Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Boulevard? If you didn’t already, Lana Del Rey wants you to know. It’s the title of the award-winning singer’s latest single and her upcoming album.
The single, “Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd,” was released Wednesday, and if there was any doubt that she meant Long Beach’s Jergins Tunnel, the first verse clears things up.
“Mosaic ceilings painted tiles on the wall. I can’t help but feel somewhere like my body, mind my soul. Heal me, beauty sealed up by two hand-made walls,” she sings.
The Jergins Tunnel, which opened to the public in 1928 and provided access to the Pike and waterfront until 1967, has been sealed up for some time, but we got a rare glimpse inside back in 2018.
The Long Beach Public Library’s Twitter also picked up on the song’s release. It tweeted a handful of historical photos showing the painted tiles on the wall Lana Del Rey was singing about. The singer also shared some historic photos of the tunnel on her private Instagram, according to reports.
Did you know that there's a tunnel under Ocean Blvd? Yup! It's called the Jergins Tunnel and it opened in 1928 and closed to the public in 1967. The tunnel ran under Ocean Blvd. and provided access to the Pike and beach, via the Jergins Trust building at 100 E. Ocean Boulevard. pic.twitter.com/m4z7ZqZB2A
— Long Beach Public Library (@LBCityLibrary) December 7, 2022
While the tunnel is still closed to the public, there is a chance that it could be reopened in conjunction with a hotel project that has been proposed for the corner of Pine Avenue and Ocean Boulevard.
The Seattle-based firm, American Life, wants to build a 30-story hotel with a rooftop bar at the empty parcel that sits atop the Jergins Tunnel. When the Planning Commission approved the project in March 2021, one of the conditions it gave to the developer was to revitalize the tunnel and open it to the public.
Construction on the project has been delayed by the pandemic as investments in hotels slowed, but American Life successfully sought an extension from the city so it could shore up its investors. If construction does break ground, it could take about two years to complete the project.
Once the hotel opens, residents and guests of the hotel will once again get to see the tunnel underneath Ocean Boulevard.
Planning Commission approves 30-story hotel project at old Jergins Trust site
Long Beach Lost: The Jergins Tunnel was Downtown’s gateway to the beach