The City of Long Beach, in partnership with Long Beach City College (LBCC) and BLANKSPACES, celebrated the grand opening of the Shaun Lumachi Innovation Center, a new state-of-the-art facility in downtown Long Beach that will offer a variety of programs, resources and meeting spaces for local businesses.

“This project demonstrates our strong commitment towards progress, innovation and support of Long Beach small businesses,” said Mayor Robert Garcia. “We’re proud to rename the former Small Business Development Center in honor of Shaun Lumachi, who was both a leading innovator in our community and an amazing friend and mentor of mine. This is a fitting recognition and will continue Shaun’s legacy of service for years to come.”

The two-story, 4,888-square-foot facility, located at 309 Pine Avenue, will operate as a coworking space while also offering resources and programs for entrepreneurs, such as the International Business Accelerator, which offers business advising services and workshops designed to support the City’s new and existing entrepreneurs through LBCC’s Small Business Development Center, which focuses on small business development, entrepreneurship and job training to support the regional economy. BLANKSPACES, which provides shared and private coworking office experiences for businesses, will manage day-to-day operations of the facility while LBCC will deliver programs and support services for entrepreneurs.

“I am thrilled about the renovations made to the facility which will support collaboration, spark creativity and advance innovation in small business entrepreneurship in downtown,” said Councilwoman Mary Zendejas. “The Innovation Center will bolster inclusion and equity for underrepresented business owners by providing resources, programs and technical assistance through the SBDC.”

Improvements to the Innovation Center included a new façade, revitalized modern work and meetings spaces, and getting an elevator back into service, which will further maximize the programs and services available to the business community.

“Long Beach City College looks forward to offering training programs and counseling through LBCC’s Small Business Development Center to the entrepreneurs who will utilize this space,” said Long Beach Community College District Superintendent-President Dr. Mike Muñoz. “LBCC is proud to be a part of the Shaun Lumachi Innovation Center and to commemorate the spirit his name represents.”

In 2017, the City formalized a partnership with LBCC and BLANKSPACES to revitalize the existing building at 309 Pine Ave., then known as the Small Business Development Center (SBDC), into a shared working environment and entrepreneurial innovation center. The decision came after then-Long Beach City Councilwoman, Senator Lena Gonzalez, brought forth a request to rename the SBDC the Shaun Lumachi Innovation Center after Shaun Lumachi, a dedicated Long Beach community leader and innovative businessman who tragically passed away in 2011. The legacy of Shaun Lumachi will help entrepreneurs achieve their innovative goals to make their businesses thrive and further Long Beach as the place to live, work and play.