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 .
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