What’s up

Barbara Diamond

WHAT: Community / senior

WHAT’S BEHIND IT: After years of trying to find property on which to

build a new Senior Center to replace the ill-suited building on Legion

Street, Laguna Beach Seniors Inc. accepted a site purchased by the city

on Third Street. The seniors agreed to raise the money to build the

senior center and the three City Council members who can vote on the

project without a conflict of interest agreed to lease the land to the

seniors for $1 a year for 50 years.

The project has grown to a proposal that includes a community center,

with underground parking below the two structures and the Laguna Beach

Community Clinic, also on Third Street. Clinic officials are asking the

city to buy their building for a reported $4 million, which is what it

would take to build a new facility, and lease it to the clinic at the

same rate approved for the seniors.

WHAT NOW: Architects will present interim layouts and a conceptual

design of the exterior to the Laguna Beach Seniors Inc. board on June 20,

according to Vice President Howard Levin, who acts as liaison between the

seniors and the developer.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING: “The project is going really well,” Levin said.

“We have been meeting every other week with the city manager, the

developer and the community clinic representatives.

“We’ve all approved a schematic drawing of the three buildings,

including the new clinic building, which the city and the clinic are

negotiating.”

WHAT’S NEXT: The layouts and exterior concept will be presented June

20 to neighbors of the project and to the City Council on June 25,

according to City Manager Ken Frank.