Southeast : SHIPYARD CONVERSION

The days of the Long Beach Naval Shipyard may be numbered, but area business leaders say the site’s usefulness will keep it afloat.

Various industries are discussing how to recycle the Terminal Island shipyard, perhaps as a ship repair facility or a port storage site. Nothing has been ruled out, however, by the 23-member committee appointed by the Long Beach City Council to investigate the site’s reuse potential.

Located alongside the nation’s two busiest ports, the 263-acre property features three large dry docks. It is scheduled to shut down Sept. 30, 1997, as part of the nation’s military cutbacks. About 3,000 workers will be laid off.

A series of 10 community meetings across Southeast Los Angeles County began last week to discuss reuse plans. The deadline for proposals is April 26. The committee is expected to submit a plan to the City Council at the end of May.

Final authority over how the property is divided lies with Navy and federal Housing and Urban Development officials. However, the state Coastal Commission also restricts the land to certain broadly defined uses including navigation and commerce.