In a final approval Monday by the Board of Harbor Commissioners, the Port of Long Beach will officially purchase the office building at 4801 Airport Plaza Drive east of the Long Beach Airport. The building will be the site of the Port’s interim headquarters while a new permanent headquarters is built, hopefully back in Downtown.
Board President Susan E. Anderson Wise, as well as commissioners Rich Dines, Doug Drummond and Nick Sramek, voted in favor of purchasing the Airport Plaza building; Board Vice President Thomas Fields was the only one to vote against the move.
The path to relocating the Port’s headquarters from the currently outdated and dilapidated space Downtown has been tumultuous, following plans vetoed by Mayor Bob Foster to construct an entirely new facility—the mayor was perturbed by the project’s expensive $220 million price tag—and a conflict of interest surrounding the Port’s plan to purchase space in one of the World Trade Center buldings.
“While we are disappointed that the Port of Long Beach will temporarily relocate out of Downtown, we strongly support the Harbor Commission’s intention to build a new world-class Port Headquarters in Downtown,” said Vice Mayor Robert Garcia and 2nd District Councilmember Suja Lowenthal in a joint statement to the press. “It’s important that any vote to temporarily relocate the Port Headquarters also includes a vote to move forward on building a new facility in Downtown Long Beach. It is essential that our new Port Headquarters be located in close proximity to the Port, and other related maritime businesses and organizations currently found in Downtown.”
About 350 staff members of the Port will begin moving sometime early next year into the currently vacant building once occupied by Boeing. The $14.25 million purchase will close escrow on December 27.
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