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Stopping LAX expansion tops city’s year
by Brian Simon
The LAX Expansion Master Plan is dead, El Segundo Mayor Mike Gordon declared at the second annual State of the City luncheon, Thursday at Northrop-Grumman. El Segundo's victory in toppling former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan's $12 billion LAX expansion proposal capped off a long list of city accomplishments over the last 16 months, Gordon said.
But he added that the city could not rest on its laurels. Next, the city will begin working with newly elected Los Angeles Mayor James Hahn to design a regional airport system. Federal funding is imperative, he said, to expand airport services at Ontario airport and the Inland Empire.
"We won't be overrun by an airport of 110 million passengers by 2015 -- you can take that to the bank," Gordon said.
The mayor also recognized the city's police and fire personnel, calling them heroes in our midst.
"If anyone deserves to sit on this dais, it is the fire and police officials of this city," he said. "We are blessed to have these folks."
Gordon touched on half a dozen other areas during his 45-minute overview. Among them:
-- Over $140 million in new projects were approved last year, including the 290,000 square foot Atrium development at Continental Plaza; the Douglas Technology Center; the Kilroy renovation project; and the 160-room Residence Inn. Other key projects include the modernization of Los Angeles Air Force Base, and Thomas Properties' 46-acre, mixed-use development on Nash Street. The Thomas site will also house a new fire station and six AYSO soccer fields.
-- Corporate highlights included Chevron's merger with Texaco; Boeing's arrival and recent announcement to move 12 satellite systems from Seal Beach to El Segundo; and Mattel's comeback from a shaky 2000.
-- Public works projects last year included funding to extend Douglas Street through to Rosecrans Ave.; widening Sepulveda Blvd.; and Rosecrans Corridor improvements. Pending plans include turning Aviation Blvd. into a reversible street, adding more energy to the local grid to avert blackouts, and establishing a city water well
-- Recreation and Parks: • Dedication of Freedom Park in honor of local employees who died in last month's terrorist attacks; funding for the Josh Gardner Skateboard Park in memory of the 11-year-old killed in a skateboard accident last summer; a proposal to build a new community center at Recreation Park; expanding the swim stadiums; rebuilding the Girl Scouts' camp; and revamping the Lakes at El Segundo golf course.
-- Public Safety projects included: a new 911 center; a new city-run animal control program; an automatic defibrillator program; funding for fire station # 2 on the eastside of town; the lowest level of crime of any Southern California community; proposals to include emergency information on community cable; establishing a low-frequency AM radio station, and removing dead spots in cell phone coverage.
-- Over 300 people attended the event, which was presented by the El Segundo Chamber of Commerce. Attendees were also treated to a rare tour of Northrop-Grumman's FA-18 assembly line prior to the luncheon. ER