Long Beach Redevelopment Agency (LBRDA) Collection, 1961-2012

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Summary

Creators:
Long Beach Redevelopment Agency (LBRDA)
Abstract:
Extent:
Approximately 102 linear ft., 126 boxes + 4 drawers of oversized materials.
Language:
Preferred citation:

Long Beach Redevelopment Agency (LBRDA) Collection. Historical Society of Long Beach

Background

Scope and content:

The Long Beach Redevelopment Agency Collection documents the activities of the LBRDA in the City of Long Beach from the years 1961 through 2012. The materials include photographs, 35mm slides, documents, maps, compact disks, and video tapes. Areas of the city of Long Beach represented in the collection include Downtown Long Beach, Central Long Beach, the Poly High neighborhood, the Westside, North Long Beach, Los Altos, Bixby Knolls, and others. The Collection is arranged in five series. If more materials relevant to this collection are either donated to the Historical Society of Long Beach or found in HSLB’s archival collections, these series may continue to be modified. Series 1 contains 35mm slides showing photographs of LBRDA projects. Many were taken by professional photographers such as Kayte Deioma. Others were taken by City staff members such as David Inocencio and City Photographer Andy Witherspoon. They are divided by location or project area. During processing, HSLB staff attempted to preserve LBRDA organization. In situations where slides were out of order, the group was very large, or the subjects of the photographs warranted it, the slides were reorganized to increase their utility to researchers. It should also be noted that some of the dates of the slide groupings are approximations, based on the slides in each group. Series 2 contains aerial photographs, maps, posters, and other oversized items. These materials, which are organized by projects and object types, relate to LBRDA activities in Downtown Long Beach, Long Beach Boulevard, Atlantic Boulevard, King Park, the Westside, Los Altos, Central Long Beach, and North Long Beach, and some smaller areas. Series 3 contains digital media, specifically videotapes and compact disks, which contain a variety of documents, images, studies, financial reports, promotional materials, and other information. Series 4 contains photographic prints, including some smaller versions of the aerials in Series 2. The photographs were rehoused and sorted according to project area. Series 5 contains various physical documents, reports, and promotional magazines.

Biographical / historical:

The Long Beach Redevelopment Agency (LBRDA) was established in 1961 to promote economic renewal in local neighborhoods. Its work changed city streetscapes by altering various residential areas and commercial corridors. The City of Long Beach’s first focus of Redevelopment was the “Jungle,” an area of small apartments and motels built around 1900 along the beach, west of Downtown. Subsequent LBRDA projects included Downtown Long Beach, Long Beach Boulevard, Pine Avenue, Atlantic Avenue, the Westside, Central Long Beach, the Poly High School neighborhood, Los Altos, Bixby Knolls, North Long Beach, and “brownfields project” areas with industrial or petroleum pollution, among others. In short, the LBRDA’s work affected many areas of the City of Long Beach. The LBRDA was dissolved in 2012 through legislation by the State of California. At that time, it controlled 40% of the City’s land, and millions of property tax dollars.

Acquisition information:
The collection was donated to the Historical Society of Long Beach in 2015 and 2017 after LBRDA was dissolved in 2012 pursuant to California State Legislation AB 1X 26. The slides arrived in 75 three-ring binders, with the other items arriving with less organization. Once at the Historical Society of Long Beach, the materials were sorted and rehoused in acid free folders and boxes. Rehousing and cataloging of the collection was done by HSLB staff members Brandon Werts, Tristan Willenburg, Brian Chavez, Julie Bartolotto, and Yolanda Villegas, by volunteers Erin Perkins, Jade Cortez, and by Leadership Long Beach. This finding aid was prepared by Tristan Willenburg with help from Julie Bartolotto in 2019. The processing of this collection and creation of this finding aid were made possible by generous support from the Long Beach Navy Memorial Heritage Association.

Access and use

Restrictions:

There are no access restrictions on this collection.

Terms of access:

All requests for permission to publish photographs or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Director of the Historical Society of Long Beach. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Historical Society of Long Beach as the owner of the physical items, and does not include permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.

Preferred citation:

Long Beach Redevelopment Agency (LBRDA) Collection. Historical Society of Long Beach

Location of this collection:
4260 Atlantic Avenue
Long Beach, CA 90807, US