LONG BEACH, CA-As GlobeSt.com previously reported, the Port of Long Beach was considering a move of 350 administrative staff to temporary headquarters at 4801 Airport Plaza Dr. The board has now officially approved the move and will purchase the office building, just east of the Long Beach Airport.
The Port’s administrative staff is expected to move to the building sometime next year. The Board stressed that the move is temporary, and that discussions will begin soon on building a permanent headquarters in or near downtown Long Beach.
A Port spokesperson tells GlobeSt.com that the Airport Plaza location could be three to five years. “I am relieved that we have identified a secure, temporary home,” says Board president Susan E. Anderson Wise. “Regardless of what address we have, this Port will continue to be a leader in the shipping industry.”
Wise, and commissioners Rich Dines, Doug Drummond and Nick Sramek voted in favor of purchasing the Airport Plaza building. Board VP Thomas Fields voted against.
The purchase price for the vacant building, which was once occupied by the Boeing Corp., is $14.25 million. The Port expects to spend another $9-million in renovations. The closing date for escrow is December 27.
The current Port Administration building at 925 Harbor Plaza, built in 1959, is overcrowded and does not meet today’s seismic standards, as GlobeSt.com previously reported. The Harbor Commission has placed a priority on moving the Port staff out of the current location because of overcrowding and safety concerns.
The Port spokesperson tells GlobeSt.com that the seller is OC Investors Inc. and Long Beach Airport Business Park II.
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Natalie Dolce
Natalie Dolce, editor-in-chief of GlobeSt.com, is responsible for working with editorial staff, freelancers and senior management to help plan the overarching vision that encompasses GlobeSt.com, including short-term and long-term goals for the website, how content integrates through the company’s other product lines and the overall quality of content. Previously she served as national executive editor and editor of the West Coast region for GlobeSt.com and Real Estate Forum, and was responsible for coverage of news and information pertaining to that vital real estate region. Prior to moving out to the Southern California office, she was Northeast bureau chief, covering New York City for GlobeSt.com. Her background includes a stint at InStyle Magazine, and as managing editor with New York Press, an alternative weekly New York City paper. In her career, she has also covered a variety of beats for M magazine, Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel, FashionLedge.com, and Co-Ed magazine. Dolce has also freelanced for a number of publications, including MSNBC.com and Museums New York magazine.
