The board of directors of NTC Foundation, which has oversight of the 28-acre arts district at Liberty Station, has announced a $1 million naming gift from Dorothea (Dottie) Laub to support the continued development and enhancement of Dance Place San Diego, a 21,000-square-foot home for dance in the heart of the historic district, which will now be called Dorothea Laub Dance Place in her honor. Dottie and her late husband Richard (Dick) Laub have been supporters of the project since its inception, in 2000. Most recently, the NTC Command Center, the iconic building at the center of the former Naval Training Center, was renamed the Dick Laub NTC Command Center thanks to a one-time $1.5 million donation from the Laub family. “We are extremely grateful to Dottie Laub and the Laub family for their continued and generous support of this community project,” said NTC Foundation Executive Director Alan Ziter. “Another gift of this size is an extraordinary show of support for this landmark cultural project,” said Richard Opper, NTC Foundation board chair. “We couldn’t be more grateful and honored by Dottie’s belief in our work to preserve and develop these buildings to benefit generations to come.” This is the third building naming gift received by the NTC Foundation since it was founded by the City of San Diego to renovate and operate 26 historic buildings at the former Naval Training Center in Point Loma. “The funds will be used to embark on much-needed short-term maintenance of our 70- to 90- year-old historic buildings,” explained Opper. “It will also be critical in helping assure that we can keep the leasing costs affordable for nonprofit civic, arts and cultural groups in the arts district. This support helps us stay on mission going forward.” “I’m happy to continue to contribute to the growth of this local treasure and help set an example of the kind of support that can be provided and is needed to sustain a vibrant arts district of this caliber for San Diego,” said Laub. After retiring to San Diego 38 years ago, Laub has spent her time serving the community with the San Diego Symphony, Point Loma Association, Point Loma Playhouse, Point Loma Assembly, Friends of the Library, Friends of Balboa Park and the San Diego Zoo. She is a supporter of local performing arts groups and many museums in Balboa Park. She can often be spotted taking classes at Dance Place. Present-day Dance Place San Diego was built in 1941 as a two-story former Navy classroom building and underwent a $6 million transformation in 2006. Dance Place features 11 state-of-the-art dance studios where dancers of all ages, stages and disciplines can rehearse and train. Three of San Diego’s premier dance organizations – Jean Isaacs San Diego Dance Theater, Malashock Dance and San Diego Ballet – are in residence there, and dozens of community groups use the remaining studios.