No answers yet on new home for historic VIP Records sign
It will be years before the sign, which stood atop the famous record shop until 2018, finds a new home, according to city officials.
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Community members who attended the Sixth District meeting at Long Beach City College on Thursday hoping for an update on the legendary VIP Records sign left with no new information. In fact, officials confirmed that it will be years before the sign finds a new home.
VIP Records, which has been in Long Beach for nearly five decades, took down the sign in 2018 to restore it, but it has been in storage ever since.
The meeting lasted more than two hours and primarily focused on updates to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park and steps to secure the African American Cultural District. Discussions regarding the VIP sign took less than five minutes.
Director of Public Works Eric Lopez addressed ongoing improvements at MLK Park, "You'd be surprised what you can accomplish with a fresh coat of paint and new flooring," he said.
Councilwoman Suely Saro, who represents the Sixth District, said the current renovations there are part of the city's "Elevate 28" five-year plan, which she called an "historic investment in our city's infrastructure."
"Ensuring our parks, cultural landmarks, and public spaces are revitalized for the future," she continued. "This Sixth District is home to rich history and vibrant communities, and these projects will honor that."
While showcasing renovations at MLK Park, Lopez presented images of the health center and pool bathrooms, reiterating, "It's very amazing to me what you can do with a fresh coat of paint, with new flooring, with removing some of the old ceiling tiles, and renovating and refurbishing."
He also acknowledged longstanding inequities in public works investment within the district. "There used to be a time that certain parts of the city would not get the level of investments that were deserved," he said.
Despite Lopez's claims of addressing inequities, some community members challenged that assertion. Community advocate and educator Lydia Hollie questioned the accessibility of the pool.
"When the pool is completed, will it be open to the neighborhood children?" she asked. "Because that has not been the case to date."
Lopez said that was a question for the Parks, Recreation and Marine Department, which did not have a representative at the meeting.
Hollie also asked about opportunities for local vendors to participate in renovations. Lopez said that while the city's project labor agreement has insurance requirements that make it difficult for local contractors to qualify, he committed to assisting those in need by helping them find partnerships that meet the necessary standards.
Many attendees were there to support Kelvin Anderson and VIP Records, but the city's update on the future of the historic sign was brief. The city is still searching for a new location and is seeking community feedback, all of which will take years, officials said.
After the meeting, Saro said one of the main reasons for the delay is ongoing negotiations to ensure that the sign's relocation benefits Anderson and his family.
"The discussion is really about ownership," she said. "How does he, as the person who created this, benefit now and in the future?"
Kelvin Anderson, the owner of VIP Records, thanked the community for attending and showing support.
"When we took the sign down in 2018, we thought it would just be down for restoration," he said. "I am happy that we are partnering with the city to try to make this dream a reality."
Anderson's dream is to have the sign attached to a museum that can share the impact of Long Beach in music.
Saro stressed the importance of community input in deciding the sign's new home. She also expressed enthusiasm about Anderson's idea to incorporate the sign into a museum.
While the goal is to keep the sign as close to its original location as possible, Saro said the city remains open to placing it in an area that best serves the community.
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