The Discovery Cube will expand onto the site of a seedy motel with a $2M grant from U.S. Rep. Correa

SANTA ANA, CA – Yesterday, Representative Lou Correa (CA-46) joined Discovery Cube CEO Joe Adams, Discovery Cube Board Members, and local elected officials to announce $2 million in federal funding for Discovery Cube to acquire adjacent blighted property and create an educational community facility for youth and their families.

This sustainably designed facility will be located along the Santiago Creek. Rep. Correa secured federal funding for this project because of the vast community support it holds from both residents and businesses who 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.

“Central Orange County is a green space desert, and our children and their families deserve more of it. Not just to protect their health, but to make sure they can play, learn, and dream together,” Correa said. “That’s why I’m so proud to bring back these federal tax dollars today, to ensure that Discovery Cube is able to continue their work inspiring and educating our community’s young minds—all while delivering the green space our community needs, and keeping our kids off the streets and safe from crime. It’s through engaging programs like these, and those we’re funding the creation of today, that we will continue to create the meaningful impact our communities deserve.”

The area adjacent to the Discovery Cube is currently a motel that has a history of serving 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 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’s Code Enforcement Division has 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—and many adjacent businesses and residents in the area have felt the negative impact of the presence of motel.

“The Discovery Science Center is grateful for Congressman Lou Correa’s ongoing effort to assist us with our mission to spark a lifelong love of learning and discovery in the hearts of the young people of our community through science-based programs and exhibits,” said Discovery Science Center CEO Joe Adams. “Our community is fortunate to have his leadership and experience in the nation’s capital.”

This funding is part of the nearly $30 million that Rep. Correa secured for community projects throughout California’s 46th congressional district in the Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) omnibus appropriations bill, which President Biden signed into law last year. Rep. Correa worked in lockstep with community leaders to identify priorities for CA-46 constituents, and fought for them during the annual funding process.

About Lou:

Congressman Lou Correa is a longtime Orange County resident, with deep local roots. To this day, he lives only three miles from his childhood neighborhood in Anaheim. He is the son of working-class parents whose hard work gave him a chance at success, and has spent his career fighting to protect the American Dream, and ensure anyone can reach the middle class, just as he did. In 2016, Lou was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives to continue his work by representing the community he has spent the past 20 years serving, fighting to give everyone access to the same opportunity he had. Congressman Correa is committed to working across party lines to strengthen the middle class and give everyone a shot at the American Dream by investing in education, healthcare, and our fading infrastructure, and has introduced legislation to protect the legal rights of immigrants, care for veterans, and fight against the wasteful spending of taxpayer money.