City
council seeks to house society
By Christine G. Adamo
On-line Forty-Niner
Stepping
into the Historical Society of Long Beach’s
makeshift museum is like stepping into a
time capsule. Getting into the museum, however,
is tricky.
The Historical Society maintains an office,
shows rotating exhibits and offers research
assistance on the arcade level of the Breakers
Retirement Community which is locked on
all sides. Located one block south of Pine
Street at Promenade North on Ocean Avenue,
museum parking is limited to a small lot
and a few street-side spots.
Rumors have been circulating since the Long
Beach City Council met Oct. 8 about the
society getting a highly accessible home
of its own. Those rumors were posed to Historical
Society of Long Beach Executive Director
Julie Bartolotto for comment.
“We have been in communication with council
members to discuss our situation,” Bartolotto
said. “Our current site has lots of space
but limited access. A proposal was put forth
in the meeting.”
Bartolotto said increased foot traffic would
bring in more revenue for the society, which
is precisely why city council members such
as Dan Baker of the 2nd Congressional District
met in private to request the development
of a committee responsible for planning
a museum. Peter Cossavella, vice president
of Camden Properties may have been involved,
Bartolotto said.
Camden Properties in Newport Beach, a division
of Texas-based Camden Living, is cited by
the International Council of Shopping Centers
as one of the largest, publicly traded real
estate companies in the nation, managing
retail and commercial construction and redevelopment
programs.
Cossavella said a citizen’s advisory panel
was originally on the agenda the panel would
have chosen a location for the proposed
museum. Camden volunteered land it is developing
for 1,000 residents, he said.
“Generally, what’s in the community interest
downtown is in our interest as well,” Cossavella
said. “[Camden] is interested in improving
the quality of life in the downtown area.”
Bartolotto confirmed hearing that Camden
offered to crown the museum with the Looff
building roof which LBReport.com noted was
previously approved for placement atop a
visitor’s center in the new Pike area development.
According to LBReport.com, Charles I. D.
Looff invented the Coney Island-style carousel
and was considered a highly influential
and masterful carousel manufacturer. Looff
moved to Long Beach in 1911 and lived above
his carousel at the Pike amusement area
downtown.
The society staff catalogs and exhibits
photographs, maps, postcards and periodicals
that date from the 1880s, when Long Beach
was first named. Bartolotto and her staff
aid historical researchers in their quest
for documents and, in most cases, make them
available for reproduction.
Bartolotto said 10 percent of the collection
is made up of artifacts — roller skates,
lapel pins, cameras and clothing.
When asked if a future site might incorporate
banquet facilities or maintain a garden,
Bartolotto said it is unlikely the society
could support such endeavors.
“We have a very limited operating-support
staff. There are only one full-time and
two part-time employees,” she said, although
there is also a diverse volunteer base that
is open to growth.
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