1999 • LBS Board of Directors, under the leadership of President Louise Buckley, votes to build a senior center that LBS would own and operate. • 2000 • Vision Laguna — a community-based project to develop a shared vision of Laguna over the next 30 years — identifies a new senior center as one of its priorities. It would include extended outreach services and "aging in place" programs. • 2001 • Led by Paul Freeman and Steve Dicterow, the City of Laguna Beach agrees to purchase property on Third Street for a Community Center and Senior Center. • The City obtains a $379,000 grant from the State to help with the new building. • 2002 • Led by President Marthann Newton, LBS hires a fundraising consultant to determine the feasibility of a capital campaign and the needs of the membership. • LBS initiates Project Senior Center, a capital campaign to build, furnish, and endow a new senior center. • LBS receives its first room-naming pledges. • Skipper Lynn becomes President. The board focuses on strategies to raise funds for operations as well as the capital campaign. • 2003 • Led by President Pauline Walpin, LBS enters an intensive, ongoing phase of capacity building in order to strengthen the agency and prepare it for a new home.• Elizabeth Pearson takes on leadership responsibilities for Project Senior Center. • 2004 • The City Council certifies the EIR for the Community and Senior Centers, after Planning Commission review. • LBS agrees to a one story building because of the daunting fundraising goal and neighborhood opposition to a 2-story structure. • LBS signs a Joint Development Agreement with the City, which caps its share of construction costs at $2.5 million, after $138,000 in initial development costs. LBS also commits to raising an additional $250,000 for furnishings and fixtures, and sets a goal of $2.25 million for an endowment. • 2005 • Plans are finalized for a single structure with two wings, one for a community center and one for a senior center, with shared space in the middle for staff. • The four sons of Elizabeth Quilter pledge $750,000 to name the Susi Q Senior Center. • Elizabeth Pearson steps down as Capital Campaign Chair, but remains LBS liaison to the City. The new Chair is Ann Quilter, later joined by Darrcy Loveland Bickel as Co-Chair. • The Hearts of Montage, the foundation of the Montage Resorts & Spa, announces a $350,000 challenge grant and gives an additional $150,000 to underwrite the costs of the capital campaign. • “Lagunatics 2005: Senior Prom” is the first major fundraiser for the Project Senior Center capital campaign. It nets $50,000 which is matched by the Hearts of Montage. • The City and LBS agree to a shared parking management plan to cut the cost of underground parking. The new parking structure has 71 full-sized spaces, including handicap parking and a wheelchair accessible elevator. • Additional room and other naming opportunities are sold at the LBS Holiday Party. • 2006 • June: by a 4-0 vote, the City Council approves the plans and $15 million budget for the senior/community center. • October: the Planning Commission approves the Conditional Use Permit and revised Environmental Impact Report for the project. • November: the Planning Commission unanimously approves the plans for the project, with the addition of side windows and changes to the Third Street wall. • December: the City Council gives final approval to the project. • Fundraising efforts continue throughout the year, with just over $2 million in cash and irrevocable pledges raised. • An ongoing public awareness newspaper campaign is launched in September in the Independent and Coastline News. • 2007 • Groundbreaking takes place on April 3, 2007. Additional major donors pledge gifts to the capital campaign, which continues throughout the year. • 2008 • The Susi Q is slightly ahead of schedule. The capital campaign announced in February that it had met its $2.5 million obligation to the City and was making progress towards raising $300,000 for furnishings and fixtures. The agency has a new Transition Committee to plan for a smooth launch at the Susi Q. • January 31, 2009 • The Susi Q Senior Center is dedicated.
THE SUSI Q SENIOR CENTER IS A COMPONENT OF A LARGER PROJECT: A COMBINED SENIOR/ COMMUNITY CENTER BUILT BY THE CITY AT 380 THIRD STREET IN DOWNTOWN LAGUNA BEACH. • UNDER ITS AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY, LAGUNA BEACH SENIORS HAS PAID $2.5 MILLION FOR A 99-YEAR LEASE AT $1/YEAR, EFFECTIVELY CREATING TWO OPERATIONALLY SEPARATE FACILITIES WITHIN ONE BUILDING.
THE 19,000 SQUARE FOOT PROJECT CONSISTS OF AN 8,000 SQUARE FOOT SENIOR CENTER WING AND A 7,500 SQUARE FOOT COMMUNITY CENTER WING, LINKED BY 3,500 SQUARE FEET OF SHARED SPACE (LOBBIES, OFFICES, AND RESTROOMS). THE CENTER ALSO HAS 7,700 SQUARE FEET OF OPEN SPACE AND THE ENTIRE STRUCTURE SITS ATOP A 71-CAR PARKING GARAGE. THE BUILDING IS FULLY ADA-COMPLIANT.
ON THIS FLOORPLAN, THE SENIOR CENTER ROOMS ARE SHOWN IN LIGHT TAN, THE COMMON SPACES IN DARK TAN, AND THE COMMUNITY CENTER ROOMS — WHICH ALSO ARE UTILIZED BY SENIORS — IN BLUE. • FLEXIBILITY IS A HALLMARK OF THE SUSI Q. ALTHOUGH EACH ROOM HAS A PRIMARY PURPOSE, MOST SERVE MULTIPLE FUNCTIONS. THE “MULTIPURPOSE ROOM” OR GREAT ROOM IS OUR LUNCH ROOM, LARGE GROUP ACTIVITIES ROOM, AS WELL A COMMUNITY GATHERING SPOT FOR AS MANY AS 100 PEOPLE. THE SUSI Q ALSO INCLUDES A COMPUTER ROOM, A WELLNESS CENTER, SMALL OFFICES FOR VARIOUS PROGRAM NEEDS, AND A CATERING KITCHEN.
AMONG THE MANY QUALITIES OF THE SUSI Q, NONE IS MORE WELCOME THAN PARKING! THE ENTIRE PROJECT SITS ABOVE A 71-SPACE GARAGE, WHICH INCLUDES HANDICAP SPACES AS WELL AS ROOM FOR SMALL BUSES TO ENTER AND DISCHARGE PASSENGERS NEXT TO A WHEELCHAIR-ACCESSIBLE ELEVATOR. THIS LOWER LOBBY AREA ALSO CAN BE REACHED VIA A WALKWAY FROM THE STREET.
THE 19,000 SQUARE FOOT PROJECT CONSISTS OF AN 8,000 SQUARE FOOT SENIOR CENTER WING AND A 7,500 SQUARE FOOT COMMUNITY CENTER WING, LINKED BY 3,500 SQUARE FEET OF SHARED SPACE (LOBBIES, OFFICES, AND RESTROOMS). THE CENTER ALSO HAS 7,700 SQUARE FEET OF OPEN SPACE AND THE ENTIRE STRUCTURE SITS ATOP A 71-CAR PARKING GARAGE. THE BUILDING IS FULLY ADA-COMPLIANT.
ON THIS FLOORPLAN, THE SENIOR CENTER ROOMS ARE SHOWN IN LIGHT TAN, THE COMMON SPACES IN DARK TAN, AND THE COMMUNITY CENTER ROOMS — WHICH ALSO ARE UTILIZED BY SENIORS — IN BLUE. • FLEXIBILITY IS A HALLMARK OF THE SUSI Q. ALTHOUGH EACH ROOM HAS A PRIMARY PURPOSE, MOST SERVE MULTIPLE FUNCTIONS. THE “MULTIPURPOSE ROOM” OR GREAT ROOM IS OUR LUNCH ROOM, LARGE GROUP ACTIVITIES ROOM, AS WELL A COMMUNITY GATHERING SPOT FOR AS MANY AS 100 PEOPLE. THE SUSI Q ALSO INCLUDES A COMPUTER ROOM, A WELLNESS CENTER, SMALL OFFICES FOR VARIOUS PROGRAM NEEDS, AND A CATERING KITCHEN.
AMONG THE MANY QUALITIES OF THE SUSI Q, NONE IS MORE WELCOME THAN PARKING! THE ENTIRE PROJECT SITS ABOVE A 71-SPACE GARAGE, WHICH INCLUDES HANDICAP SPACES AS WELL AS ROOM FOR SMALL BUSES TO ENTER AND DISCHARGE PASSENGERS NEXT TO A WHEELCHAIR-ACCESSIBLE ELEVATOR. THIS LOWER LOBBY AREA ALSO CAN BE REACHED VIA A WALKWAY FROM THE STREET.