have been parked landside," the letter states. "Berth 87 is used intermittently for cruise ship berthing and has been used for other types of ships ... ."

The battleship, the letter goes on to say, would create fewer impacts than any of those other ships.

But Sanfield said a battleship tourist attraction would have different impacts than a cruise ship.

The port, he said, is obligated to examine impacts on traffic, parking and ship movements in the Main Channel.

"At this point we're working with the USS Iowa representatives in determining the scope of the work," Sanfield said. "But we do need to do an environmental assessment, these were not factors that were in the original waterfront plan approved in September 2009. This project did not exist then."

Meanwhile, the Navy is weighing two bids for the donation of the ship -- the other is from Vallejo -- and is expected to announce its decision by early summer.

Kent said the Navy recently requested clarification on 49 points in his group's 1,000-page application, with the answers due back by May 31.

"It's routine," Kent said of the follow-up questions. "They issued questions back to us and there's nothing that was insurmountable at all, nothing on there is a deal-breaker.

"The fact is, we're going to get this ship, there's no doubt about that in my mind," Kent said. "It's coming to L.A. and my mission right now is to get the ship here as quickly as possible

Read More: http://www.presstelegram.com/news/ci_17306850

saiholmes

March 1st, 2011, 04:18 AM

USS IOWA Long Term Viability Analysis
http://www.pacificbattleship.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/SanPedro_Vallejo_Feb_11_2011.pdf

saiholmes

March 18th, 2011, 08:00 AM

Pacific Battleship Center Preparing Berth 87 for USS IOWA
NewswireToday - /newswire/ - San Pedro, CA, United States, 03/17/2011 -

Nonprofit organization is moving forward with its development activities in advance of a Navy decision.

The Pacific Battleship Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing the battleship USS IOWA to the port of Los Angeles, announced its commitment to move forward with its development efforts in advance of the Navy’s decision to award the ship.

“We’re confident in the strength of our application, ” said Robert Kent, the organization’s president. “We have the team; we have the local support; and we have the location. While our competitors to the north are desperately trying to find their berth, we are actively developing ours.”

Heading up the Pacific Battleship’s development team is Lucien Runge, principle at R2A Architecture of Costa Mesa, CA. “We’ve been working with the Port of Los Angeles, have completed the site analysis, and have moved onto design development.”

Design development activities include things such as mooring plans, fendering, passing-vessel analysis, utilities, and ingress/egress. When asked what types of improvements are required to transform Berth 87 into a home for a WWII battleship, Runge said, “These are minor improvements. The site already has a parking lot, a structurally-sound pier and most of the utilities at the berth. But more importantly, the site does not require dredging.”

R2A Architecture is one four organizations working on the effort. Their consulting engineering and design consultants also include: OMB Electrical Engineers (Electrical Engineering and lighting design), KNA Consulting Engineers (Structural Engineering), and G&G Civil Engineers, Inc (Civil engineering).

Although the Navy is not expected to make a decision on the fate of the USS IOWA until sometime after May 31st, the organization’s goal is to use this interim time to prepare for a Los Angeles-based decision.

“If the Navy awards the ship to the Pacific Battleship Center, we want to make sure that we can tow her immediately into her final home, ” said Runge.

Once the ship arrives, The Pacific Battleship Center expects it to take one-year to create exhibits, ship tours, and open her to the public.

About the Pacific Battleship Center

The Pacific Battleship Center (http://pacificbattleship.com/) is the Los Angeles-based nonprofit 501©3 organization dedicated to saving the last available battleship in the world, USS IOWA (BB-61). The organization's goal is to bring USS IOWA to North America’s busiest seaport, placing her at Berth 87 which is located immediately adjacent to the World Cruise Center, home of many cruise companies including Carnival, Disney, Norwegian, Princess, and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines.

Once here, the organization has detailed plans to develop an interactive experience that honors the historic contributions of USS IOWA and her crews. The history and technology of an American battleship creates a solid foundation by which to build education programs upon, teaching lessons in history, mathematics, physics, leadership, team-building, character development, and community service.

Read More: http://www.newswiretoday.com/news/87361/

saiholmes

March 18th, 2011, 08:01 AM

saiholmes

April 2nd, 2011, 04:27 AM

Pending state Assembly measure calls for bringing USS Iowa to San Pedro
By Sarah Rohrs and Donna Littlejohn The Vallejo Times Herald and The Daily Breeze
Posted: 04/01/2011 03:20:34 PM PDT

A pending state resolution would urge the Navy to award the mothballed battleship USS Iowa to a San Pedro group for a museum rather than send it to Vallejo.

The resolution is nonbinding but supporters said it could help persuade the Navy that the Los Angeles area would be a better choice for the historic ship than Vallejo, which is also bidding for it.

A representative of the Vallejo group trying to bring the battleship to Mare Island, however, said Assembly Joint Resolution 8 is full of errors that could prove costly.

The joint resolution by Assembly members Warren Furutani, D-Gardena, and Bonnie Lowenthal, D-Long Beach, recommends the World War II vessel be towed to the Pacific Battleship Center in San Pedro for use as a floating museum at the Port of Los Angeles.

Supporters will announce and discuss the measure at a 10 a.m. April 9 news conference and project exhibition event at Berth 87 in the Port of Los Angeles. The resolution is expected to be ready to be heard in committee during the week of April 13.

"We believe that San Pedro offers much better facilities and has a much better organization behind it to foster a good program for the USS Iowa," said Sandra Sanchez, Furutani's chief of staff. "We'd really like it in our community. It's a historic battleship and bringing it to San Pedro would be a great addition to the waterfront there."

Merilyn Wong of Historic Ships Memorial at Pacific Square, angling for a Mare Island waterfront site, said the resolution erroneously says the ship could be returned to the Navy.

"You cannot return the ship to the Navy in the event of a financial failure," Wong said.

Pat Dolan, director of communications at Naval Sea Systems Command, said there's no clear-cut answer to the question of whether the Navy could take a ship back after it has been awarded. She said it depends on the ship's condition.

But Robert Kent, president of the Pacific Battleship Center, said the Navy specifically requires the nonprofit group to set aside enough money to tow the ship back as part of the ship donation agreement.

"We have to have that money in reserve," Kent said.

The Navy took the USS Edson back after it served as a museum ship on the East Coast but only after it underwent substantial repairs, Dolan said.

The Navy rejected the USS Olympia after that ship also served as a history museum due to its deteriorating condition, Dolan added.

Wong said the Vallejo site is far superior and would draw more visitors to support a museum while the Southern California venture could end up being a financial failure and a costly liability to taxpayers.

Further, a feasibility report indicates the ship would struggle financially because of low attendance, Wong said.

Center representatives said the report is flawed and relies on an old study.

"We've addressed all those issues with the port to their satisfaction," Kent said, adding that business plans have been submitted to the Navy covering projected scenarios of 188,000 to 400,000 visitors a year.

"Los Angeles is one of the largest metropolitan markets in the world. The Iowa is probably going to be the most visited ship in the world," Kent said. "Our third-party marketing firm showed we'd be up around the 400,000 mark."

The Navy's aim is to donate the ship as quickly as possible, though no deadline has been given. The ship is in the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet north of Benicia.

The Navy last month requested more information from both organizations, giving them a May 31 deadline to submit a "final application." An announcement is expected to come by early summer.

Lowenthal's chief of staff, Will Shuck, said that although the resolution, if passed, would be nonbinding, it would serve to express the opinion of the Legislature on the matter.

"It's a worthy effort to give people in Southern California that kind of access to this very tangible link to our nation's history," Shuck said.

"When the Navy looks at the whole package of what San Pedro offers," Sanchez said, "this will be just one more (argument in favor of the location) - that the state Legislature stands with the local community in supporting this effort."

Read More: http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/ci_17752818

saiholmes

April 19th, 2011, 06:44 AM

NASA awards millions to four firms to privately develop rockets and spacecraft
Space Exploration Technologies of Hawthorne and Boeing are among the companies sharing $269.3 million as the agency looks for a new way to carry astronauts.
By W.J. Hennigan, Los Angeles Times
April 19, 2011

With NASA's fleet of aging space shuttles set for retirement at the end of the year, the space agency is looking for a new way to carry astronauts.

On Monday, NASA handed out $269.3 million to four companies to privately develop rockets and spacecraft for what could be the next step in manned spaceflight.

The winners included Hawthorne-based rocket maker Space Exploration Technologies Corp., or SpaceX, and Boeing Co., which develops spacecraft in Huntington Beach and uses rocket engines made by Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne in Canoga Park.

The other two awards were $22 million to Blue Origin, a closely held space venture in Kent, Wash., that is owned by Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos, and $80 million to Sierra Nevada Corp. of Sparks, Nev.

After the shuttle program is mothballed and before privately built space vehicles are astronaut-ready, the U.S. will have no way to travel to the International Space Station other than shelling out $63 million for rides on a Russian Soyuz rocket.

"We're committed to safely transporting U.S. astronauts on American-made spacecraft and ending the outsourcing of this work to foreign governments," NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said in a statement.

The new contracts awarded Monday "are significant milestones in NASA's plans to take advantage of American ingenuity to get to low-Earth orbit, so we can concentrate our resources on deep space exploration," he said.

The awards are part of NASA's Commercial Crew Development program, which lays the groundwork for the potentially multibillion-dollar job of ferrying astronauts to and from the International Space Station. NASA is also providing seed money to these companies to compete and create a new private space race.

"Competition is a very important part of our strategy," Philip McAlister, NASA's acting director of commercial spaceflight development, said in a teleconference with journalists, indicating that 22 companies went after the funding.

Boeing engineers in Huntington Beach and Houston are working to develop a seven-person spaceship that is designed to fly atop a variety of rockets. The company won $92.3 million, the largest of the four awards, and expects the spacecraft to be ready by 2015.

The spaceship, dubbed the Crew Space Transportation-100, had received just $18 million in government investment thus far. Boeing's performance "is an example of how the company's innovative and experienced team is successfully partnering with NASA in a commercial environment," Boeing program manager John Elbon said in a statement.

Of the winners, SpaceX is the only company to have its contender spaceflight-proven.

In December, SpaceX became the first private company to launch a spacecraft into orbit and have it return intact. The company sent up its Apollo-like Dragon space capsule aboard its 18-story Falcon 9 rocket.

The Dragon capsule was empty at the time, but it was a technological and financial feat that had been accomplished before only by government entities.

The capsule is designed to carry seven astronauts, but SpaceX Chief Executive Elon Musk said it still needed upgrades before an astronaut could strap in. That's where the funding will come in.

SpaceX won $75 million from NASA to develop its hardware. The funding comes on top of $298 million that NASA has already invested in the company. The space agency has also awarded the company a $1.6-billion contract to have SpaceX's Dragon deliver cargo to the space station — with trips possibly starting later this year.

Ed Mango, NASA's commercial crew program manager, said in the news teleconference that there might be more than one vehicle that will carry astronauts into space, if the market can support it. "What we're looking for is innovation."

Read More: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-nasa-spaceship-20110419,0,3640117.story

saiholmes

August 25th, 2011, 08:09 AM

Manhattan Beach Open Returns This Week
B.J. Hoeptner Evans August 22, 2011
Manager, Media Relations and Publications
Phone: (719) 228-6800
E-Mail: bj.evans@usav.org

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 22, 2011) – The Jose Cuervo Pro Beach Volleyball Series will officially make its debut at the Manhattan Beach Open, one of the most historic beach volleyball tournaments in the world, on Aug. 26-28 in California.

IMG and USA Volleyball (USAV) are producing inaugural event of the Series in conjunction with the city of Manhattan Beach in a three-day, double-elimination tournament, with live televised coverage of the finals on VERSUS. Qualifying rounds, if necessary, will be staged on Thursday, Aug. 25.

Admission to the event for spectators is FREE.

Read More: http://usavolleyball.org/news/2011/08/22/manhattan-beach-open-returns-this-week/44301?ngb_id=2

saiholmes

August 30th, 2011, 05:19 AM

Members of Congress pressure Navy secretary on USS Iowa decision
By Donna Littlejohn Staff Writer
Daily Breeze
Posted: 08/29/2011 05:17:10 PM PDT

Official pressure mounted over the weekend for the U.S. Navy to expedite its announcement on donating the USS Iowa.

Expressing concerns about the timing of towing the battleship before the stormy winter months arrive, several House members have urged Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus to decide quickly which suitor will be home to the icon.

Nonprofit groups in both Los Angeles and Vallejo have submitted applications that have been under review by the Navy for several months.

U.S. Rep. Tom Latham, D-Iowa, mentioned in an Aug. 26 letter to Mabus that the Navy Ship Donation Office had made a formal recommendation to begin the process.

But Mabus still must sign off on the recommendation - and there is no word on what the recommendation will be.

"Something has been sent up to the secretary of the Navy," said Robert Kent, president of the Pacific Battleship Center, the Los Angeles group vying to bring the vessel to San Pedro's waterfront.

Timing is becoming crucial, Lantham wrote, because of the coming winter months and the limited opportunity for high tides.

"This unique situation demands a swift response to avoid the damaging effects of impending winter," Lantham wrote to Mabus in his letter, also signed by Iowa Reps. Leonard Boswell, Steve King, Dave Loebsack, Bruce Braley and U.S. Sens. Charles Grassley and Tom Harkin.

"If the USS Iowa cannot be moved before the winter months take hold, the battleship
Advertisement
would silt and require the labor-intensive and costly act of dredging before towing to its final resting place can commence."

Rep. Janice Hahn, D-San Pedro, also wrote a letter earlier in the week to Mabus, specifically urging that the ship be donated to her district in Los Angeles rather than Vallejo and asking for a decision "as soon as possible."

A decision could come within days, Kent said.

Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad recently signed off on an appropriation committing $3 million to the refurbishment of the ship, wherever it ends up. That apparently has been a key decision the Navy has been awaiting.

The ship, now sitting with the Navy's ghost fleet in the shallow Suisun Bay in Northern California, needs to be towed out of storage during a high tide, which will occur at the end of September and again at the end of October.

But the October time frame is complicated because it is the beginning of the winter storm month, Kent said.

The window is close to closing to make the preferred September deadline, he said.

Calling the ship the "Air Force One of its day" because it ferried President Franklin D. Roosevelt to and from the Tehran conference, Lantham wrote that the Iowa is a "symbol of American might" that "deserves immediate preservation to ensure it can be forever treasured by current and future generations."

The Iowa letter did not favor one location over the other, but simply urged quick action to make sure the ship is preserved.

Hahn's Aug. 18 letter to Mabus urged the Navy to choose the Port of Los Angeles site, where the ship would serve as a permanent floating museum.

"It will inspire and educate the estimated 450,000 visitors that will come to see her annually, bringing in $1 million in direct state and local tax revenues, as well as an estimated $240 million in direct and indirect economic impacts over 10 years," Hahn wrote.

"The Port of Los Angeles is prepared to immediately welcome the USS Iowa as a permanent fixture to the port and has the capacity to display the ship's wonders on a much grander scale to a vastly larger audience" than Vallejo.

Meanwhile, the port on Monday issued its formal Notice of Preparation for the required environmental study. A public meeting will be held from 6-8 p.m. Sept. 13 inviting comments about potential impacts the ship would have on the port and community.

Read More: http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/ci_18782131

saiholmes

September 2nd, 2011, 04:48 AM

USS Iowa supporter tells harbor commissioners he expects favorable decision
By Donna Littlejohn Staff Writer
Daily Breeze
Posted: 09/01/2011 04:52:57 PM PDT

A supporter of moving the USS Iowa battleship to San Pedro told harbor commissioners Thursday they'd met the Navy's required benchmark fundraising goal and expect a nod from officials soon.

"It could happen any minute, I've got my cellphone ready to go," Robert Kent told commissioners after a staff presentation on the project.

Kent is president of Pacific Battleship Center, one of two nonprofit organizations - the other based in Vallejo - that have bids in to the Navy for donation of the historic vessel.

While the Iowa already received the go-ahead from the Port of Los Angeles last November, it's all contingent now on whether the Navy selects Los Angeles over Northern California.

Plans call for the ship to be docked at Berth 87 - just north of the harbor's fireboat station and south of the Vincent Thomas Bridge - along San Pedro's developing waterfront.

Kent said his group has collected $250,000 in early donations, with another $3 million to be made available from the state of Iowa and $5 million in an approved bank loan.

While he said that meets the Navy's initial benchmark for the ship donation, the group still must raise another $10 million in coming years should the ship come to the port as a floating museum.

In addition to ongoing questions about funding, commissioners expressed concerns about traffic and parking, especially in light of the tourist crunch seen this summer during Navy Week.

"It's already a reality as our events have become more successful," Commissioner David Arian said of handling the crowds.

"This is becoming a real critical question. ... We already have an overflow."

The Iowa group - which anticipates the ship will draw 350,000 to 400,000 visitors a year - has included a 300-space parking lot in its proposal. But port officials acknowledge that parking for the entire waterfront area will be a growing challenge.

The long-range solution included in the waterfront plans will be to build parking structures - one near the cruise terminal and the other near Ports O' Call Village.

Meanwhile, efforts are under way to establish shared parking plans along with making use of shuttle services and other amenities.

Dave Mathewson, director of port planning and economic development, told commissioners progress has been made on several issues over the past few months as port staff has worked with members of the Iowa group.

A public meeting is scheduled from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday to go over issues posed by the ship, including traffic, parking and views, that will be addressed in an upcoming environmental impact report.

Kent told commissioners that much headway has been made by his group already on engineering, towing and utility plans. Skilled volunteers - including former shipyard workers, carpenters, electricians and others with maritime construction and repair expertise - have pledged 48,000 hours of in-kind work on the ship, Kent said.

The Navy's announcement of whether Los Angeles or Vallejo would get the ship donation was expected to come sometime this summer.

A recommendation reportedly has been made within the Navy's ship donation unit, but it still awaits a signature by the Secretary of the Navy.

Timing is crucial because the Pacific Battleship Center wants to take advantage of the next "extreme high tide" conditions (at the end of September and end of October) so the ship can be towed out of Suisun Bay during daylight hours.

Without daytime high-tide conditions, there's the danger of silt building up and costly dredging that would become necessary, Kent said.

Congressional leaders from Iowa, in addition to Rep. Janice Hahn, D-San Pedro, have asked the Navy to expedite its announcement so the ship can be towed this fall.

Read More: http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/ci_18807895

saiholmes

September 7th, 2011, 04:15 AM

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2e/Uss_iowa_bb-61_pr.jpg/800px-Uss_iowa_bb-61_pr.jpg

Los Angeles Wins USS Iowa Bid
The ship will be docked at Berth 87 in the Port of Los Angeles and is expected to draw as many as 500,000 tourists
By Scott Weber
NBC LA
| Tuesday, Sep 6, 2011 | Updated 2:35 PM PDT

The last surviving battleship in the world without a home has been awarded to Los Angeles.

Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced the United States Navy has donated the World War II Battleship USS Iowa to the Pacific Battleship Center, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit on course to turn the ship into a permanent museum and memorial at the Port of Los Angeles.

"Were all thrilled, it's been a year-and-a-half of hard work," said Robert Kent, the Center's President. "It will be unlike any museum ship in the world."

The ship will be docked at Berth 87 in the Port of Los Angeles and is expected to draw as many as 450,000 tourists each year. Local officials believe the Iowa will kick start a revitalization of the area and its attractions.

"Los Angeles is absolutely the right place for this historic battleship, and we are going to take great care of her,'' said Rep. Janice Hahn, whose district includes the port.

Hahn said she worked hard to secure the ship, which she said will generate $250 million of economic activity for the San Pedro economy over the next decade.

"We love the Navy in San Pedro, and we cannot wait to welcome the U.S.S. Iowa to her final home,'' she added.

The Battleship Center raised about $9 million to move and restore the ship, including $3 million from the state of Iowa. The group took out another $5 million in loans and raised the rest through donations and pro bono work.

The Iowa, once dubbed the "Big Stick," is about the length of three football fields, and is the last surviving battleship in the world that has either not been scrapped or turned into a museum.

Kent said the ship will go through an exterior renovation in San Francisco where it's currently mothballed, then be towed to San Pedro where its interior will be converted to a museum.

Plans call for the ship to be opened up in phases.

"Every part of the ship of interest" will eventually be open to the public, Kent said, including the command center, top decks, powder magazine rooms, and the historic wardroom that carried President Franklin Roosevelt across the Atlantic for meetings with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

Formal transfer of the ship's ownership will occur after completion of various environmental and historical requirements, the Navy said.

The ship will be towed to Los Angeles sometime between December and January and could be open to the public by the summer of 2012.

Follow NBCLA for the latest LA news, events and entertainment: Twitter: @NBCLA // Facebook: NBCLA

Read More: http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/129328813.html

saiholmes

November 19th, 2011, 10:48 PM

http://www.latimes.com/media/photo/2011-11/244871520-18153447.jpg

Porsche to build driving center in Carson
By David Undercoffler
Los Angeles Times
5:07 PM PST, November 18, 2011

Porsche departed from the traditionally product-oriented public announcements at this year’s L.A. Auto Show with news that the company plans to build a Porsche Experience Center in the city of Carson.

The facility, only the second in the country and the fifth in the world, will sit on a 53-acre section of land just off the 405 Freeway near the interchange with the 110 Freeway. Much of the space is currently the Dominguez Hills Golf Course and at one point the area was a landfill.

The proposed facility would feature a test track, a driving skills course, driving simulators, an athletic center, a restaurant, and of course, a Porsche showroom.

Porsche hopes to break ground on the center in the summer of 2012.

“We’re very excited about the prospect of having such a world-class facility in the City of Carson,” said Mayor Jim Dear.

The mayor said the project will help put the city of about 92,000 people on the map, and should help turn Carson into a destination rather than just an exit off the 405 Freeway.

“People who have never been to Carson before in their life will come,” Dear said.

The facility is a completely private venture with no public financing or tax incentives, Dear said. He hopes the facility and its presence in Carson will bring about 300 jobs to the area.

Porsche says the handling course at the Porsche Experience Center would allow instructors to simulate rain, ice or snow conditions, somethings Southern California residents might not otherwise encounter. Also planned is an off-road course, the better for Porsche to promote the handling capabilities of its SUV and all-wheel drive vehicles.

Dear also said the facility would have a young-adult component, teaching new drivers skills that will allow them to be “the safest driver they can be.”

The automaker is expected to submit to Carson’s planning department a formal application for the Experience Center next week. Once that department approves the plan, it will go before a nine-member planning commission made up of local residents.

The Carson City Council will then have final approval.

During the review process, the effect the facility could have on local traffic, air quality, noise pollution and the environment will be studied.

Porsche has already signed a lease with Watson Land Co., which owns the land for the proposed Experience Center.

Because the site was at once a landfill, the Environmental Protection Agency and California’s Department of Toxic Substances Control will have oversight of the land’s redevelopment.

The summer 2012 timetable for breaking ground is assuming there are no delays in the environmental remediation action plan.

Read More: http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-porsche-driving-center-carson-20111118,0,4555355.story

2Easy

November 20th, 2011, 01:11 AM

^ Oh good, they fixed the article. In the original online article they called the mayor "Dear" first, but then "Dean" for the rest of the article.

Anyway as someone that lives in Carson I wonder how loud this will be? How does what will likely be a very loud racetrack next to what will be Carson's largest neighborhood development pass an environmental review and get built in city limits? Especially when few if any from Carson would ever use it. I don't see too many high end sports cars around here.

saiholmes

November 21st, 2011, 03:26 PM

http://www.latimes.com/media/photo/2011-11/66228676.jpg

Read More: http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-plaschke-galaxy-mls-20111121,0,1379765.column

pesto

November 22nd, 2011, 08:23 PM

saiholmes

May 26th, 2012, 04:02 AM

SpaceX completes historic docking with the space station
By W.J. Hennigan, Los Angeles Times
May 25, 2012, 11:31 a.m.

SpaceX's cargo-carrying Dragon spacecraft docked with the International Space Station in a historic first for spaceflight.

The unmanned, cone-shaped capsule became the first privately built and operated vehicle to ever dock to the orbiting outpost at 9:02 a.m. PDT.

Shortly after docking, a smiling Elon Musk, SpaceX's 40-year-old billionaire founder and chief executive, appeared in a press briefing at the company's sprawling rocket-making facility in Hawthorne.

Read More: http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-spacex-berth-nasa-station-20120525,0,6075308.story

saiholmes

June 13th, 2012, 04:03 PM

http://extras.mnginteractive.com/live/media/site577/2011/1201/20111201__C_TN02-CRAFTED+PC6FEUB_500.JPG

Bergamont Station developrs to open art studio/marketplace at Port
By Art Marroquin Staff Writer
Posted: 12/01/2011 06:13:03 PM PST

By next year, the developers of Bergamont Station will open an art studio and marketplace inside a pair of vacant wood-frame warehouses at the Port of Los Angeles under a 25-year lease approved Thursday by the Board of Harbor Commissioners.

Read More: http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/ci_19451047

http://bergamotstation.com/

saiholmes

June 22nd, 2012, 07:03 AM

A7dnhjj7RmQ

saiholmes

September 24th, 2012, 03:29 AM

REDONDO BEACH WATERFRONT REVITALIZATION DEVELOPER WORKSHOP
http://www.redondo.org/news/displaynews.asp?NewsID=2130&TargetID=1

saiholmes

November 16th, 2012, 05:10 AM

http://extras.mnginteractive.com/live/media/site577/2012/1110/20121110_112524_delamographic_500.jpg

Torrance's Del Amo Fashion Center to get revamping
By Nick Green, Staff Writer
Posted: 11/10/2012 05:46:23 PM PST

A new anchor tenant, parking structure and two-story mall wing are in store for Torrance's giant, but outdated Del Amo Fashion Center.

The plans were contained in a "minor modification permit" of a 15-year-old previously approved redevelopment scheme. Community Development Director Jeff Gibson signed off on the new permit Oct. 31.

His administrative approval means the updated plan requires no additional scrutiny by the Planning Commission or a public hearing before construction can begin. Gibson determined the plans for the mall were not significantly different from previous approved proposals and, therefore, no review was necessary.

No timetable for the mall revamping was given, but the existing entitlements for redevelopment of the property expire in May 2013.

Read More: http://www.dailybreeze.com/askus/ci_21973284/updated-plans-okd-torrances-del-amo-center

saiholmes

December 2nd, 2012, 04:32 AM

http://www.mlssoccer.com/sites/league/files/imagecache/620x350/image_nodes/2012/12/mls-cup-galaxy-celebrate.jpg

Read More: http://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2012-12-01-la-v-hou/recap

saiholmes

March 1st, 2013, 03:56 AM

http://la.curbed.com/uploads/2013.02_redondo.jpg

Redondo Beach waterfront revitalization plans revealed
By Anna Mavromati, Correspondent
Posted: 02/23/2013 08:59:39 PM PST

When Fred Bruning looks at the Redondo Beach pier, he envisions elements of Pike's Place Market in Seattle, the stylized outdoor marketplace of Bridgeport Village in Portland, Ore., and the grand water features at Station Park in Farmington, Utah. All of these locations are inspiration for the impending redesign of the Redondo Beach waterfront.

Bruning is CEO of the El Segundo-based developer, CenterCal properties, which the city of Redondo Beach has chosen to revitalize the pier and harbor area. On Saturday, CenterCal revealed its plans for the waterfront to residents of the surrounding area, local business owners and community leaders. The meeting was designed as a means of acquiring feedback from the community.

Plans revealed at Saturday's meeting involve the installation of water features, a wider variety of dining experiences, a market hall and local retail shops. There also are plans for a small theater and a boutique hotel on the beach with access to the ocean.

The theater would be significantly different from movie theaters such as the AMC, Bruning said, offering reserved seating for only 600 to 800 compared with the 5,000 seats available at a typical multiplex. He said the theater would showcase a select number of films as well as other forms of art. Food service and a full bar would be offered as well.

As for the boutique hotel, Bruning said he envisions visitors and residents eating breakfast at its restaurant on a ground level that opens up directly to the beach. "We think that could be a magic moment for the site," he said.

Bruning said the waterfront designs will differ greatly from other South Bay shopping areas, such as the Del Amo and South Bay Galleria malls. The design, he said, would be "open, inviting and green," and efforts would be taken to keep the new layout from obstructing ocean views.

The plans also will create more bike and pedestrian access to the waterfront and will improve what Bruning referred to as "the spaghetti bowl" roundabout entrance to the parking structure from Torrance Boulevard, where he noted that many drivers become confused.

Read More: http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/ci_22656559/redondo-beach-waterfront-revitalization-plans-revealed