City officials Thursday touted a historic and transformative $65 million lease agreement on the Westside approved by the City Council on Wednesday that would provide around 20 acres of recreational and enrichment opportunities to LAX’s Northside Area.
The 50-year agreement between the Los Angeles World Airports and Lulu’s Place comes seven years after the council initially approved an environmental impact report for the site, which LAWA acquired in the 1970s.
Councilwoman Traci Park, who represents the Westside, said the agreement was a result of a “long-time community vision.”
“I’m thankful for this groundbreaking partnership with Los Angeles World Airports and Lulu’s Place, which will serve and enrich countless generations of Westchester residents and Angelenos,” Park said.
Proposed facilities include tennis courts, soccer and athletic fields, a community garden and a dog park, according to the lease.
“Los Angeles World Airports is excited to work with CD11, the community, and the Kimmelman Foundation and its partners to bring a state-of-the-art recreational facility to a portion of the vacant LAX Northside campus,” said Justin Erbacci, CEO of LAWA.
Lulu’s Place is a nonprofit youth center named after Carol “Lulu” Kimmelman, a lifelong tennis player and former elementary school teacher who died in 2017. Kimmelman believed in the power of sports to develop youth, according to her husband, Doug Kimmelman.
“Lulu believed all children have the potential to achieve greatness,” said Kimmelman, president of the Kimmelman Family Foundation. “By harnessing the power of athletics and education, Lulu’s Place will serve generations of young Angelenos as a living legacy to an extraordinary woman.”
The lease agreement bills the project as a “rare and unique opportunity” for Los Angeles, with the chance to create a “unique community space” for residents.