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Navy sinks CSULB
debt for technology park
By Jamie Rogers
On-line Forty-Niner
In an unprecedented
move, the U.S. Navy forgave Cal State Long Beach a $1.4 million
debt for the transfer of 30 acres of Navy land to the university.
The land, located at Pacific Coast Highway and the Terminal
Island Freeway, was used for Navy housing. It is now being
developed into a technology park that will bring in approximately
$700,000 revenue a year for the university, said Mo Tidemanis,
CSULB director of property development.
CSULB President Robert Maxson credits the decision to the
influence of Mayor Beverly O'Neill and U.S. Rep. Stephen Horn,
R-Calif.
"Clearly, it was their influence in Washington that got
us this," Maxson said.
The cost of the transfer was to be $1.04 million and would
total approximately $3 million after interest is calculated.
The interest and the loan had already reached $1.4 million
when the Navy forgave the debt.
"What this amounts to is $3 million more the university
can use on academic programs," Maxson said.
A recent change in federal legislation allowed the Navy to
forgive the debt. The legislation permits the U.S. Secretary
of Defense to modify all economic transfers the military makes.
According to Maxson, O'Neill was perceptive to the legislation
change and appealed to the Navy to modify the original terms
of the transfer.
"The Navy works in its own way," O'Neill said. "For
something like this to happen, it is almost as if the stars
have to be in alignment."
O'Neill also said this would not have happened without the
support of Horn.
"This has been very hard, of course," she said.
"But Congressman Horn spent his career as president of
CSULB. He knew what this would mean to the institution."
The bulk of the area will be used for research and development
facilities, small businesses and some light manufacturing.
This phase of development should be completed by 2003.
The Long Beach Enterprise Center and the Alameda Corridor
Training Project are already on board.
The Enterprising Center is an assembly of local businesses
and agencies that will work to attract promising tenants to
the Technology Park.
The Training Project will provide job skills training to residents
who live in the corridor area.
Maxson said he does not foresee building any off-campus classrooms
in the area, but expects students and faculty to take advantage
of research and internship opportunities that will arise.
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