The Belmont Plaza Pool is a symbol of Long Beach, California, with a long-standing history of providing beach-front community recreation, U.S. Olympic swim trials, and collegiate championships. In 2008, Counsilman-Hunsaker was retained to help develop a cost estimate to retrofit and upgrade the existing pool complex. Scenarios were developed for review, providing aquatic competition, training, and leisure programming components. Options varied from basic renovation work to full replacement and enhancement. Each option focused on the goals of the city and the needs of the community.

In January 2013, the pool structure was deemed seismically unsafe in the event of a moderate earthquake and was closed permanently to protect the safety of the public.

The following year, in August 2014, Counsilman-Hunsaker was again retained to provide aquatic design and engineering services. While still in progress, final plans are now underway, after multiple revisions, for the redevelopment of the new aquatics center, designed to enhance the diving facility to the point where it could host the 2028 Olympics diving competition. The existing Belmont Pool has been demolished and will be replaced with a complex that includes all outdoor pool components.

Pending approvals, the city will continue to pursue various funding opportunities, including, but not limited to, fundraising efforts, grants, and engaging the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic organizing committee. If the permitting process goes as planned and the extra money is found, construction could begin as soon as summer 2021 (final design and the construction contract process will take about a year), which would allow completion in early 2023