# What's this at the Long Beach airport? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 4, 2015, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-at-the-long-beach-airport/721640 "2015-06-04T16:17:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2015, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-at-the-long-beach-airport/721640/1 "2015-06-04T16:17:52Z")
It’s probably just artistic landscaping, but is there any purpose or backstory [for this](https://www.google.com/maps/place/33%C2%B049'07.0%22N+118%C2%B008'32.2%22W/@33.818612,-118.142282,254m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x0?hl=en)? ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2015, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-at-the-long-beach-airport/721640/2 "2015-06-04T18:33:48Z")
> [@yoyodyne](#): > > It’s probably just artistic landscaping, > > ::: snip :::: ↑ ↑ ↑ This 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2015, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-at-the-long-beach-airport/721640/3 "2015-06-04T18:49:12Z")
Driving range for people who really hate cars. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2015, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-at-the-long-beach-airport/721640/4 "2015-06-04T18:53:10Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Driving range for people who really hate cars. Why do we golf on the driving range and drive on the … 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2015, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-at-the-long-beach-airport/721640/5 "2015-06-04T18:55:31Z")
Are you talking about this? [Google Maps](https://www.google.com/maps/place/33%C2%B049'07.0%22N+118%C2%B008'32.2%22W/@33.818872,-118.142343,3a,75y,179.98h,79.15t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sCVQf1pVJjaieSgWSenWycg!2e0!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x0!6m1!1e1?hl=en) I can’t tell from the street view what the purpose, if any, is. ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2015, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-at-the-long-beach-airport/721640/6 "2015-06-04T19:01:36Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Are you talking about this? > I can’t tell from the street view what the purpose, if any, is. Yep, that’s what I’m wondering about. If it’s art I don’t get it. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2015, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-at-the-long-beach-airport/721640/7 "2015-06-04T19:06:31Z")
> [@yoyodyne](#): > > Yep, that’s what I’m wondering about. If it’s art I don’t get it. Kinda looks like an airport to me. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2015, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-at-the-long-beach-airport/721640/8 "2015-06-04T19:26:08Z")
It sort of looks like old-school radar sweeps. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2015, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-at-the-long-beach-airport/721640/9 "2015-06-04T19:30:49Z")
Something that isn’t done yet? Those gravel areas look primed to hold statuary or monuments of some kind. A memorial park? ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2015, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-at-the-long-beach-airport/721640/10 "2015-06-05T05:33:41Z")
In some newer photos, there seems to be small shrubs or little fat evergreens planted in those squares in a rectangular pattern. Not sure of the year round WX at that location, azaleas? Bradford pear trees? Something that is not spindly? Something easy enough to rip up to build another building but until then, a nice place to walk & relax?? ---
**Author:** ![MikeS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MikeS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeS)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2015, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-at-the-long-beach-airport/721640/11 "2015-06-05T12:38:46Z")
[This document](http://www.lgb.org/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?BlobID=2670) about the LGB airport renovations describes it as “a peaceful, tree-lined outdoor courtyard with drought resistant landscaping” and “a key feature of the design.” According to the design firm, [“extensive landscaping was used to soften the structure’s mass from the main entry drive into the airport,”](http://watrydesign.com/projects/long-beach-airport-parking-structure) so it might just be there to make the building seem less imposing by breaking up a wall that would otherwise be along the road. If you’re simply dying to know, you could try contacting Watry Design (the second link above) and asking them. ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2015, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-at-the-long-beach-airport/721640/12 "2015-06-05T12:59:38Z")
Great finds, thank you! I’m still scratching my head a little at the design, but I guess they could also use it for overflow parking 🙂