History + Milestones
Our vision is an ocean that will sustain future generations.
The AltaSea project began with a grant from the Annenberg Foundation to conduct a visioning study for the new home of the Southern California Marine Institute (SCMI), which was to be moved from its Terminal Island headquarters. Work on the project initially focused on securing a 50-year lease with the City of Los Angeles. The lease was executed and included a $57 million capital investment for site rehabilitation by the Harbor Department. Soon after, AltaSea convened a group of top Los Angeles business leaders, civic leaders and philanthropists to create a Board of Trustees to oversee the organization, construction project and capital campaign. AltaSea assumed its status as a stand-alone nonprofit corporation and the Board of Trustees approved the Gensler-designed campus plan.
The Port of Los Angeles City Dock No. 1, home of the AltaSea campus, was constructed in 1913 and successfully brought the Los Angeles waterfront to the international stage, with people, goods and ideas flowing in and out to the world. AltaSea will build on that legacy. We invite you to join in the excitement and engage with AltaSea, so together we can create a lasting and positive contribution to the future of the ocean and humankind.
AltaSea began accepting bids for the development of site improvements, entrance facilities, wharf improvements and core elements of the AltaSea property.
The Board of Trustees of AltaSea named prominent Los Angeles attorney and civic leader Tim McOsker as Chief Executive Officer.
AltaSea successfully renegotiated our lease with the Port of Los Angeles and officially took full possession of three warehouses on City Dock No. 1 with deep-water dock access – Buildings 58, 59 and 60 – as well as a vacant parcel of about 1 acre next to Building 58.
In December 2017, AltaSea launched work on the La Kretz Blue Economy Incubator, to stimulate startup business development.
AltaSea and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Los Angeles Harbor signed a long-term agreement to combine vision and resources of the two organizations to bring future-facing education and job training to the region’s youth.
AltaSea established the LA Waterfront STEM Education Network to offer hands-on workshops that inspire students with the potential of the ocean to meet society’s needs and the importance of STEM skills for the jobs of the future. Partnering with the Boys and Girls Clubs of LA Harbor, Ocean Exploration Trust and Los Angeles Maritime Institute we offer STEM classes for middle and high schoolers.
AltaSea unveiled the stunning architectural renderings for its 35-acre “campus for innovation.” The campus, designed by renowned firm Gensler, has already won the LABC Conceptual Design Award, Westside Urban Forum citation and Architectural Digest named AltaSea one of the nine “most exciting new projects” in Los Angeles.
AltaSea and the Port of Los Angeles received a $3 million grant from the Economic Development Administration for infrastructure improvements.
AltaSea took possession and began renovation of the first 80,000 square feet of warehouse and wharf space for the founding Sustainable Aquaculture and Blue Tech Clusters.
AltaSea’s partner Catalina Sea Ranch took occupancy in Berth 58 as our anchor tenant in the Sustainable Aquaculture Cluster and Blue Robotics became our anchor tenant in the Blue Tech Cluster.
AltaSea expanded its partnership with the pioneering ocean explorer Dr. Bob Ballard and his organization Ocean Exploration Trust (OET), providing STEM education programs to middle schools in the Central, East and South Districts of the Los Angeles Unified School District. AltaSea’s partnership with OET also led Dr. Ballard to choose AltaSea for the winter home of his research vessel, E/V Nautilus.
AltaSea began partnering with Cabrillo Marine Aquarium on a bi-monthly Discovery Lecture Series.
AltaSea was incorporated as an independent nonprofit organization.