The Manhattan Beach City Council unanimously approved an agreement with the nonprofit which runs the Roundhouse Aquarium and the Harrison Greenberg Memorial Foundation to renovate the aquarium Tuesday night.
The city had been planning on spending $150,000 for needed repairs to the building. Those plans were put on hold when the foundation, started by Skechers President Michael Greenberg in memory of his son who passed away last April at the age of 19, announced it would be contributing $1.25 million to the Roundhouse.
Oceanographic Teaching Stations, which operates the aquarium, hired an architect to create a conceptual design. Allen, Atwater and Associates came up with a plan which would expand the aquarium into the whole building, including the space currently occupied by the Manhattan Beach Yacht Club coffee stand, and would require an additional $350,000 to $1.25 million to the foundation’s donation.
The council agreed to contribute the money it had already set aside, as well as $100,000 of in-kind services, such as permit fees and staff time. It will decide details, such as whether to keep the coffee shop, at a later date. Since the plan has to get approval from the state, which controls the pier, Public Works Director Tony Olmos estimated that construction would begin in February at the earliest.
