Central LB (Hamilton Bowl/PCH/Walnut Area) Has Soccer Field Instead of This Amenity Filled Kroc Center Because...
(April 24, 2014) -- On April 23, 2014, soon-to-be-former Mayor Bob Foster and 6th dist. Council incumbent Dee Andrews held a press event to display a newly built soccer field at Hamilton Bowl (Walnut Ave. north of PCH.) The exact area had been slated to become what would have been the biggest project in the history of Central Long Beach, a giant community center with multiple amenities for the public valued at roughly $100 million, if Long Beach had come up with roughly $15-18 million.
2010 image from Councilmembers' agendizing memo, below.
That initial sum would have leveraged and triggered a pledge by the Salvation Army to build an enormous Kroc Center for the community basically at the Salvation Army's cost (several times what Long Beach put up.) Multiple cities across the country now have Kroc Centers for their residents that were built in this way.
Under Mayor Beverly O'Neill, the task of raising the $15-18 million was left to a private fundraising. A committee with prominent names urged contributions...but funding wasn't made a City Hall public budget priority; when Mayor Bob Foster took office (July 2006), the project wasn't on City Hall's budget radar; the private fundraising fell short of its fundraising goal...and the Salvation Army withdrew its offer to build the facility.
LBREPORT.com opens are Amnesia File to revisit those events. Below is LBREPORT.com coverage from April-May 2010, including commentary from Terry ("Common Sense") Jensen. We also provide the full text of City Hall's preview release (April 21, 2014) for the soccer field's debut.
(April 19, 2010) -- Councilmembers Dee Andrews and Rae Gabelich (joined by Councilman Robert Garcia in fast-track agendizing for the item) plan to seek Council support on April 20 [2010] to direct city management to create a "Red Team" (similar to the C17 Red Team to keep the Boeing program in LB) to "utilize all departments necessary" to (1) create a public awareness campaign on the value of having the Kroc Center in our city; (2) expedite resolution of remaining issues regarding the land transfer and lease property (indicating the land transfer/developer agreement needs to be in place no later than Sept. 2010) and (3) to "help find solutions and support to reach the fundraising threshold of the $18 million needed trigger the funding of the Center."
In their agendizing memo, Councilmembers Andrews and Gabelich say two obstacles need to be overcome to make the Kroc Center a reality: successfully competing a land transfer and Developer agreement and raising $18 million needed by the Salvation Army to enable the Kroc Foundation to release funds to build the Center.
Image from Councilmembers' agendizing memo
In their agendizing memo, Councilmembers Andrews and Gabelich suggest "two of what we hope will be many funding and revenue generators...The Red Team can disregard the suggestions but their mission is to develop adequate funding and revenue sources to make this project a go." As possible revenue sources, the Councilmembers suggest
(1) Using a strip of commercial land, to be acquired by LB's Redevelopment Agency. "There is no reason why this strip of land fronting the proposed Center along Pacific Coast Highway could not be acquired and developed for amenities that will support this Center. Parents of the students will a place to buy Coffee, or sandwiches at a nearby shop. The commercial center could have viewing corridors to the Kroc Center site. This Development could be a financial revenue stream to the Center with a Land Lease or joint venture with a developer," their agendizing memo states.
Image from Councilmembers' agendizing memo
(2) "There is a large parking structure that will generate revenue," the Councilmembers say...and add: "We need to explore the possibility of working with the Kroc Center to bond this portion of the development and have the revenue pay for the bonds. Colleges, as well as cities, use this method. There are other funding sources besides traditional bonding, such as capital from insurance companies that need to invest their reserves. This is a very cheap resource to finding a project like this. 100% of project capital with no capital investment or lease payments required during the design and constriction of the parking lot."
In a release, Councilman Andrews says: "The Kroc Center is a dream project because it touches everyone who lives in Long Beach and surrounding communities. We need to make this development project priority one. It has virtually unlimited social and athletic programs. It is also a premier economic opportunity for Central Long Beach community and beyond. We are not that far away from making this dream into a reality. When we get all ‘hands on deck’ we can do anything reasonably possible to assist this project."
Councilwoman Gabelich adds in the release, "The Kroc Center is an investment in our future that the City cannot afford to pass up. The benefits of the Center for our young people, the local economy and really the entire City are invaluable. The City of Long Beach should be actively involved in making sure we meet the requirements to make the Kroc Center a reality and rally the community around that goal."
In their agendizing memo, the Councilmembers write:
The Salvation Army entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the City of Long
Beach on January 1, 2006 for the development of a community center known as the Kroc
Center. The site is located one block north of PCH at Walnut Avenue on approximately 19 acres
at what is currently referred to as Hamilton Bowl. This is a storm water retention basin for the
County of Los Angeles Flood Control District. The City of Long Beach currently maintains a
lease with the County to operate the property as a park.
In order to construct the Kroc Center there will be considerable investment in the storm water
system. The cost of reconfiguring the storm water system is estimated at $5 million ($750,000 to
import, relocate and compact the new building pads). This reconfiguration of the storm water
system is being done for two reasons. The first reason is that in order for a Kroc Center to be
built, according to the terms of the foundation, the Salvation Army must have a Fee Simple title
to the underlaying land. The second, and more practical matter, is to prevent flooding on
the center of the property. The remaining 11.8 acres of land will be used for athletic fields and
parking and will be leased by the Salvation Army from the City/County.
Beyond the social benefits the proposed Kroc Center will provide much needed economic
benefits. They include, but are not limited to: Job creation, increasing property values, increased tax base, increased economic activity for surrounding community, academic achievement and reduction in crime rates.
It is expected to take more than two years to build all the elements of the Kroc Center on the
property. An estimated 600 construction jobs will be needed to develop the site. The Long Beach
Kroc Center will employ 175 to 210 people once it opens.
The San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) conducted a 2008 study of the Economic
Impact of the Kroc Center located in San Diego. It concluded:
From an economic perspective, the Kroc Center employs 50 full-time employees, summer camp staff,
and additional part-time and on-call staff for the total of approximately 340 staff members. These jobs result
in approximately $3 million in payroll and a direct value of more than $6.1 million in economic activity for the
region during the year.
The $6.1 million in "direct" economic activity of the Kroc Center supports other local industries. As a result of
its day-to-day operations, the Kroc Center "indirectly" generates nearly $533,000 in annual payroll and nearly
$1.8 million in additional economic activity at other local companies. This $1.8 million can be considered the
result of the goods and services that the Kroc Center purchases from local vendors. Overall, an estimated
14 jobs, paying an average of $39,000 per year, are generated locally by the economic activity of the Ray
and Joan Kroc Corp Community Center. These jobs, with total payroll in excess of $500,000 per year, would
not exist without the economic activity generated by the Kroc Center.
Other Kroc Centers have seen a drop in crime where the centers are located. The positive impact
of a Kroc Center in a community is significant and continues to grow years after it has stabilized.
According to a 2006 study commissioned by the Salvation Army and conducted by Brailsford &
Dunlavey/Heery International here are some of the highlights:
Nearly 30% of those individuals within the one-mile radius of the Long Beach Kroc
Center are living at or below the poverty level. For those individuals and families
that do have jobs, 64% of them earn less than $35,000 annually. Another 46% of
the population is not currently in the work force.
26% of individuals living in a one-mile radius of the proposed site do not own a car
or vehicle. Because of its close proximity, the Long Beach Kroc Center will be
easily accessible to these individuals. In 2006, 48 percent of Long Beach
households earned less than $35,000 per year, while just 40 percent of total
California households earned less than $35,000 per year.
37% of individuals within a one-mile radius are under the age of 18. These
individuals currently have no quality athletic or recreation facilities within walking
distance.
Approximately a half-million people live within a 5-mile radius of the Long Beach
Kroc Center, including 140,000 senior citizens. The Long Beach Kroc Center will
provide social, recreational and aerobic activities for senior citizens and also multigenerational
classes that will group together senior citizens and Long Beach youth.
32% of children in Long Beach live at or below the poverty level.
21% of 16-24 year olds are high school dropouts.
19% of all youth (including those with and without high-school diplomas) are not
employed and not in school.
Within a one mile radius of the proposed Kroc Center, there is a population of nearly
74,000 individuals. Among this 74,000, roughly 78% are of an ethnicity that is not
Caucasian (34% Hispanic, 21% Asian, and 14% African-American).
Given the recent economic decline, these numbers have certainly increase. In
June, the Press-Telegram reported that Long Beach unemployment is at an
estimated 12.5% compared to neighboring cities Seal Beach (6.4%) and Torrance
(5.7%)
The public benefit of the Long Beach Kroc Center extends much further than just
Long Beach, though. While the primary audience for the Long Beach Kroc Center
will be the Long Beach community, the Kroc Center will also serve Signal Hill and
cities north of Long Beach such as Lakewood, Norwalk and Cerritos.
The Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center will provide the residents of Long
Beach, Signal Hill and surrounding communities the opportunity to have access to
world-class facilities for education, recreation and the arts. In keeping with the
mission of The Salvation Army, the facility will provide programs and services that
encourage positive life-changing experiences.
The Facility:
The Long Beach Kroc Center will contain an auditorium with flexible multi purpose
rooms including a computer lab and room for music instruction. It will also contain
extensive classroom space, a state-of-the-art Olympic-level aquatics center with
multiple pools; a gymnasium complex, elevated jogging track, and a weight and
fitness area.
On Kroc Center grounds there will be multi-purpose fields that will provide ample
space for outdoor activities and sports. This will include fields for sports leagues
(soccer, football, baseball) as well as passive activities including picnics, outdoor
reading, events and cultural festivals
The Long Beach Kroc Center will contain state-of-the-art educational components
that will focus on the arts such as music and drama. There will be dedicated space
for homework centers.
The Long Beach Kroc Center also has established mutually beneficial partnerships
with the Long Beach Unified School District, Long Beach City College, and
California State University. These partnerships will incorporate the best curriculum
and teachers/professors of the educational partners with world-class facilities of the
Long Beach Kroc Center.
The strong alliance with Long Beach City College will be enhanced by the location
of the main entrance of LBCC’s Pacific Campus and the Kroc Center. This location,
a few hundred yards north of PCH, will align with the east entrance to the Campus.
The linkage will be further strengthened by the design of the crosswalk and
entryways to the east and west of Walnut.
Here is a list of other features that will be included within the Kroc Center.
450-seat Performing Arts Center
30 Classrooms
Drop-in Day Care
Toddler Play Area
Art Studios
Lecture Halls
Kitchen
Library
Four Indoor Basketball Courts
Outdoor Walking Paths
1,000-seat Outdoor Amphitheater...
Image from Councilmembers' agendizing memo
The Long Beach Kroc Center project is a $120M+ project with nearly $100M
already allocated to the project from Kroc Center funds and Salvation Army
reserves.
Improvements to adjacent sidewalks and existing and proposed bus stops will be
made and a new traffic signal will be placed at the intersection of Rose Avenue and
Pacific Coast Highway, which is one of the proposed entrances to the new facility.
The recent recession has left more families in need of affordable access to fitness,
recreation and other programs to improve their lives. The Long Beach Kroc Center
wants people of all means to be able to use the center and will have membership
discounts and scholarships available for low-income residents.
Overcoming Obstacles to Get to the Finish Line:
There are two obstacles we need to overcome in order to make this dream of the Kroc Center a
reality.
Successful completion of the land transfer and Developer agreement in place. This
needs to be accelerated and a final agreement needs to be in place.
In order for the Kroc Foundation to release the funds needed to build the Kroc
Center, it is stipulated there needs to be local involvement and commitment from the
community to the Center. Currently the Salvation Army needs to reach an $18
million goal.
We are proposing the City of Long Beach create a KROC CENTER RED TEAM for the purpose
of overcoming these two obstacles.
There is no reason why this strip of land fronting the proposed Center along Pacific Coast
Highway could not be acquired and developed for amenities that will support this Center. Parents
of the students will a place to buy Coffee, or sandwiches at a nearby shop. The commercial
center could have viewing corridors to the Kroc Center site. This Development could be a
financial revenue stream to the Center with a Land Lease or joint venture with a developer.
Image from Councilmembers' agendizing memo
[Commentary/Opinion by Terry ("Common Sense") Jensen -- (June 14, 2010) -- What the Salvation Army offered with its $120 million Kroc Center was almost certainly the largest, most ambitious, most amenity-filled project ever proposed for Central Long Beach.
That this offer received lipservice and shrugs instead of meaningful actions and results surely ranks as one of the worst embarrassments in recent Long Beach history. The outcome is in my view inseparable from the braintrust currently occupying City Hall's 14th floor.
I'm interested to know how Mayor Bob Foster imagines he can come up with $120 million to implement the plans that the Salvation Army abandoned after we couldn't come up with $15 million to launch them.
What Long Beach may get in the future will almost certainly be a lesser project, perhaps better than what's there now, but almost certainly less than we could have had.
Ultimately, the Salvation Army walked because they didn't believe the words that Long Beach talked.
They saw what Long Beach residents and businesses have seen for years. If Mayor Foster and his Council had put the same kind of effort into the Kroc Center that a former Council put into the $200 million fish tank (Aquarium) or the current Council put into the southeast Long Beach "land swap," the Kroc Center would have gone forward.
What has happened is a travesty for the kids and the families in Central Long Beach. They will have less because those in charge at City Hall failed to grasp the importance of doing more.
City of LB release, April 23, 2014
[April 21, 2014 City release] Mayor Bob Foster, Sixth District City Councilmember Dee Andrews and the Departments of Parks, Recreation & Marine and Public Works invite the public to a grand opening event for the Chittick Field sports complex, on Wednesday, April 23 at 11:00 am. The 19-acre site near Pacific Coast Highway and Walnut Avenue has been revitalized with the construction of a football field, an all-weather track and other track and field facilities, three soccer fields, restrooms, bleacher areas, sports lighting, landscaping and parking.
"This is one of the most significant park renovation projects in decades," Mayor Bob Foster said. "Chittick Field has been revitalized as a state-of-the-art facility, and will enhance the entire community by providing so many wonderful opportunities for recreation, team sports and a healthy active lifestyle."
"With all the active and young people living within one mile of Chittick Field, I know that it will be one of the most utilized parks in Long Beach" Councilmember Dee Andrews said. "I share the community's excitement and enthusiasm to start playing football, soccer and a wide variety of athletics here at this incredible facility."
Chittick Field was developed more than 60 years ago with baseball and soccer fields, on land used as a Los Angeles County stormwater retention basin. Chittick Field has remained very popular with the community throughout its long history. To facilitate this significant upgrade of the park, the City of Long Beach and Los Angeles County negotiated the first 99-year lease in the County's history to make this facility available to the community into the next century.
"I am delighted with the improvements to Chittick Park, within the Los Angeles Flood Control District's Hamilton Bowl detention basin facility," Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe said. "We've had great cooperation from the City of Long Beach in our ongoing efforts to protect our communities from flood risk, while creating a beautiful recreational area. This project is a great example of two government agencies working together to not only improve the aesthetics of the area, but enrich the quality-of-life for local residents."
Construction began in April 2013, and the transformation of Chittick Field took one year. The renovation was funded with $9.9 million from the Los Angeles County Park and Open Space District, City of Long Beach Infrastructure funds, Open Space Bonds and a donation from Occidental Petroleum Corporation ($1 million).
"Oxy is proud to be a part of the Long Beach community," said Frank Komin, President and General Manager of Oxy Long Beach, Inc. "The revitalization of Chittick Field is the result of a successful public/private partnership with the City of Long Beach and the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation and reflects our strong commitment to our neighbors."
Chittick Field remains an active stormwater management facility, and the renovation re-graded the existing bowl and added a low-flow drainage system, a pump station, and various stormwater treatment devices to meet current trash and bacteria reduction regulations. Through this project, the Chittick Field site will be updated both as a park, and as a flood control detention basin and as a National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) compliance site. Bio-swales will be located at all the outfalls into the site and the updated system will include trash and bacteria reduction solutions. Native and drought tolerant landscaping with efficient irrigation are incorporated into the landscaping. Additionally, a bike path within the bowl will connect to the bike trail in the Pacific Electric right-of-way, which will continue to improve upon the city's network of bike trails...
