Discovery Cube Orange County

Amount Appropriated?

$2.0M

FFID tracks stages 1–2 — stages 3–5 vary by agency, assistance type, and earmark structure.

Project Description

This proposal is expansion of Discovery Cube Orange County. The project will acquire adjacent blighted property to create a community facility and give families the comfort of exploring in a safe place outside their home. This sustainably designed facility will be located along the Santiago Creek. The area adjacent to the Cube is currently a motel that has a history of serving as a host for individuals who sell or use narcotics, as well as a gathering place for convicted criminals, probationers, and parolees. The rampant drug-related activity has served as a magnet for crime. For the last four years, the Cube has been meeting with local community groups and the City of Santa Ana on this property. From January 1, 2019, to the present, the Santa Ana Police Department has received more than 440 calls for service at the property and has been the source of frequent community complaints. The City\u2019s Code Enforcement Division inspected the property and discovered more than 140 violations of state building codes, including unsafe modifications, rodent and vermin infestations, lack of working smoke detectors, and other violations caused by a lack of proper maintenance. Many adjacent businesses and residents in the area have felt the negative impact from the people that frequent this hotel. Over this last year the science center itself has been the target of the vandalism including 5 large windows broken from rocks being thrown, copper wires stolen from many outdoor lighting poles, and even a stolen truck that was broken into and driven off property. There is vast community support for this project as both residents and businesses believe that the only way to transform this portion of the underserved community, is to acquire, demolish and rebuild this property into a community asset. Families in this disadvantaged and underserved community need a safe place to explore and learn and help reengage our students and their families in science education.