Bank to Be Converted Into Cultural Center

The vacant bank building at 7th Street and Pacific Avenue in downtown San Pedro may not be rich with deposits anymore, but it will be wealthy with culture when the city finishes converting it into a Croatian cultural center.

The Los Angeles City Council this week approved the $450,000 purchase of the 1928 building by the Community Redevelopment Agency. The Cultural Affairs Department will spend $150,000 to renovate the bank into a place where residents can hold art and cultural exhibits, perform ethnic dances and store archives. The funds to purchase the building are coming from a Community Redevelopment block grant.