Long Beach Construction (Planned, Proposed, & Current)

[CityKid]

More good news from the Long Beach Business Journal:

Shoreline Gateway Project Downtown Hoping to Break Ground Later This Year

Joshua H. Silavent - Staff Writer

February 12, 2013 – The Long Beach City Council, as the successor agency to the former redevelopment agency, gave its approval in December for the Shoreline Gateway project to move forward after years of starts and stops that left many wondering if the mixed-use residential and retail development in Downtown Long Beach would ever get off the ground. Developers are awaiting final approval from the state department of finance before breaking ground on the initial phase, likely sometime in the third quarter absent a major delay.

....

The project includes the construction of two towers along Ocean Boulevard between Alamitos Avenue and Atlantic Avenue. Original plans called for the East Tower to go up first, but this has now been scrapped. When the recession hit, the envisioned 35-story condo tower became economically unfeasible to construct at this time, Anderson said. The West Tower is now phase I. As part of the OPA, construction of the East Tower, which Anderson said will be a for-sale property, must begin within two years of completing the West Tower.



An 18-story building with 221 multi-family rental units and 9,500 square feet of leasable retail space, the West Tower “is much more in tune with the market today,” Anderson said. “It will be a real unique and special place downtown,” he added, particularly given its proximity to dining and entertainment districts like Pine Avenue and the East Village, plus easy access to the waterfront. Construction of the $75 million project is expected to take about 21 months and pre-leasing is likely to begin a few months prior to completion.

Here is the latest rendering for this project I got from the first page of this thread:



The project has changed slightly, but in theory, the tower that could break ground later this year is the shorter one on the left. The tower on the right would be part of a later phase.

[CityKid]

The Gazettes is reporting that new bicycle infrastructure will move forward in the Bixby Knolls/Los Cerritos Area.

Bike Plan Moves To Bixby Knolls

By Heather Morrison
Staff Writer | 3 comments

After more than a year of planning, and many meetings with community members, the city is set to proceed with a project in the Los Cerritos neighborhood that will add bike lanes and a number of other traffic calming features to Pacific Avenue and San Antonio Drive.

The Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Agency is paying for the project. Officials say it is aimed at improving and encouraging bike and pedestrian transportation.

Last month, city Traffic Engineer David Roseman presented the latest version of plans to more than 100 people at the Expo Center in Bixby Knolls. The revised project includes plans for bike lanes on Pacific Avenue and San Antonio Drive, a traffic signal at Pacific and Wardlow Road, traffic circles on Pacific Avenue at 36th Street and Country Club Drive as well as Pacific Avenue and Bixby Road and permit parking for residents of San Antonio Drive.

...

Images from BikeLongBeach.com:

[CityKid]

The Press Telegram is reporting a new senior housing development will break ground in North Long Beach:

North Long Beach senior housing to break ground after two-year delay
By Eric Bradley, Staff Writer
Posted: 03/10/2013 04:38:56 PM PDT
Updated: 03/10/2013 04:40:15 PM PDT

LONG BEACH - A senior housing development stalled for two years by the state's abolishment of redevelopment agencies will break ground in North Long Beach on Tuesday.

...

The Ramona Park Senior Apartments will have 49 one-bedroom units, 11 two-bedroom units, a three-bedroom manager's unit, a courtyard, a pool, a spa, a fire pit, a picnic area, an exercise room, a community room, a classroom and recreation rooms.

...

Ure said construction is expected to last 18 months, and the community will serve residents with incomes that are at 50 to 60 percent of the median level for the area, which for a one-person household was between $29,550 and $35,460 in 2012.

According to LA Streetsblog, the development is on a parcel at the corner of Artesia Blvd and Downey Ave.

[CityKid]

On my last visit to Long Beach, I was unable to check out the ongoing projects like I usually do. Can anyone verify that the Urban Village in on Long Beach Blvd across from St. Mary's has broken ground?

[CityKid]

The Long Beach Business Journal is reporting the anticipated sale of City Hall East at tonight's Long Beach City Council meeting along with plans to develop it as residential lofts:

City Hall East Price Tag: $2.1 Million

Former Edison Building To Be Converted To 134 Loft Rentals And Ground Floor Retail By Ratkovich Properties

By Tiffany Rider - Senior Writer

April 23, 2013 - At tonight’s (April 23) city council meeting, councilmembers are expected to approve the sale of 100 Long Beach Blvd., known as City Hall East, for $2.1 million to lead developer Ratkovich Properties and others operating as 100 LBB Real Estate LLC. The building, previously occupied by Edison International, has been vacant since 2005 and was recently designated as surplus property by the city, according to staff reports.


[No caption or attribution]

...

Ratkovich said he hopes to close escrow in this quarter. Once escrow closes, there is some demolition work to be done in the interior of the building before new construction can begin in the fourth quarter of 2013 or first quarter of 2014.

Completion is slated for the end of the fourth quarter of 2014. Apartment and rental leasing could begin as early as the second quarter of 2015.

“Under the new Downtown Plan, which was passed in June of last year, the property is identified as residential mixed use as one of the permitted uses of the property,” Ratkovich said. “That indeed was the desire and intention of the city when they issued the RFP [request for proposals] for developers. They would like to see that building transformed into a residential building. That’s how we responded and that is our intention as well. The plan is to transform it into a boutique apartment community with mixed uses of retail on the ground floor and then residential apartments above the ground floor all the way up to the 10th floor.”

As proposed, the project – called The Edison Lofts – will include 134 loft spaces including studios, one- and two-bedroom apartments with an average size of 709 square feet. The ground floor commercial space is proposed to include 2,903 square feet for a café and coffeehouse with outdoor seating, along with 8,059 square feet of live/work units and opportunities for additional commercial uses. The adjacent parking structure offers 165 spaces.

...

[kbrows]

I can! We live across the street and are very happy to see construction starting soon. I will try to keep updated pictures on here.

[kbrows]

I can! We live across the street & are very happy to see construction starting soon!

[paczki]

Both LBPost.com (on May 9) and LBReport.com (on May 10) report that the Pike is being converted to an outlet mall. (Press-Telegram has yet to report this.) The site map showing tenants is at:

http://www.ewbdevelopment.com/wp-con...LP_2-12-13.pdf

If the tenants shown are already leased or in discussion, the group is pretty impressive. The former Club V20 site (next to Bubba Gump) already has a sign for Restoration Hardware Outlet coming soon.

Not sure this is the best use, but the current use is a disaster, a mostly vacant disaster. My preference would be a public use that would draw some people and enhance what we have and encourage additional businesses to locate downtown. Since the City is looking to rebuild City hall, public library, and port headquarters, perhaps this would be a location to consider arranged toward the waterfront with a public plaza for gathering or festivals.

[CityKid]

Yesterday I rode downtown on my new bike and took some pictures of the projects going on. It's really amazing how the bike culture is growing so quickly. Anyway, the photos!

Governor George Deukmejian Courthouse is almost done






Formerly Smooth's, being developed into something else. Rumor has it that there will be rooftop dining.


MillWorks Phase I coming to a close(Formerly, the Press Telegram Building)


MillWorks Phase II just beginning (Formerly the Meeker Baker Building)


Pine Ave's growing urban fabric with the MillWorks project


Alta Way Beautification in the East Village Arts District


Harvey Milk Park being unveiled today






And just for fun, the Los Angeles Bike Path from around Pacific Coast Highway

[CityKid]

Also, I passed the Senior Arts Colony on Anaheim and LB Blvd and it looks done. I didn't get any photos because the lighting was really poor, though. :\ I also noticed that they appear to have demolished the building in anticipation of the Urban Village Long Beach development around the corner and across from St. Mary's. Hopefully, they'll break ground soon.

[CityKid]

According to Vice Mayor Robert Garcia's Facebook page, there is "construction progress" at the Newberry Lofts or 433 Pine. I assume that means the project is back on track. According to the architect's website, the development will include 28 units. Renderings show a 3-4 story structure.

Rendering found in archive of skyscraperpage:

[CityKid]

Here are photos I took while home again. I spilled water on my point and shoot, so I had to take photos with my camera phone this time. I biked past the Urban Village development near the Anaheim Blue Line station but didn't take any pictures since the lighting was so bad in the afternoon. I can say that it has risen about one story out of the ground with concrete and rebar showing over the chain-linked fence. If anyone can nab a shot of it and post it for us, I'd greatly appreciate it. Here's what I managed to shoot:

MillWorks Phase II




Governor George Deukmejian Courthouse

[CityKid]

The Long Beach Business Journal reports:

222 Residences Planned At Site Of Former State Office Building

By Samantha Mehlinger - Staff Writer

October 22, 2013 – The city’s planning commission approved a site plan review and tentative tract map for a new mixed-use development at 245 W. Broadway in Downtown Long Beach on October 17. The project, known as Parc Broadway, proposed by Broadway Company, LLC and designed by Studio One Eleven at Perkowitz + Ruth Architects, includes 222 residences and 8,500 square feet of commercial lease space.

The 74,892-square-foot parcel lies between Cedar Avenue and Pacific Avenue and is currently occupied by a vacant office building. Surrounding facilities include the First Congregational Church, Lincoln Park and the Long Beach Civic Center.

Michael Bohn, design director and principal at Studio One Eleven, told the Business Journal he believes the development will revitalize the area. Currently, the existing office building “contributes no vibrancy” to the area, he said.

The plans include a combination of loft, townhouse and flat designs for the residences, which Bohn said are for lease only. In addition to the living and commercial space, the site plan features amenities including a pool, fitness center, pet wash area, yoga garden, outdoor fireplaces, a café and more. “It should be a really fun place to live, and it should also transform this part of the downtown into a much more inviting place to hang out,” Bohn said, adding that the development is designed with millennials in mind.

The plans allow for 298 parking spots in a three-level parking garage. Bohn estimated that ground breaking should occur in summer 2014, and that the project should take 18 months to complete.


Rendering courtesy of LA Streetsblog

Looks like it will be a nice infill project.

[CityKid]

No updates for now, but I wanted to share a map I made of proposed, under construction, and recently completed residential and commercial developments in the downtown Long Beach area. Let me know if there is anything else you think I should add.

Also, does anyone know a way to imbed the map at all?

[CityKid]

Some photos I took today of stuff around downtown.

Edison Lofts (adaptive reuse of City Hall East) has some activity


American Hotel adaptive reuse continues


Newberry Lofts (433 Pine) has new activity


Millworks Phase II appears to have topped out




Urban Village is rising near the Anaheim Blue Line Station

[CityKid]

New renderings of the Shoreline Gateway project have surfaced on the BAR Architects website:


First phase (18 stories) shown with a transparent rendering of the second phase (35 stories)





No word on whether this project will be breaking ground any time soon. However, early last year, the Long Beach Business Journal alluded to a ground breaking in late 2013. Who knows what the hold up is about? I know there was huge community push back over the number of parking spaces to be included in the building. The local community wanted more parking included in the plan because of concern that visitors to the new building would then take precious on street parking close by. The number of parking spaces in the plan meet the requirements of the Downtown Plan, a plan put together after engaging with the local community over several years. Needless to say, it sounds like local residents, city administrators, and the architects are all frustrated with the process.

[CityKid]

Originally Posted by CityKid

New renderings of the Shoreline Gateway project have surfaced on the BAR Architects website:


First phase (18 stories) shown with a transparent rendering of the second phase (35 stories)

According to LongBeachize, the first phase of this project, now dubbed The Current, will break ground on Friday (tomorrow).

[CityKid]

Rode around town today and took some pictures of some projects.

The Current (formerly Shoreline Gateway) officially broke ground yesterday and will begin with the demolition the remaining apartment building on the lot.






The Royal Palms gets a paint job.


The Newberry Lofts (433 Pine) are uncovered.


MillWorks is almost complete.




Urban Village Long Beach appears to have topped out.




Urban Village from behind (Locust Ave)

[CityKid]

Just saw that there is commercial construction today on the 3600 block of Atlantic Ave in Bixby Knolls/California Heights:



In on itself, one new commercial building is no big deal, but I think it is an indication that people are willing to invest again in the Atlantic Ave corridor, particularly in California Heights and Bixby Knolls. Based on images from Google Maps, this structure will replace what appears to have been a Spanish colonial revival structure with a very large setback (ie very suburban format). It looks similar to the homes in California Heights but presumably had been adapted for commercial use. While I rarely enjoy the loss of another presumably historical structure, I am excited that this may be a sign of increased investment in this area, especially when the structure has a slightly more urban feel (smaller setback, commercial appearance).

[CityKid]

That mysteriously abandoned construction site on 6th Street and Frontenac Ct will become a 4-story development containing 30 loft apartments by 2015, according to Longbeachize.


Rendering courtesy of Longbeachize