Linda Isle planner earns Citizen of Year honor

Paul Clinton

LINDA ISLE -- To sell off the 107 lots on the island in 1967, Bill

Grundy jumped into “The Linda Islander,” a small skiff he used to take

clients out to the site.

Grundy, as a sales manager with the Irvine Co., had been given the

duty of planning the island, selecting building materials and finalizing

it for development.

He had wanted to keep its historic name of Shark Island, which was

given because of its preponderance of sand sharks swimming in the

island’s waters.

However, Grundy was undercut by heiress Linda Irvine, the

granddaughter of James Irvine II, who insisted the island be given her

name.

“I would take the plans and cross it out,” Grundy said. “It was always

known as Shark Island.”

Thirty-five years later, the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce will

honor Grundy’s role in developing Linda Isle and many of the

78-year-old’s other varied accomplishments.

The chamber honored Grundy at a Thursday evening dinner at the Cannery

Seafood Restaurant.

Grundy has lived in Newport Beach most of his life. As a child, he can

still remember buzzing around Newport Harbor in his small boat. After

graduating from Newport Harbor High School in 1941, he took classes at

Caltech.

He enlisted in the Navy for World War II, serving time on a

minesweeper and submarine.

Grundy worked as an engineer after the war, working for Newport

Beach-based Beckman Instruments and Hughes Aircraft.

From 1959 to 1967, Grundy served on the city’s parks, beaches and

recreation commission.

In 1960, Grundy left the field for real estate, joining the Irvine Co.

as a sales manager.

The island, which was created by the company from a mudflat, was

smoothed out and subdivided into 107 lots. A turning circle for yachts

was cut out of the middle, giving the island its distinctive

horseshoe-like shape.

At the time, 25-year leases on the lots were sold, with the Irvine Co.

retaining ownership of the land, Grundy said.

The leases were sold off for between $57,500 for the smallest lot and

$250,000 for the prime location at the southwest corner. Irvine Chairman

Donald Bren now owns that exclusive property, which was known only as Lot

42. It is estimated to be worth more than $5 million today.

Most of the leaseholders on the private island bought the land from

the company in the 1980s. Only seven leases are still outstanding.

Grundy has also been active in the Newport Beach Historical Society

since its inception in 1968. He serves as president.

* Paul Clinton covers the environment, John Wayne Airport and

politics. He may be reached at (949) 764-4330 or by e-mail ato7

paul.clinton@latimes.comf7 .