Signal Tribune Newspaper

BY NICK DIAMANTIDES
Staff Writer

Organizers of the Atlantic Avenue Corridor Project are hoping that Bixby Knolls and California Heights residents and businesses will soon have solid connections to organizations and customers from one end of the city to the other. The project is aimed at improving the quality of life and the business climate on Atlantic Avenue by encouraging residents and organizations to work together for positive change.
Leadership Long Beach (LLB), a nonprofit organization, initiated the project in North Long Beach last year with funding from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation through the Long Beach Community Foundation.
LLB offers classes that teach residents how to be leaders in their community and help improve conditions in their neighborhoods. Peter Bostic, executive director of LLB, explained that the Atlantic Avenue Project began at the city’s northernmost boundary and will eventually move all the way to Ocean Boulevard. “As we strengthen the Atlantic corridor, then we can decide which other corridors we need to strengthen,” he noted. “This project has given us the opportunity to reach into our bag of about 500 alumni and ask them to help us work in one of the areas of the city that has been neglected.”
Bostic noted that the Atlantic Avenue Project, nicknamed the Connected Corridor, has been networking with local neighborhood organizations for more than a year, encouraging them to work together and providing grant money for some of their projects. “They helped us get the word out that we were going to be making grants available, and interested organizations applied,” he said, “There were also some announcements in the newspaper and on our website.” He explained that a committee of seven people read the applications and decided what groups would get the grants.
A total of nine organizations were given grants.
The Architecture Construction and Engineering Academy received $10,000 for two projects: the construction of concrete benches at Jordan High School; and free home maintenance and repairs for senior citizens.
The Fairfield YMCA received $10,000 to expand its “Lunch Bunch” mentoring program for students at Hamilton Middle School.
Smolarcorp was granted $10,000 to create and publish an anthology of 100 creative works by North Long Beach artists.
Hamilton Middle School’s Service and Leadership Academy received $10,000 to develop a program focusing on character education, business/community partnerships and leadership skills.
Community Action Partnership (CAP) was granted $10,000 to create a Leadership Academy Mentoring Program (LAMP) in north Long Beach similar to its downtown LAMP.
The North Long Beach Collaborative received $5,000 to create a website publicizing meetings and events in that part of the city.
Project Oasis was granted $10,000 to expand First Fridays into North Long Beach and to mentor area youth on how to promote themselves as artists and display their works.
Kingdom Causes received $10,000 to foster a network for interns of community and faith based groups to build collaboration among spiritual leaders.
The Long Beach Nonprofit Partnership received $5,000 to act as a consultant to other nonprofit organizations in North Long Beach.
Phase One of the Connected Corridor encompasses neighborhoods from the city’s northern boundary to Del Amo Boulevard. Phase Two, which was initiated last month, includes the area bounded by Del Amo Boulevard and Spring Street. “Right now we are not in the grant mode for Phase Two,” Bostic said. “Our funding comes through the Long Beach Community Foundation, and their funding comes through the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, and we still have not heard when grant money for Phase Two will be available.”
“I believe the funding will come for grants in the Phase Two area,” said Carina Cristiano-Leoni, project manager for Connected Corridor. “The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the Long Beach Community Foundation are both dedicated to moving this project forward.”
Ninth District Long Beach Councilman Val Lerch has been involved in the Connected Corridor for about a year and a half and he strongly supports it. “Even though North Long Beach is eight miles away from downtown, we are still a part of this city,” he said. “We have to find a way to make this section of town a part of all that is going on in Long Beach. If we can make that connection, it’s going to make this a much more vibrant, energetic and prosperous city.”
Blair Cohn, executive director of the Bixby Knolls Business Improvement Association, is another strong supporter of the project. “I can give them a list of artists and people wanting to do things here that would be worthy of grant money,” he said. “We are enthusiastic and ready for it.”
Cristiano-Leoni said that as word gets out about the Connected Corridor, enthusiasm for the project is growing quickly. “More people are getting involved in neighborhood activities, and community associations that have been dormant for years are planning on conducting meetings again,” she said. “It’s very exciting.”
Phase Three of the project will run from Spring Street to Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) and Phase Four will stretch from PCH to Ocean Boulevard. For more information on the Connected Corridor phone (562) 343-1218 or visit www.connectedcorridor.org.

Share This