A major renovation of the Leisure World globe, which has been welcoming residents and visitors to Seal Beach since 1962, is almost complete.
The iconic four-story structure was tented last month so it could be sandblasted down to its bare metal, after which its tubular-steel structure will be strengthened.
When it was first installed, the 14-ton globe rotated above an illuminated 50-foot wide pool of water. Replacement mechanical parts are no longer available, so the sphere now will be fixed in place.
Randy Ankeny, executive director of the Golden Rain Foundation, which administers the one-square-mile community that’s home to more than 8,000 residents, said the globe was last painted in 1999, with the continents’ colors based on those in the Rand McNally World Atlas.
The refurbished globe will be painted a dark, metallic brown using a special industrial paint suitable for coastal weather conditions.
The renovation will cost about $175,000. Seal Beach Councilwoman Sandra Massa-Lavitt, whose Fourth District includes part of Leisure World, said there is no cost to the city. She added that “it’s a happy coincidence” the project will be finished in time for Seal Beach‘s centennial celebrations.
The renovation is expected to be finished this summer.
Ankeny said a ceremony is being planned for the orb’s unveiling.
