[LAMetroGuy]

High-Rise Projects

Golden Shore Master Plan

function: Residential (1,370 units)
location: Current site of the Union Bank building
Tower 1 - floors: 36 (420 feet)
Tower 2 - floors: 36 (420 feet)
Tower 3 - floors: 36 (420 feet)
Tower 4 - floors: Unknown
Tower 5 - floors: Unknown

completion: 2012
developer: Molina and Keesal, Young & Logan, Medak

Rendering:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/golsho1a.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/golsho4a.jpg


Broadway & Main Towers

function: Residential (1,300 units)
location: current surface parkinglot north of World Trade Center & Long Beach Hilton
Tower 1 - floors: 55
Tower 2 - floors: 45
Tower 3 - floors: 35

completion: 2010
developer: Molasky Pacific California LLC

Rendering:
http://www.molaskypacific.com/images/highres/b-m01.jpg

Shoreline Gateway
function: Residential (310 units)
location: northwest corner of Ocean and Alamitos
Gateway Tower - 35 Stories (417 feet)
Terrace Tower - 21 Stories (233 feet)
Courtyard Tower - 12 Stories (124 feet)

developer: Anderson Pacific LLC



Rendering:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1308/1199164432_8dae8b26ab.jpg


432 Condo Tower

24 story tower (281 feet)
432 West Ocean Boulevard
Long Beach, California 90802
Developer: Ensemble Real Estate

Rendering:
http://www.ensemblehealthcare.com/uploads/project/432%20Condo_1_thumb.jpg

Symphony Tower

24 story tower (250 feet)
Developer: Ensamble Real Estate
207 Seaside Way
Long Beach, California 90802

Rendering:
http://www.ensemblehealthcare.com/uploads/project/Symphony%20Tower_1_thumb.jpg

150 W. Ocean
function: Residential (216 units)
floors: 21
completion: 2007

Rendering:
http://www.tca-arch.com/ontheboardsf/longbeach/perspective.jpg

Edgewater

function: Residential (155 units)
floors: 22
completion: 2007

Rendering:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/edgewater.jpg

West Ocean Long Beach
function: Residential (246 units)
Tower 1 - floors: 29 (341 feet)
Tower 2 - floors: 21 (257 feet)
completion: 2007

Rendering:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/West%20Ocean%20Project/DSC01196Medium.jpg

Press Telegram Lofts
October Five Development is proposing one 22 story tower:

http://www.presstelegramlofts.com/gallery/large/sw_arial_perspective.jpg


Broadway Tower
Ensemble Real Estate is proposing a 180 foot 15 story condo tower with 176 condo units.
500 West Broadway
Long Beach, California 90802

http://www.ensemblehealthcare.com/uploads/project/Broadway%20Tower_1_thumb.jpg http://www.ensemblehealthcare.com/uploads/project/Broadway%20Tower_2_thumb.jpg http://www.ensemblehealthcare.com/uploads/project/Broadway%20Tower_3_thumb.jpg

Cedar Court
15-story Tower with 96 units over live/work units on the ground level 6-level underground parking

Rendering:
http://www.humphreys.com/Images/website/projects/Cedar_Court_02.jpg





Mid-Rise Projects

Marriott's Residence Inn
Ensemble Real Estate is proposing a 115 foot 11 story hotel.

Rendering:
http://extras.mnginteractive.com/live/media/site204/2006/1213/20061213_014846_12.jpg

Grand Prix Place
Adaptive reuse of the former Edison Building which was also used as City Hall East for a short while:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/City%20Hall%20East/GPP.jpg

Hotel Esterel at The Promenade

function: Hotel (12,500 square feet of retail and 39 units)
floors: 6
completion: 2008

Rendering:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/Untitled1Large.jpg

AVIA Long Beach
function: Hotel (140 suites)
location: Rainbow Harbor
floors: 7
developer: Diversified Realty
completion: 2007

Rendering:
http://www.lodgeworks.com/lwcs/images/map.jpg


aLoft
Starwood aLoft by W Hotels
6-story Hotel building.

Rendering:
http://passionsofazealot.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/aloftlongbeach.jpg

Low-Rise Projects

Pacifica

function: Mixed-use (5,196 square feet of retail and 62 units)
location: southeast corner of 1st St. & Promenade
floors: 5
completion: 2007

Rendering:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/Long%20Beach%20Promenade/promenadelennarhomes.jpg


Promenade Walk - The Olson Company

function: Mixed-use (13,000 square feet of retail/shopkeeper and 97 units)
floors: 4
completion: 2006

Rendering:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/Long%20Beach%20Promenade/promenadeolsoncompany.jpg

Promenade Lofts - Lyon Realty Advisors

function: Mixed-use (11,200 square feet of retail and 104 units)
location: southeast corner of 3rd St. and Broadway
floors: 4
completion: 2007

Rendering:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/rpulido/Long%20Beach%20Promenade/promenadeLyonRealtyAdvisors.jpg

BLU Long Beach
function: Mixed-use (30 units)
location: southeast of Long Beach and 4th
floors: 5
completion: 2008

Rendering:
http://www.wharchitects.com/architecture/2004264/images/2004264_PerspSS.jpg

[LAMetroGuy]

Desmond Bridge, Port of Long Beach, CA
Photosimulation of proposed bridge allternatives

CURRENT DESMOND BRIDGE
http://www.poitra.com/images/desmondbridge/desmondbridge_existing.gif

Cable-Stayed Concrete with Twin Pilon Towers
http://www.poitra.com/images/desmondbridge/desmondbridge_alt1.gif

Cable-Stayed Steel Composite with Diamond Towers
http://www.poitra.com/images/desmondbridge/desmondbridge_alt2.gif

Cable-Stayed Steel Composite with Single Pilon Towers
http://www.poitra.com/images/desmondbridge/desmondbridge_alt3.gif

Steel Tied Arch
http://www.poitra.com/images/desmondbridge/desmondbridge_alt4.gif

Cable-Stayed Concrete with Single Pilon Towers
http://www.poitra.com/images/desmondbridge/desmondbridge_alt5.gif

[ChrisLA]

Ocean Villas
Long Beach, California
Ocean Villas is a twin high-rise multifamily project in the redevelopment area of Long Beach, California. The project consists of two 19-story above ground towers, each with 3-story subterranean levels of parking. The project will encompass a total of 576 units and 630,000 square feet. The entire project will feature very high, upgraded finishes throughout.
http://www.summitbuilders.com/images/wwm_207.jpg?38078.0198611111


There has been a change with these.

Yesterday I read in the Long Beach Business Journal that Ocean Villas has changed its name to Aqua. Since there is such a demand for condos in downtown LB, the developer decided to sale them as condominiums. The article goes on to say more detail will be in the next issue in about two weeks.

[LAMetroGuy]

LIGHTBRIDGE - A LIGHT SCULPTURE FOR PASSPORT CENTER
Six 33 feet tall tech-deco pylons line Pine Avenue in pairs of two on either side of the street in a symmetrical pattern between Ocean Boulevard and First Street in Long Beach, CA. The layout defines Passport Center - a transit node for buses. During the day, the pylons act as placemakers defining the transit site; at night, the pylons glow with everchanging digitally created and controlled LED light patterns that ebb and flow to crescendos at 6:45 PM and 9:45 PM. Each night the abstract light phenomena changes according to season, holiday, and major events determined by the City of Long Beach and Long Beach Transit. A green laser component is added to the pylons in addition to the digitally controlled LED lights, creating a lightbridge above Pine Avenue. Laser lights weave a geometric pattern from pylon to pylon defining a light canopy above the street. Public artist Joe C. Nicholson created Lightbridge, the Long Beach community's collective symbolic memory in space and time. Joe C. Nicholson has been Professor of Design at NewSchool since 1984.
http://www.depauw.edu/@depauw/feb2004/images/DSCN1004.jpg
http://www.depauw.edu/@depauw/feb2004/images/DSCN1041.jpg
http://www.depauw.edu/@depauw/feb2004/images/DSCN0987.jpg
http://www.depauw.edu/@depauw/feb2004/images/DSCN0916.jpg
http://www.depauw.edu/@depauw/feb2004/images/DSCN0929.jpg

[LAMetroGuy]

Clashing visions of street's development
By Don Jergler
Staff writer


LONG BEACH - Growth is painful. Just ask business owners along downtown's Pine Avenue, a street that was once envisioned as Long Beach's version of Santa Monica's popular Third Street Promenade.

Instead of new upscale retailers and restaurants paired with thousands of new upper-middle income residents to elevate the demographics of downtown, Pine Avenue has a new discount shoe store, possibly a 7-Eleven and a growing homeless population.

But it's not all bad, and some would even say it looks like the street could turn the corner and begin fulfilling the promise of a becoming a destination where Southland residents come to eat, shop and play.

A swanky concert and dining venue and a trendy Spanish tapas bar are among a handful of new businesses that have signed leases for Pine storefronts.

With that in mind, one could say the continuing Pine Avenue saga has got it all the good, the bad and the ugly.

Taking it to task

No one seems to knows if Pine will finally become the heart of downtown's ongoing renaissance.

So business and property owners, who have complained that the city has focused too much attention on other "pet projects' and ignored Pine, have banded together to create a report card to keep track of elements of the street's development namely security concerns, homeless panhandlers, storefront vacancies and efforts to market Pine.

The Pine Avenue Coalition Task Force, a group of business and property owners with vested interest on Pine headed by Jeff King, owner of King's Fish House on Pine, have been meeting monthly to help steer progress along the street.

The task force has been formed at a time when restaurants on Pine are beginning to recoup customers that were lost for a period after a string of national restaurant chains opened at the Pike at Rainbow Harbor.

At least three new businesses have signed to go into Pine Square, which houses AMC Theatres. Two of those businesses will be fast-food restaurants to fill out the food court.

Leonardo's, an on-again, off- again nightclub in a landmark building, was recently sold for $3.8 million to a company that plans to turn the building into an upscale club similar to the House of Blues. It's tentatively being called The Vault.

Also set to open on Pine is Cafe Sevilla, a semi-swanky Spanish style restaurant that serves tapas (appetizers), with a bar setting and flamenco dancer. It's other locations are in Riverside, Carlsbad and San Diego.

When some people heard by word-of-mouth that a tapas bar was opening on Pine, it raised some eyebrows.

"Some people, they hear the word and they think its a topless bar,' said Melanie Fallon, executive director of community development.

Part of that worry stems from John Morris's announcement earlier this year that he planned to close Mum's and sell the establishment to a businessman who owned strip clubs in other parts of the city. Morris, considered a pioneer of Pine, has since decided to stay.

Gulp, discount shoes?

Some businesses that are opening Pine are raising more than eyebrows; they're raising the ire of more than a few.

Coming to Pine at Third Street is a $9.99 Shoes, a discount retailer that some believe does not fit the "high-end' retailer profile that should be opening there.

Retail recruiters hired by the city had convinced Blockbuster Video to lease the spot for one of their stores, but the owner of the property, Bernard Rosenson, declined the lease offer and opted to bring in his own tenant. He's within his legal rights to do so.

"The property owners have a right to lease to who they want,' Fallon said. "We had Blockbuster for there, and he didn't want them there. He didn't want a national credited tenant.'

Rosenson's decision has frustrated those working to improve the image of Pine.

"There was outreach to Mr. Rosenson in hopes of him embracing the strategy that we have endorsed,' said Kraig Kojian, president and chief executive officer of the Downtown Long Beach Associates (DLBA). "The property owner really does have the final say with what to do with his own property.'

Rosenson, who also owns the Sky Room on Locust Avenue, could not be reached for comment.

Then there's the proposed 7-Eleven going in place of the now-defunct Leader Drugs at Pine and Broadway.

When the pending lease agreement was made known to business and property owners along the street, the finger-pointing began, and blame was affixed on the city, on the owner of the property for failing to live up to a better image.

Still, the city has hopes that the 7-Eleven can serve the dual purpose of catering to a growing downtown residential population and sporting a look appropriate with the vision for Pine.

The 7-Eleven, which is being called an "urban walk-up store,' one of a handful in the 5,800- unit chain. The store will have a modern look, and serve low-carbohydrate, Atkins-type foods as well as sushi, and signature Big Gulps, too.

The chain has gone through several design steps with the city to ensure it's got the look, said Rob Zur Schmiede of the city's Redevelopment Agency.

The firm has been in a design review process with the city over the last several months and "we feel comfortable with the appearance,' he said, adding that 7-Eleven could be issued a permit to begin building in as few as four to six weeks.

Home(less) on Pine

One of the biggest hurdles to getting upscale tenants to Pine, say those trying to market the street is the homeless population.

Panhandling and the image of Pine as a hangout for the impoverished has dissuaded some companies from coming here, and is hurting night-time foot traffic, some say.

The blame for growth in the area's homeless population is being placed on nearby Lincoln Park, next to City Hall. The park has become a gathering spot for homeless, who come there to be fed by people. Cars and vans with loads of food can be seen pulling up to the park at lunch hour, some are college students, others are from churches.

While many of the homeless population at Lincoln are not criminals, others there have generated more calls to authorities for violence, drug dealing and possession and panhandling, Long Beach Police officer say.

"I'm not anti-homeless,' Sgt. Ernie Kohagura, who patrols the area on bike, recently told business owners, "but we have created our own major crime factory down here.'

The amount of crime being generated by the park's homeless population is drawing too much on police resources, and there's no way for police to remove the homeless from the park, Kohagura said.

"The police are basically hamstrung,' he said. "If you stop the feeding at Lincoln Park, you'd reduce the homeless population by 50 percent.'

Kohagura cited the need for a temporary shelter, "even a tent,' any way to find another place for homeless to be fed.

One idea being tossed out is to more strictly enforce health codes. Feeding people en masse requires a health permit. And that is not being enforced at Lincoln Park.

Councilwoman Bonnie Lowenthal, whose district includes Pine Avenue north of Third Street, believes that requiring health permits for homeless feedings will work toward addressing concerns of Pine businesses and ensure that the food given to homeless is safe.

The permit requirement "needs to apply across the board to all people,' said Lowenthal. "For a number of years the city has hoped to reclaim Lincoln Park for general use ...The issue here is there are competing public policy concerns.'

In fact, a plan to reduce downtown's homeless population has already been formed. Late last year the International Downtown Association sent a group of homeless experts to Long Beach to study the problem.

A resulting report cited several challenges, namely the absence of a year-round emergency shelter in the city.

The New Image Emergency Shelter, the area's only shelter, is open just during winter months. Operators of the shelter, which was temporarily located in a warehouse on the westside near Pacific Coast Highway, say they've had trouble finding locations because of restrictions placed on them.

Other challenges identified include land-use laws that prevent development of low-income housing, lack of funds to build shelters and insufficient resources to inform the homeless of available services.

The last challenge is beginning to be met by the Downtown Guides, paid bicycle-riding security officers who patrol the area for the DLBA.

Traffic wanted

One reason the homeless problem may be drawing attention is that there aren't as many people in downtown Long Beach as there are in other urban downtowns.

"I'm pretty sure you'd find more homeless on Third Street Promenade,' said Todd Cutts, DLBA's economic development manager. "The difference is the number of consumers walking up and down Third Street."

And that transformation is just what Cutts believes will happen when people begin to move in to the more than 3,000 housing units under construction or recently completed downtown.

As people begin moving into downtown, storefront vacancies will start being filled, Cutts said.

The city does not track square footage available for lease along Pine, but an unscientific survey of Pine from Ocean to Sixth by the DLBA not including CityPlace frontage, which is being filled with the likes of Contours and Quiznos shows there is roughly 63,000 square feet of ground floor space for lease.

Nearly half of that space is under negotiation for lease, Cutts said.

Until now, a problem with filling vacancies on Pine is that there hasn't been much interest from the commercial real estate community. But that's starting to change.

"Retail brokers, they're starting to get more involved as they're seeing these demographics moving into the area translate into dollar figures for them,' Cutts said.

A new retail tenant is about to sign up for Pine and First's Portofino, which closed in January, said Dave Co, with the Grubb & Ellis offices in Long Beach.

"The deal's pretty close to happening,' said Co, who tracks commercial real estate deals in the area.

Another spot on Pine that is getting new retail tenants is the Walker Building, on Pine between Fourth and Fifth streets.

The building, which has pricey condominiums on its upper floors, is getting a furniture store and a day spa, according to sources familiar with the pending deals.

"We are currently meeting with tenants for the street; there are a couple of key retailers that we are trying to make fall into place,' Cutts said. "If we do work it out and we do bring them into downtown, we feel like the dominoes will fall and they will come.'

Foot loose

Some have ideas to make those dominoes fall even faster.

"Closing down Pine Avenue for foot traffic only,' is an idea being thrown out by Becky Blair, owner of Blair Commercial Real Estate, which is leasing several properties on Pine, including Pine Square.

Her idea is to close Pine between First and Fourth streets on weekends, and placing kiosks along the street, or holding art fairs.

The closure, which Blair argues would generate greater foot traffic and make the street more of a destination spot, could eventually be made permanent.

More foot traffic will attract high-end retailers, who so far avoided Pine, she said.

"The clothiers aren't coming in, they're afraid to come in,' Blair said. "It's an island out there. We're trying to find something higher-end, but we end up with the 7-Elevens of the world and we end up with this $9.99 Shoe store.'

Twist of bitter, sweet

Pine has already had success, to a degree. On Fridays and Saturdays, lines of people can be seen waiting to get into bars like Club Cohiba, Mariposa, Alegria and New York Bryan's.

But that success has been bittersweet for Pine, as it has attracted crowds that sometimes get a little too rowdy, and are threatening to keep patrons out of other nearby establishments, such as King's, Mum's, L'Opera Ristorante and the Madison, those owners say.

To keep the peace, police have had to place extra patrol cars on Pine during bar closing times on Fridays and Saturdays.

Police records show that in one reporting district on Pine a nine-block area bordered by Fourth Street on the north, Broadway on the south, Long Beach Boulevard on the east and Pacific Avenue on the west there were 21 crimes reported in December.

Those crimes included two aggravated assaults, three commercial burglaries, one auto burglary, two grand thefts and one auto theft.

Things came to a head on a recent Saturday night and Sunday morning when three fights erupted almost simultaneously on the street one fight was reportedly near New York Bryan's, another near Club Cohiba and the third in the rear of Mariposa.

Officers who patrol the area have been told by their commanders they need to start preparing for summertime, "when more people will be out drinking and causing trouble,' a police source said.

Evolution

Others see Pine's evolution as more slow and painful than necessary.

"It is an evolution, one caused by the bad planning by the city,' said Morris, who was the first to put a restaurant on Pine Avenue when he opened Mum's 16 years ago. "It's unfortunate that were having to do things backwards.'

He added, "About three to five years from now, there'll be another evolution on Pine Avenue. It won't likely be an entertainment-driven street, because that's what it's become. Issues like noise and too many people will be resolved big time when you have residents.

"Residents vote and council people seem to react differently than when they're dealing with business owners.'

[Art]

I took my family around pine on a SUnday morning last summer and it was utterly dissapointing, although the blue line trips weren't. It was dead. But I recently went to hooters down thereand it was much more lively, lets hope they succeed in making it a better place to visit. BTW, blueline access should be emphasized big time.

[lakegz]

those developments are an exellent start and hopefully can get the ball rollin on creating a very vibrant sea side community there.

[LAMetroGuy]

I agree, the area has so much potential that I am surprised this hasn't already happened. Plus, the new restaurants being built on Pine Peer should be interesting also. I've been to the PF Cheng's (spelling?) and it looked really nice!

Regarding Pine Ave, I think that they will have a difficult time brining in high-end retail due to the Wal-Mart and $9.99 shoe store nearby. We'll see, but with places like The Vault and Cafe Sevilla coming into place... things may turn for the better!

Anyone know of any other development projects in LB? I was pretty surprised by the Embassy Suites project, an 11 story building will look great at that location. Right now its just a parking lot between the planned loft development (Insuranceexchangelofts.com) and Pine Street.

[longbeachnik]

Broadway Lofts:
http://skyscraperpage.com/gallery/data/593/29broadwaylofts.jpg

The Promenade project:
http://skyscraperpage.com/gallery/data/593/29thepromenade.jpg

Model of downtown at City Hall. I have one of the front which shows some of the new projects...if I can find it!
http://skyscraperpage.com/gallery/data/593/29citymodelrear.jpg

I must say that I am surprised that someone made a LB projects thread...I stopped doing them a few months ago due to lack of interest. Good to see people care :)

[LAMetroGuy]

There has been a change with these.

Yesterday I read in the Long Beach Business Journal that Ocean Villas has changed its name to Aqua. Since there is such a demand for condos in downtown LB, the developer decided to sale them as condominiums. The article goes on to say more detail will be in the next issue in about two weeks.

Wow, that is great news! I had no idea, do you know how much they will go for? I would love to live there, esp with an ocean view!!!

Can you post the LBBJ article???

Here is a cool picture:

http://www.highriseconcrete.com/images/ocean1.jpg

[LAMetroGuy]

Courtyard Lofts

New lofts on Pine Avenue!
Designed by Interstices.
These lofts will range in size from 750 –1,750 square feet.
The lofts will face an interior courtyard, some units will have bow truss ceilings and all will have private garages. These very cool lofts are all sold. If you would like to be put on our interest list for this project email us. You will be the first to know the latest infomation.

http://www.sclofts.com/images/listings/28_Full.jpg

http://www.sclofts.com/images/listings/209_Full.jpg

[LA21st]

Great finds.

[LA21st]

1000 East Ocean BLVD

http://dibi.com/images/1K_Ocean_Medium.jpg

[LA21st]

1400 East Ocean

This project is to be built on 47,480 square foot unimproved parcel between the Ocean Club and 1500 East Ocean. The building plans call for 173 units, in a 16 story high-rise configuration. It is estimated that the average unit size will be about 1,500 square feet. The developer characterizes the product as "high end" and will price accordingly when the project is constructed. The marketing strategy is described by the developer as a pioneering approach. The sale effort will be focused in Taipei, Taiwan, and Tokyo, Japan. If the overseas market does not prove to be as good as expected, the domestic market will be exploited as a fall back position. The experience of the Ocean Club project is reported to demonstrate that the product will be acceptable to the Southern California market, but the overseas market is clearly primary. There is currently no time frame for this project.

Ocean Promenade Tower

The plans call for a 250-unit condominium project with 18,000 square feet of ground floor retail on the former site of the historic Jergins Trust Building at the southeast corner of Ocean Boulevard and Pine Avenue. The developer acquired the 21,100 square foot site in June 1990 for $7,200,000. This proposed 34-story high-rise, designed by the Landau Partnership, would be the tallest in the city. The proposal calls for a unit mix of 62% two bedrooms, 28% one bedrooms (7 with den), and 10% three bedrooms. There is currently no time frame for this project.

Mendik Development

This is a large scale Downtown Redevelopment project which has been in pre-development for over 10 years. The redevelopment Agency assisted in the assembly of the site which is about 2.2 Acres. It is located above the Convention and Entertainment Center on the south side of Ocean Boulevard at Linden Avenue. Proposed and entitled are two towers containing 556 units, to be built in two phases. There are no plans to proceed with the site development in the foreseeable future.

[LAMetroGuy]

Wow, if all of these projects (Mendik Development, Ocean Promenade Tower, 1400 East Ocean, and 1000 East Ocean blvd) are realized, this would make for a very interesting skyline. I am surprised about the 34 story Ocean Promenade Tower, that would be very nice!

Great find!

[longbeachnik]

Downtown Condo Project
Gets More Time


Plans to start building condominiums downtown got approved, for a second time, by the Planning Commission this week.

The property south of Ocean Boulevard and just west of Chestnut Place originally was part of the Camden development, but sold to Intracorp. Plans for 246 condo units on the land was approved last year.

This week, Intracorp was back before the commission asking for some changes to its project. While the overall density did not change, Intracorp wants to build the larger building first and the smaller one second, the opposite of the original plan.

The rest of the project — dealing with Victory Park, parking and other site details — remained the same. Work on Victory Park, which will include a renovation to put in green space there that can be used as a park, must be done as part of the first phase.

The commission approved Intracorp’s new plan unanimously.

What has been built so far at Camden’s Park at Harbour View, and through much of the rest of downtown, are apartments. City officials have pushed to have parts of these projects become condominiums, hoping that more home ownership will be a key to long-term success of the renovated downtown.

Intracorp’s project was designed as the second phase of Camden’s development. In the master plan for the Camden development, there were to be three towers on this site, one an office tower with about 100,000 square feet of office space. However, Intracorp decided the office tower would not work financially and scrapped it. The area where the office tower was to be will now be a parking structure, according to the plans, which will be used by tenants of the California Bank and Trust building as well as condominium tenants.

As they had at the previous meeting, commissioners said they were generally pleased with the design. Most of their questions focused around parking and traffic flow in the high density area.
_________________________________________________

I'm pretty sure that the larger tower is over 22 storys, though I really don't know.

[longbeachnik]

http://skyscraperpage.com/gallery/data/593/29citymodelfront1.jpg

Pink is the two Intracorp towers, Blue is the Pine and Ocean (Jergen's Trust site) building.

[SaF9]

Hey LBn, where's that model located?

[LAMetroGuy]

I believe it is inside city hall.

[SaF9]

Oh crazy, I'll have to hit that up sometime.

[officedweller]

Like the bridge alternatives - I think I've seen the current bridge on so many movie cars chases that it'll be cool to see them on a new span.

[LAMetroGuy]

Struggling Pine Square getting another chance
By Don Jergler
Staff writer

LONG BEACH - Three new businesses are set to open up in Pine Square, setting the stage for a possible reanimation of the beleaguered shopping and entertainment center.

The center, which houses the AMC Theatre, has been the focus of concern because of the large numbers of storefront vacancies and failed efforts to get the operation off the ground.

Owned by Downey-based Meruelo Enterprises, Pine Square was considered an anchor for downtown development when it opened about eight years ago.

The square it was built at a cost of $45 million, including a $3 million loan from the Redevelopment Agency sat largely vacant through 2000 after the project's developer filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 1998.

At least three groups went into escrow to buy the troubled center, which underwent a $1.3 million remodeling in 1998.

Four years later, operators of the center its most visible tenants are AMC, El Mar and Johnny Rockets are attempting to revitalize it, using downtown's large business population as an impetus.

The center, which includes 142 apartment units, has 90,000 square feet of retail space, more than 65,000 of which is already leased.

On the Pine Avenue side of the center there is about 17,000 square feet of space available, and negotiations are under way to fill 7,600 square feet of that, said Becky Blair, with Blair Commercial Real Estate, which is in charge of leasing the center.

Aside from a cellular store, Sprint PCS, many of the new stores planned for the center are fast-food restaurants.

Blair has ordered new tables and chairs, as well as umbrellas, to be set up on the second floor to revitalize the food court, a change she hopes will prove inviting for the lunch crowd.

"People could come up there, grab a coke or a pastry, and sit there in that area,' Blair said. "It makes it more open or inviting for people who are stoping for lunch or grabbing a show. We want to make it so you want to go upstairs, so it looks like there's something going on up there.'

She added, "I think a lot of people want to have lunch that is more affordable.'

Blair is also talking with AMC officials to see if they can put up a marquee to announce upcoming movies, events and deals.

Only recently has the center began to get a second glance by retailers as other storefront vacancies along Pine begin to be filled, Blair said.

And as residential units begin filling at the 221-unit CityPlace development across the street, Blair believes she can get even more retailers interested.

"There are possibilities of two more' leases being signed, she said. Blair declined to state who she is negotiating with until the deals are signed.

Stores that Blair is marketing to include booksellers, women' clothing retailers, and pastry or snack stores.

"Retail is just going to build, we've got nowhere to go but up,' Blair said.

To give people better access to the center, an additional stairwell was added last year.

[LAMetroGuy]

Playing musical towers
By Joe Segura
Staff writer


The Long Beach Planning Commission has approved changes in a plan for two condominium towers on Ocean Boulevard.

Phase II of the Camden Master Plan won the Planning Commission's original nod on Nov. 16, 2000.

A vote earlier this month modified the project by simply reversing the unit count for the two towers allocating 132 units to the north Tower 1 and 114 units to the south Tower 2. The total density remains at the approved 246 units.

Originally, the plan called for two 26-story towers and one high-rise office tower on the southwestern corner of Chestnut Avenue and Ocean Boulevard. The condominiums were to be side-by-side along Seaside Way.

However, the two residential towers were pegged for the lots along Chestnut Place, and there are now height differences Tower 1 will be 29 stories high with a helicopter pad and mechanical room on top for a 341 feet, and Tower 2 will be 21 stories with a helicopter pad for 257 feet..

The elimination of the high-rise office building will reduce traffic impacts, according to a report by city planner Craig Chalfant.

Intracorp, the developer, also proposed to include photographic and artistic works of historic downtown Long Beach in the Tower 1 lobby and on the eastern walls enclosing the outdoor stairway to Chestnut Place.

"This is an attractive feature, not included in the original project approval, which together with the Victory Park improvements will greatly contribute to increased public interest and activity along the Ocean Boulevard corridor,' Chalfant reported.

The project requires 787 spaces, but 763 are provided a shortfall of 24 spaces.

However, according to Chalfant's report, a parking study concluded that 767 spaces "would adequately meet parking demand' if the reserved residential parking is limited to one reserved parking space per bedroom and if the unreserved office tenant parking is made available to residential guests during evening and weekend.

"The city's traffic engineer has reviewed the study and found the analysis to be in accordance with accepted traffic industry standards and the conclusions to be reasonable and justifiable,' Chalfant added.

[longbeachnik]

341 feet! Awesome...second tallest building in Long Beach! whoo-hoo! A 250 footer ain't bad either!

HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY.....:):):):)

[LA rehab]

This makes sense because the developer can now site the towers to maximize the views from each unit. A pair of identical bldgs both fronting Chestnut would not have provided as many desirable views. LB should have three 300 footers with this project. Not only that, but these towers should fill in a gap that is currently somewhat low-rise between the WTC and City Hall and Landmark Sq. They'll also add height and volume in a currently flat and uninteresting part of town.

I have just one little question however; looking at the site, there is a rather significant slope, and parking would likely have to be below the residential bldgs. Are the 341 and 257 foot figures from Ocean Blvd to the tops of the buildings or are they total building heights, including parking levels from the bottom of the site near the Aquarium?

Oh yeah, and since they'll not be needing that office bldg, how bout another residental tower (gettin' greedy..i know) :)

[LAMetroGuy]

Overhaul of aging building should be finished early next year.

By Tracy Manzer
Staff writer

LONG BEACH -- Gone are the sallow yellow walls of the jail, the leaking and corroded plumbing, and the layers of asbestos caked like frosting on all the steel girders.

In their place stand new sheer walls made of Shotcrete and steel rebar; sparkling blue, double glazed windows that deflect the heat from a beating sun and help keep cooling costs down; and an entirely new, sparkling plumbing system.

In fact everything, other than the foundation and the steel beams that are the bones of the Long Beach Police Department headquarters, is new on a multimillion-dollar construction project that has seen a complete overhaul of the aging building, as well as Long Beach Fire Department's Station No. 1 on Magnolia Avenue near Broadway.

In February, as construction crews continued to complete the first half of the project, required for seismic retrofit work and the elimination of hazardous materials like asbestos and lead, a second supplemental contract for more than $9 million was awarded to Swinerton Builders, which contracted with 3D/International to do the initial seismic hazard work and the tear down of the structure estimated at more than $16 million.

The entire project, including the cost of relocating both the Police Department headquarters and Fire Station No. 1, will ring in at more than $45 million, city staff members estimate. Footing the bill are public works project city bonds, and a federal grant awarded for the seismic costs.

3DI, known for its design of the Getty Museum and the Farmers Market in Santa Monica, made a successful bid for the first half of the contract back in 2002. The second portion, which deals primarily with interior work, was awarded by the City Council without a bid because it was treated as supplemental.

And the reason, says Del Davis manager of the city's Administration, Planning & Facilities Bureau was to save time, which equals money.

"We would have wasted a lot of people's time,' if they had put the second portion out to bid, said Sharon Gonzalez, from the city's project management office. "Swinerton was already 15 percent ahead of anyone else when it came to costs.'

As Swinerton's crews wrap up the seismic work, they can launch the interior portion of the project. If another builder were brought in, they would have to wait for Swinerton to finish everything first, Davis explained. {BYLINE}By keeping Swinerton on the project, they hope to be done about four to six months ahead of schedule, Davis added.

Logistical problems, such as finding on-site parking for two crews, having two different contractor groups working on various portions of the building and vying for space can be avoided when one group is in charge, Davis said.

Swinerton and 3DI are working with Police Lt. Ted Holst who is the acting jail commander to create a new layout of the offices to make the most of logistics for the department's various divisions. A new lobby that will look nothing like the closet-like room that people used to pile into when going to the Police Department is also a dramatic change and includes a large community room.

"The chief, and the department, felt it was important to provide the community with a place where they can be comfortable and have meetings to share information and help with community relations,' Holst said.

In the jail, the dingy greenish/yellow walls have been replaced by a light gray. It is the same type of paint used for the hulls of ships, and will have a better chance of standing up to the onslaught of inmates. Even things like new toilets and sinks in the rooms, and specially designed windows, which will block full view from outside and within, are making the former dingy appearance of the jail cleaner and brighter.

At the current rate of construction, the building will be ready for the Police Department to begin moving back into its old home by the end of the year. Throughout this time, the headquarters has been housed in the downtown Southern California Edison building, on Long Beach Boulevard at First Street.

Holst estimated that the newly remodeled and rebuilt headquarters should be up and running for public and department use by early 2005.

"We're coming in on-budget and on-time,' said Danny Kaye, project manager for 3DI. "Actually, we're ahead of schedule, and it looks like we'll be under budget.'

[LAMetroGuy]

Blockbuster: We didn't want Pine
By Don Jergler
Staff writer


LONG BEACH - Blockbuster Inc. never considered opening a location on Pine Avenue, despite statements by city officials and a retail recruiter that the video rental chain was interested in the street, a spokesman for the Dallas-based company said.

The remarks cast a spotlight on concerns that the area has too many restaurants and not enough retail. A recent report conducted by a Denver-based consulting group calls downtown's restaurant stock "great,' but says the area has a "weak retail offering.'

Developers of the Pike at Rainbow Harbor, an extension of Pine, have struggled to find retailers for the 370,000-square- foot shopping and entertainment center, which already houses fine dining spots and is the site of a future Gladstone's.

Early statements about Blockbuster opening at 301 Pine Ave., at the corner of Third Street, had criticized the owner of the property, Bernard Rosenson.

Rosenson recently came under fire for signing a lease with $9.99 Shoes for the location. By leasing the spot to a discount seller, Rosenson evidently upset those working to market Pine to "upscale retailers.' But interest was never there, according to a Blockbuster spokesman.

"I can tell you that we're not interested in anything on Pine,' said Blake Lugash, a spokesman for Blockbuster.

Lugash declined to state where in Long Beach the video chain is seeking for its next store he said the city's eighth Blockbuster is set to open on 10th Street and Long Beach Boulevard and he would not give specific reasons why the company would not open a location on Pine.

In choosing its locations Blockbuster considers the amount of foot traffic in an area, space availability, visibility from the street and parking, Lugash said.

Despite Lugash's remarks, city officials maintain that Blockbuster was interested in Rosenson's Pine property.

Melanie Fallon, executive director of the Long Beach Redevelopment Agency, had said during a public meeting of Pine Avenue businesses last month that the city had recruited Blockbuster for the spot but that Rosenson "didn't want them there.'

Chet Yoshizaki, manager of the city's economic development bureau, said it was "my understanding' that Blockbuster had been interested.

Yoshizaki referred further questions to Sandra Yavitz, a retail recruiting consultant with Yavitz Co., who he said was the liasion between Blockbuster and Rosenson.

"I presented the interest of Blockbuster video to (Rosenson) back in December,' Yavitz said on Wednesday. "We did have an interest from Blockbuster.'

Rosenson, who also owns the historic Breakers Hotel on Ocean Boulevard (now a retirement community), said he has struggled to lease the property since he bought it in a foreclosure sale from Farmers & Merchants Bank for about $650,000 about five years ago.

He recalls being approached by Yavitz about Blockbuster late last year, but said a deal never surfaced, so he simply took the first tenant that came along.

"Why would I choose an unbranded retail outlet over a national brand?' Rosenson said, disputing that he turned down a Blockbuster offer. "I would have grasped at it at the time.'

Yavitz said Rosenson "did not like the tenant and he did not like their credit.'

She declined to reveal who she spoke to at Blockbuster and said she could not provide written evidence of a correspondence with the company because all communications had been by telephone.

[ChrisLA]

^
Interesting about Blockbuster. I had read about the interest on Pine as well. Anyway my cousin and I disagree about a large video store in the area. She thinks that it will put the smaller ones out of business, but I think there will still be many who patronize them. Since Blockbusters is more expensive, I think the smaller businesses will still do okay. Especially since the income range in the area goes from low to high. It's a strange mix in this area, so I think both types can survive.

[LAMetroGuy]

Museum may make 2004 historic year for L.B.
By Tom Hennessy
Staff columnist



By the end of the year, Long Beach apparently will have a new museum dedicated to the city's history.

To be built between Ocean Boulevard and Seaside Way near the Convention Center, the building, about 5,000 square feet, will be topped with the historic roof from the Looff building, the last remaining structure of the city's old Pike amusement park.

Part of the building will have a second story.

"The design work already has been approved,' says 2nd District Councilman Dan Baker, who negotiated the construction of the museum with Camden Properties. "I expect construction to start within the next couple of months and be completed by the end of the year.'

No public money will be used to finance the museum.

Explains Baker, "It was written into the agreement with Camden Properties that they would build a structure and relocate the historical part of the (Looff) building and put it on a new structure.'

Camden, based in Houston, Texas, is building housing units in the area where the museum will be.

While the relics of the city's past are spread among several organizations, including the Historical Society of Long Beach, Long Beach Heritage, and a separate group, Long Beach Heritage Museum, the society will be the prime beneficiary of the museum.

"We're going to use it as a new space for the Long Beach Historical Society so they have a very low lease payment,' Baker says. "Happily, that will be nothing at all or maybe a dollar a year. It will give them a permanent place to display their historical artifacts.'

This comes as good news to the society, which is being obliged to move from its present quarters in the Breakers, 210 E. Ocean Blvd.

"We're looking forward to this opportunity,' says Julie Bartolotto, executive director of the 300-member organization. "We're very pleased with Camden and with Councilman Baker's office for helping us find a new site where people will be able to see Long Beach's past.'

Dissenting view

Not everyone involved in preserving the city's past is happy about the arrangement, however.

Ken Larkey, president of Long Beach Heritage Museum, says the agreement is unfair to his organization, which has operated two city museums in the past. He says the Camden people came to him with his proposal last year.

"They even met in my house. They were especially interested in my Pike (artifacts).'

Larkey also says he attended two meetings in Baker's office to discuss the project. "I haven't heard from anyone since then. The Historical Society doesn't even recognize me.' Whatever status he may have had with the new museums, he claims, has been pre-empted by the society.

"I've put my hand out in friendship to them in my last newsletter by writing about their Navy exhibit. We've given them publicity. But they don't recognize us. They don't say 'thank you' or anything.

Bartolotto, however, says her organization is offering Larkey space in the new building. "As part of the agreement, we've offered to display some artifacts from Ken Larkey's collection. We have to decide which artifacts. That hasn't been discussed yet.'

Relics by the ton

On a day last month, I watched Larkey raise the door of a warehouse in West Long Beach. Revealed inside was a massive collection of Long Beach's past.

Here was a car from the Pike's Cyclone Racer roller-coaster. There was the soda fountain from the Harriman Jones building at Broadway and Cherry.

Here was a mannequin in a long-ago uniform of the Long Beach Municipal Band. There was a case of Magruder's salt water taffy, minus the taffy.

And more. A washing machine made in Long Beach in 1917, a gas pump from a station once located at Seventh and Alamitos, cabinets from the old Iowa Barbershop on First Street.

"The kids used to line up there for those old flat-top haircuts,' says Larkey.

Surveying this mountain of nostalgia, he notes, "This stuff has been here six years, maybe seven years. I can't get any more in here. And I have three garages just like this. They're all just standing here, which is no good. We must get these things back on display so people can enjoy them.'

Without funds for a museum of his own, however, his best shot at displaying his artifacts or some of them appears to be a share of the museum about to be built.

Taking count

The new museum comes at a time when, as noted above, relics of the city's past are in the hands of several organizations, including, for example, the Long Beach Police and Fire departments. (The latter has its own museum.)

"There is property all over the city, including artifacts, photographs, and buildings, that serve as resources and a remembrance of our past,' Mayor Beverly O'Neill noted at Tuesday's City Council meeting.

"The Cultural Heritage Commission has played a key role in determining the architectural assets of Long Beach (but) we also need to know the non-architectural assets that are part of the rich history of our city.'

Toward that end, O'Neill has ordered a "collaborative effort' of appropriate organizations to work with the city "to develop an inventory and accumulate information on the items and whereabouts of these historical assets for our community.' Council member Bonnie Lowenthal calls the action "an important first step to identify and catalog Long Beach's historical structure and items, which may be scattered throughout our city.' Tom Hennessy's viewpoint appears Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. He can be reached at (562) 499-1270 or by e-mail at Scribe17@aol.com.

[longbeachnik]

I've seen the design for the new building at the current Historical Society area in the Breakers...I feel like they could have done a lot better designing it. Also, I wonder if this will be near the new 350 foot tower?

[LAMetroGuy]

You should go by and take a picture of it and post it here!

[LAMetroGuy]

What's up: Opening the Vault
http://www.malibu-inn.com/images/VAULT-STREET.jpg

http://www.malibu-inn.com/images/New%20Folder/VVVV.jpg

Class acts coming to Pine: The best thing about living and working in Redevelopmentville is every day's like a gift-getting occasion as we discover what sort of present is rattling around inside those wrapped-up vacancies along Pine Avenue, in downtown's CityPlace, on the Pike at Rainbow Harbor or in the East Village Arts District.

Sometimes it's a bit of a disappointment.

"Oh, a shoe store that sells everything for $9.99. Thanks, Uncle Ward and Aunt Myrtle."

"Ah! A place that does nails. Can't have enough of those."

Frequently they're nice little stocking stuffers - a Quizno's, a bookstore.

Then there's the mondo gift, the commercial equivalent of the red bicycle. And soon, not to ruin the surprise (OK, to ruin the surprise), we're getting a huge, shiny, expensive, swanky and long-awaited world-class entertainment club which, if it lives up to its promise, will be the finest in recent memory in Long Beach.

Vault 350 (at 350 Pine Ave., in a wild coincidence), may rival L.A.'s and Disneyland's House(s) of Blues as the region's premier music and dining destination.

The club, being gutted and re-fixtured right now at the site of the defunct Latin music venue Leonardo's - and, for years prior to that, a Bank of America branch (with its vaunted vault) - is scheduled to open May 28 with a show by blues prodigy Jonny Lang.

Other acts already booked for the Vault are Mary Chapin Carpenter with Jim Lauderdale (June 12) and the B-52s (Aug. 13).

Aside from the talent booked into the Terrace Theater by its director Dan Spellens, this Vault is getting names several notches above what Big Town usually draws.

When we dropped by last week, the place was alive with workers, but it still looked like little more than a pile of lumber and sawhorses. When it opens in just three weeks, it should look like a million bucks - or better. The owners (going by the rockin' moniker Finance Network LLC) already operate a couple of less ambitious but nevertheless successful clubs, the Malibu Inn and the Santa Barbara Coach House, and they're apparently dumping all available fundage into the Long Beach venture.

For starters, they paid almost $4 million for the place. Another $1 million is going into the club's sound system and other trappings of an up-scale night spot.

The club will hold at least 2,000 people, says property manager Robert Mellor. In addition to standing-room spots on the floor, there'll be balcony seating for diners and, even higher above the riff-raff, a VIP room for folks who want to get away from it all. "The VIPs won't be able to see the band, but we'll have the show on closed-circuit and they can watch the performers on plasma TVs," says Mellor.

Access to alcohol won't be difficult. In addition to VIP and balcony bars, Mellor says, the club will have 10 bartenders working a 175-foot bar on the floor.

While Leonardo's made use of the labyrinth basement of the building (including the vault), that part of the venue will be closed to the public, says Mellor.

"We're putting in three green rooms for the talent, complete with TV, phones, Internet - probably a pool table, and we'll have offices down there. In the future, we might make it into a separate club, with dancing, but for right now we're concentrating on the main floor."

The price you pay for a ticket will add to the swankiness of the Vault 350 experience.

Admission to the Jonny Lang show is $49.50; tix for Mary Chapin Carpenter are $45; prices will be announced soon for the B-52s.

You can purchase tickets through Pay Pal at the club's Web site (www.vault350.com). For recorded Vault info, call (562) 590-5566.

What's Up appears in the Press-Telegram Monday through Friday. You can reach Tim Grobaty at (562) 499-1256, or e-mail: grobaty@earthlink.net

[LBCJeremy]

I've been wondering about the Broadway Lofts project -- there are no signs and wasn't ground supposed to have been broken by now? That corner needs something in a bad way.

Do you guys know about the art exchange project the City is considering and East Village Association is pushing? It would be on the police parking lot between LB Blvd and Elm Av on the north side of Broadway:

<i>A four-story art center is planned in The East Village at Broadway and Long Beach Boulevard. It will be a work space for 70 artists to create, display and sell their artwork. Visitors will be able to view artists creating as the center is open to the public. This will offer a chance for artists to be seen by many new customers. It will be an excellent site to learn about art, and meet artists in person. People of all ages will come to see an ever changing gallery of creations. "In the center, there will be an auditorium where glass blowing, welding and other 'industrial' arts are done" said Steve Eliker, chairman of the project. Stair-stepped platforms will allow visitors to view the artists easily. This space could also be used for lectures, demonstrations, and educational programs. With about 40,000 square feet, the center will be impressive. The Torpedo Factory in Alexandria Virginia is the model for this project. Alexandria is just across the Potomac from Washington, DC During W.W.II, torpedoes were built in a large factory on the river. After the war, the building was left vacant. It was in a neighborhood of other old factories and run-down old buildings. In the mid 1980s, artists got permission to use the building to create and sell art. Over time, the "factory" became a center for local and leading artists. The old buildings nearby got fixed-up, as restaurants, hotels and art galleries opened. This revived one of America's oldest cities, making it a "must see neighborhood" in Virginia. For these reasons, the Art Exchange is planned to totally change Long Beach for the better. A feasibility study has been commissioned by the RDA (Redevelopment Agency) to investigate the cost of the project and research financing. The East Village Association is raising money for this project. The East Village Oktoberfest, on October 11, 2003, will be our annual fund raiser. The money will be used to match grants and pay for the building. "Over the coming years, we need to raise a lot of money and get this project going" said Eliker.</i>

I'd insert images but they're geocities and they won't show up.

I'm not really happy about this, since it'll be a cheesy corporate-flavored venue paid for with a lot of tax money. They'll be removing a whole chunk of the city from productive use -- a key chunk, which could bridge the "East Village" (where I live) and downtown.

If the City already owns the land, they should sell it to a developer. Let there be lofts! Or retail or something. That block is already ruined enough by the awful Bank of America building and that giant eyesore, the Edison parking garage...which could only dominate my neighborhood more if it had a whip. :P

[LAMetroGuy]

Douglas Park (formerly PacifiCenter) will transform unused Boeing aircraft manufacturing buildings into a dynamic mixed-use community of offices, commercial development, neighborhood retail, a hotel and residential neighborhoods. www.douglaspark.org

-More than 10 acres of parks and open spaces
-Millions of dollars for schools
-An Adaptive Traffic Control System to improve traffic flow on major arterials all around the project
-Improvements to 12 city intersections
-New housing opportunities
-New shops, restaurants and services
-11,000 new high quality, high-wage jobs
-Over $1 billion in new payroll for the local economy

http://www.douglaspark.org/dp_images/map.jpg

Office and Commercial Development
Up to 3.3 million square feet of commercial floor space will be provided for professional firms, office users, research and development, light manufacturing, and aviation-related businesses. A 400-room hotel is also proposed.

http://www.douglaspark.org/new_images/corporate.jpg
http://www.douglaspark.org/images/elements/comm6.jpg
http://www.douglaspark.org/images/elements/comm1.jpg

Residential Development
1,400 family friendly single and multi-family housing are planned for Douglas Park, so many employees will be able to walk to work in the morning. Homes for everyone from company CEO's to schoolteachers and recent college grads at the start of their careers will be provided. This dynamic housing mix will make it possible for Douglas Park to attract businesses with high-paying jobs.


http://www.douglaspark.org/new_images/multi_family.jpg
http://www.douglaspark.org/images/elements/res4.jpg

Retail Development
Douglas Park will provide a wide array of shopping opportunities for those who live and work in Douglas Park, and for the neighboring community. Included in the 3.3 million square feet of commercial space is proposed up to 150,000 square feet of retail. These stores will be focused on neighborhood retail – more intimate than a conventional center anchored by a major supermarket, with stores and restaurants offering all from the essentials to the eclectic.

Recreation Development
http://www.douglaspark.org/new_images/commercial.jpg

The proposed plan includes 11 acres of park space, which would consist of two larger parks and several smaller parks. Boeing Realty’s goal is to have everyone in the project within a three-minute walk of a Douglas Park park.

http://www.douglaspark.org/new_images/park.jpg

[SaF9]

^booo, suburban offices :barf: (damn I miss that smilie)

[LBCJeremy]

I agree, the residential and retail looks nice but the office space is blah.

[SaF9]

The West Ocean

http://westoceanlb.com/img/right_rendering.jpg

[longbeachnik]

Wow...looks very tall and "modern." :)

[SaF9]

Yeah, it does. Could fit in perfectly in San Diego ;)

[LAMetroGuy]

SaF9,

Wow, nice picture!!! Very cool.... I hope these get built real soon. I like the look of these towers... I think it will be a nice fit with the rest of downtown LB!

Thanks!

[SaF9]

Yup, it'll certainly add some much needed density :eat:

[LBCJeremy]

Hey guys, the Ins. Exchange has a presentable website now: http://www.insuranceexchangelofts.com

Does anyone know what price they'll be starting at? I can't find sales info. My guess is starting past 500K.

[LAMetroGuy]

^^

I asked and they start at 550k, a bit overpriced if you ask me. I would rather buy at the Aqua Twin Tower condos... they start in the mid 300k with better views.

[LBCJeremy]

^^

I asked and they start at 550k, a bit overpriced if you ask me. I would rather buy at the Aqua Twin Tower condos... they start in the mid 300k with better views.

Nah, that's too Disneyish for me, between the design and the size of them, and the setback makes it feel almost suburban. I don't like Ocean Blvd at all. I like the Ins. Exchange and the space. Ironic, since my current condo is 568 sqft -- LOL! I have the Aqua development rising right over my neighborhood. Looks good from here. I'll be able to see the Broadway Lofts, too, if they ever, um, START on them.

[LBCJeremy]

<img src="http://www.lbreport.com/images/elb/doug3.jpg">

Site plan for Douglas Park, the new name for PacifiCenter.

Amazing, it actually looks like a neighborhood. The faster they trash Boeing the better off LB will be.

[LAMetroGuy]

Queensway Bay Downtown Harbor - Retail Development
From: http://www.eekarchitects.com

Location: Long Beach, California
Adjacent to our built waterfront project at Queensway Bay, the retail development serves as a pivotal urban linkage connecting downtown Long Beach with the new, revitalized harbor. While maintaining its own particular atmosphere, EE&K Architects' design relates the retail development to the overall waterfront design through the use of a common architectural language. A new Town Square acts as the anchor from which streets and areas with unique and identifiable characters radiate.


http://63.240.68.115/FirmFiles/8/images/39538-RHarborAerial-640.jpg

http://63.240.68.115/FirmFiles/8/images/39538-RHarborWalk-640.jpg

http://63.240.68.115/FirmFiles/8/images/39538-Model-640.jpg

[LBCJeremy]

^^

"Eek" is right. :P Town square my ass. It's a waterfront mall bisected by a 6-lane highway. Booo.

[ChrisLA]

A couple of pics I took today of the new Artist Lofts being built at 4th & Alamitos. They have 15ft ceilings, I would love to own one of these. They have also been designed to have retail on the bottom floor.

http://mywebpage.netscape.com/InglWd2/4thlofts/DSC00099a.jpg


http://mywebpage.netscape.com/InglWd2/4thlofts/DSC00100a.jpg

[LBCJeremy]

They're okay, the spaces inside I'm sure are awesome, but what's with the 1980s primary-colored bathroom tile on the outside? :yuck: I hope they put cewl stores over there, I'm a couple blocks away, be good to have nice retail.

[LAMetroGuy]

Promenade Lofts (aka 3rd Street Lofts)

http://www.urbanpacificbuilders.com/images/Promenade-Lofts_elev_sml.jpg

Architect: KTGY Group, Irvine, CA

Project Size:

30 units - 1,000 s.f. up to 2,500 s.f.
7 stories, ground floor commercial

Project Concept:

City Place is a mixed-use redevelopment masterplan in the heart of downtown long Beach. The project includes eight (8) city-blocks, including 450,000 s.f. of retail and 330 units of high-end market rate condominiums and apartments. Developers Diversified Realty is the developer for all retail portions of the project.

As part of this mixed-use project, Promenade Lofts will provide a combination of flats, lofts with internal mezzanines, and penthouse units as part of the for-sale housing component, starting at $259,990 and ranging up to $599,000.

[lakegz]

Construction on the West Ocean is scheduled to begin by the end of summer (they dont like being specific i guess). The sizes of the units will range from 950 to 3,200 square feet and the prices start at 400,000 and go over one million.
i wish i could live there, maybe i should go mow some lawns for some spare change.

[LBCJeremy]

Re: 3rd Street Lofts:

I'm assuming these will go on that bare ass lot full of mulch between the north side of 3rd and the parking garages, next to the, um...Mrs. Fields. Finally, a decent improvement in that immediate area. Buy a 400K loft just steps from Walmart, with sweeping vistas of parking garage! LOL!

[LAMetroGuy]

Adjacent to the Long Beach Arena, two above ground FINA approved 50 meter pools will be used for the events. The main pool stadium will seat up to 10,000 spectators, athletes and media.

Club boxes, available for all events, will be poolside in the first 3 rows of the bleachers, with room for 10 persons. Hospitality suites that can accommodate 30 persons will be in each corner of the pool. Full catering services will be available in both packages.

The warm up pool will be adjacent to the main pool, with locker room facilities, massage tents and athlete lounges.

Adjacent to the spectator bleachers will be a food court as well as a Fan Fest Village.

http://www.longbeach2004.com/images/venue/swimstadium.jpg

[LAMetroGuy]

What's Up: Pine scene, north and south
By Tim Grobaty
Staff columnist

OPENING THE VAULT: It's a close race between construction workers hitting the final nail on the head and the opening notes of Franky Perez opening for headliner Jonny Lang at the Friday night grand opening for Long Beach's newest club, Vault 350, at 350 Pine Ave., in downtown Long Beach. According to a spokesman at the $4million nightclub, everything's A-OK for the Lang show.

Assuming that's true, $49.50 gets you in to the swanky venue's debut show at 8 o'clock Friday. Expect to pass workers coming out on your way in, because construction is coming right down to showtime. Wondering about opening- night wardrobe? We'd recommend a hard hat.

Vault 350's talent bookers, including old-hand Ken Phebus, are busy signing an eclectic mix of performers for the club. Eventually, the club's management hopes to pack the Vault with 25 shows per month.

So far, the spring and summer shows include the Temptations Revue, June 11 ($60); Mary Chapin Carpenter with Jim Lauderdale, June 12 ($45); Avant, June 25 ($39.50); K-Ci & Jo Jo, July 9 ($39.50); Freddie Jackson, July 10 ($27.50); the United We Funk Tour, with Dazz Band, S.O.S., Con Funk Shun and Midnight Star, July 17 ($30); the Ohio Players, July 24 ($30); the B- 52s, Aug. 13 ($75); and KRS-One, Aug. 21 ($20).

For tickets, try the Vault's Web site (also being hammered at with frequent construction closures): www.vault350.com , or call the box office, (562) 590-5566. DANCING AT THE PIKE: While Pine Avenuists hope the Vault will pull night life farther north on downtown Long Beach's eternally rocky road, new openings at the Pike at Rainbow Harbor continue to draw attention and money, and crowds to the south side of Ocean Boulevard.

The latest potential major player down the hill is V20, a huge, dazzling and wildly versatile venue/restaurant at the Pike's west end.

The $10 million, 30,000-square- foot facility is going after the lucrative convention market on weekdays, and catering to a nightlife-hungry, dance-happy public crowd on Fridays and Saturdays after its grand opening June 24-26 (the opening night is by invitation only).

Like the Vault, V20 (a condensed way of saying Venue by the Water) will be equipped with a $1million sound system, though the venue will, on Fridays and Saturdays anyway, steer clear of touring musical acts and stick to DJs and dance.

The balance of the time, well, they'll do just about anything you want and can afford in the way of special events for large groups.

"If someone wants to do a theme event, say a Mardi Gras Night, we can do that all the way down to the waiters' clothes, the menu, the props and the lighting,' says V20 CEO Michael Viscuso.

Unless otherwise arranged, the food, says Viscuso, will be pan-Pacific cuisine with a full sushi menu served in the venue's restaurant that, he says, is "semi-private, but very interactive with the dance floor.'

The restaurant and the club's four bars will open at 5 p.m. Fridays and 6 p.m. Saturdays. Jazz bands will perform for diners in the early part of the evenings,' says Viscuso. "Around 10:30, the lights will go down, the music will go up, we'll clear away the tables and it turns into a dance club until 2 a.m. closing.'

Viscuso is a seasoned pro when it comes to nightlife. Among his other properties are J.J.'s Steakhouse in Old Pasadena, and On Broadway Events Center, E Street Alley, Red Circle Cafe and Deco's, all in San Diego

[LAMetroGuy]

$160 million project on Ocean to bring 246 luxury units, alter skyline.

By Don Jergler
Staff writer

LONG BEACH — Construction on a $160 million, high-rise condominium project being called West Ocean is set to begin in September, and would-be buyers for the upscale units in the downtown towers can put down deposits next month.
Originally under development as part of the 9.5-acre Camden Harbor View project, the 246-unit development is going up on the site of what is now a pay parking lot near the Pike at Rainbow Harbor, at Ocean Boulevard and Chestnut Street.

Camden sold the site for an undisclosed sum to Intracorp Los Angeles LLC, a developer of several large residential projects in the Southland.

The towers will dramatically change the city's skyline. The largest of the two towers will be built to 29 stories, slightly shorter than the World Trade Center across from the project on Ocean Boulevard. The 27-story World Trade Center stands at 397 feet, making in Long Beach's tallest office building. The second tower will measure 22 stories.

Estimated selling prices are between $400,000 and $1 million for the units, which range from 950 square feet to 3,200 square feet. The project includes 3,400 square feet of retail along Ocean Boulevard. Expected completion is 2006, according to Intracorp.

The company purchased the property about a year ago. Executives declined to discuss the price, but said the proximity to the Pike, the Aquarium of the Pacific and Pine Avenue was a deciding factor in the purchase.

"'We just love the downtown Long Beach area, it's a very good urban environment," said Peter Lauener, Intracorp's president and chief executive officer.

Amenities at Ocean West include a pool, spa, barbecue areas, a club room, a fitness center and meeting and conference areas, according to the company.

In 1999, Camden Property Trust paid $20 million for the property. Camden is a 538-unit waterfront apartment complex that comprises two nine-story buildings and four buildings with four stories. It began leasing in 2003. Unit rents range from $1,200 to $1,800 for one-bedroom units, and two-bedroom units go for $2,200 to $2,800.

Camden executives were not immediately available for comment.

Privately held Intracorp has more than $300 million in project developments in Los Angeles and Orange counties.

The prime contractor on Ocean West is San Diego-based Ledcor. The architect is John Perkins of Perkins and Associates of Vancouver.

Visit www.westoceanlb.com for more information.

[longbeachnik]

Plans for a 600-foot-tall tower on the waterfront in Long Beach have been toppled.

Russell Geyser, principal of the Geyser Group, has been shopping a “Tower of Toscana” project since last November. Geyser said the $100 million tower would become a landmark and tourist draw comparable to the Seattle Space Needle or the Eiffel Tower.

Geyser’s proposal was to take about 3.5 acres off Shoreline Drive currently being used for boat owner parking at the Downtown Shoreline Marina. The plans called for covered parking for the boat owners, a retail complex around the tower and several levels of restaurants, bars and other entertainment at the top.

But this week Geyser said he no longer was interested in doing business in Long Beach. He said in published reports that a failed plan for a restaurant in or near Alamitos Bay Landing forced the decision.

At the same time, the city’s Community Development Department has been circulating a Request For Proposals to create a development strategy for the land north of Shoreline Drive across from the tower site. That land — east of the temporary swimming stadium and the Long Beach Arena — currently is a surface parking lot. It is considered the last developable land on the downtown waterfront.

The deadline for the RFP was June 1. It had nothing to do with the tower proposal, according to Amy Bodek, Community Development project manager.

“I’ll say unequivocally that the RFP had nothing to do with the demise of the tower,” Bodek said. “In fact, this RFP wasn’t for development projects at all. It was for developing a strategy for dealing with the land.”

Much of the still-in-progress Pike at Rainbow Harbor commercial development west of the Long Beach Convention Center is on land that once was a parking lot north of Shoreline Drive. Bodek said that there has not been a decision whether to develop the property east of the convention center and arena at all. Options include banking the land for future convention center expansion, retail, hotel or parking uses or no development at all.

Geyser spent much of this spring presenting the Tower of Toscana proposal, complete with a professionally produced video, to Long Beach civic and business groups. He has said he already has spent $350,000 on the project.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Oh well...at least construction will start on the city's new second tallest soon :)

[LAMetroGuy]

Thanks for the post!

Maybe he can shop the tower to downtown LA???

Here are some more details to the failed plan, thanks to the Cheesecake Factory:

Planned space needle scuttled



By Don Jergler and Joe Segura

LONG BEACH -- Long Beach's very own 600-foot space needle has vanished in a scuffle between city planners and the developer, who blame one another for the loss of a $100million project that would have reportedly created more than 300 jobs.
The lofty plans for the Tower of Toscana near Shoreline Village began to crumble when planners and the developer failed to agree on leasing property in Alamitos Bay for a Cheesecake Factory restaurant in an apparently unrelated deal, according to sources close to the negotiations.

Developer Russell Geyser, of the Encinitas-based specialty retail development Geyser Group, said his talks with city planners led him to believe he had an exclusive negotiating agreement for the project. "They kept on saying 'Trust us' and 'Don't worry," he said.

However, a Community Development document dated April 21, obtained Monday by the Press- Telegram, shows the city is seeking proposals for a development strategy for the Tidelands area in downtown, which includes the tower site a move that aggravated the strained relations between city planners and Geyser.

Community Development Director Melanie Fallon said there was no effort to undermine Geyser's tower plan. However, she explained, the city is looking for a development strategy for that shoreline area, but the tower site was included only as an potential alternative to Geyser's plan.

"We decided to take this opportunity and do, concurrently, a planning study to make sure we had enough parking,' Fallon said.

The two sides agreed that talks over a proposed Cheesecake Factory restaurant at Alamitos Bay tainted the deal.

Michael Conway, manager of Property Services Bureau, blames the developer for killing the deal.

"The last he advised us,' Conway said, "is he would be shopping his project around.'

He said Geyser was supposed to bring in a Cheesecake Factory. But Geyser had an alternate concept called The Garage, an upscale restaurant being developed by a pair of established restaurateurs.

Geyser said he pulled the plug after the restaurant deal went sour. "If the city doesn't treat you well on one deal, it won't treat you right on another site,' he added.

The developer said he's already put in $350,000 of his own money on the Tower deal.

The Geyser Group had unveiled its $100 million project last November to construct a tower similar to Seattle's Space Needle on a 3.5-acre site, which would include businesses, stores and a parking structure for marina boat owners and visitors. The tower was pegged for the area south of Shoreline Drive, west of Green Park.

The plan ran into opposition from the boat owners, who complained that the project would disrupt the activities of the marina area.

Fallon said she believes the city can move ahead with development plans without Geyser.

[LBCJeremy]

That tower was a joke of a monstrosity. I'm glad to see it go, even though it's annoying that the City dicked him around. He should build something else downtown, not that theme park south of Ocean.

[LAMetroGuy]

Designs on the waterfront

By Don Jergler and Joe Segura
Staff writers

LONG BEACH - A high tide of enthusiasm from the month-long Aquatic Festival is building momentum, and its legacy could splash over into a new chapter of growth in Long Beach's downtown waterfront sector.
A new request for proposals to study potential development of the "Downtown Tidelands' area the sprawling section south of Ocean Boulevard and adjacent to the Convention and Entertainment Center has attracted 11 consulting firms bidding to map out the city's ambitious plans for what's believed to be the premier chunk of undeveloped shoreline real estate in the region.

There's a long review process before any proposal can move off the drawing board, since it will need to pass muster with local panels and the City Council, the state Coastal Commission and possibly the state Lands Commission.

Environmentalists and community activists said they were caught off guard by the city's move, but vowed to be diligent in monitoring any development on public-trust turf an area that received no comment in the staff report.

"I think it's totally inappropriate that one of the things they're not looking at is the restrictions of development to approved public-trust uses,' said Don May, president of the environmental group California Earth Corps. "The city has pushed that envelope more than anywhere else in the state.'

The prime focus is a 20-acre parking lot connected with the Long Beach Arena, the site for the temporary 10,000-seat Charter All Digital Aquatics Centre the host for the Aquatic Festival, which includes the upcoming U.S. Olympic Team Trials-Swimming.

Combined, the events are considered to be the nation's largest swim event and are expected to draw 115,000 spectators from all over the world, generating an economic impact of $15 million for area businesses. That was enough to get City Hall thinking.

Now, the lot may also become the site of Long Beach's newest development. Ideas for the parcel have ranged from a now-dead proposal for a towering space needle to an expansion of the Long Beach Convention Center to a permanent aquatics center.

The request was issued two months ago. The recruited consultant's primary focus will be the arena's parking lot, while the surrounding secondary areas will include the Rainbow Lagoon connected with the Hyatt Regency, the marina parking lot, and the connecting Green Park.

Because they're secondary, those areas won't necessarily be included, but they must be accounted for in development plans. The arena itself is considered secondary in the request, because of lease agreements with the city that relate to the surrounding area.

Proposals were submitted by the June 1 deadline, and quoted prices range between $175,000 and $350,000 to develop a comprehensive plan for the Tidelands area, according to city staff.

A steering committee of city officials and business people has been formed, and the process of selecting a consultant is expected to begin in July.

Project funding

Any project in the area could be footed solely by a developer. Or, a project could get added funding from the Redevelopment Agency, or the Tidelands Fund, which receives oil revenue, as well as 10 percent of the net income from the Port of Long Beach.

The city is a trustee on the fund, which has an annual operating budget of up to $55 million, according to Mike Killebrew, the city's acting finance director.

Tidelands projects include the Pike, the Aquarium of the Pacific and the Queen Mary.

Tidelands funds are solely for use in the tidelands area, and are earmarked for recreational uses. They helped build a $43 million parking garage for the Pike.

Tourist candy

No parameters, including cost, have been set for development on the terrain.

However, those involved in the process all agree they want the area to be used to attract tourists, much like the nearby Pike at Rainbow Harbor, and the Aquatic Festival.

In fact, one of the ideas outlined in the request is for a permanent aquatics stadium.

"There's been discussions about a recreational use, like a permanent swim facility,' said Melanie Fallon, director of Community Development, the city department that issued the request. "This is a really important property for the city.'

Offers from developers for the area have been surfacing regularly, especially since the Pike entertainment and shopping center is up and running, said Fallon. She credits the aquatics event and frequent unsolicited proposals made before the city launched its new development strategy for prompting City Hall to act and issue the request for development strategies.

Bigger conventions

Other possible uses outlined in the city's proposal request also include expanding the Hyatt Regency at Pine Avenue and Shoreline Drive, or the Long Beach Convention Center at 300 E. Ocean Blvd.

The city is eager to increase its tourist trade, and enhancement of the convention facilities both in meeting halls capacity and hotel rooms could help turn the tide of the past few years, when the city has lost a handful of big conventions that required larger centers to handle larger gatherings.

The Action Sports Retailer show bailed to San Diego two years ago after the crowd of 17,000 it drew could no longer be accommodated at the Long Beach locale.

Most notably, the owner of the Fred Hall's Fishing Tackle and Boat Show stated he was considering relocating it because it was outgrowing the center.

"We can't grow anymore,' Bart Hall, son of Fred, who's now deceased, told a Press- Telegram reporter in March as the show was about to get under way.

Hall said he was considering moving the show to the Anaheim Convention Center, which has 815,000 square feet of exhibit space, more than double Long Beach's 350,000- square-foot center. Hall doesn't disclose attendance figures, but estimates for attendance range from more than 30,000 to 300,000.

While Hall eventually agreed to hold the show in Long Beach for another five years, losing conventions due to lack of space is growing concern.

"We have lost several conventions because they've expanded in their size and we haven't,' said Steven Goodling, president and chief executive officer for the Long Beach Area Convention & Visitors Bureau.

But enlarging the center has its drawbacks.

Convention floor space has increased nearly 60 percent nationwide over the past four years, according to industry experts.

"Currently, we have created a great niche within the convention segment, and that is a medium-sized convention can come into our city and own it,' Goodling said. "By expanding our convention center, it would need to be determined if the market exists amongst the other buildout over the last four years.'

Off limits

There are parcels in the focused section that could be all but off limits for any proposed development project since proposals for large development would prompt legal challenges from either environmentalists or state agencies mandated to protect public-access land and rights.

Among the two top hot spots: the Rainbow Lagoon, adjacent to the Hyatt Hotel, and the Marina Green Park along with its parking area.

Charles Posner, planner for the state Coastal Commission, said a tidelands agreement and the city's local coastal plan put limits on what could be developed in the Rainbow Lagoon area, which is considered wetlands. He added that the state Coastal Act would be a stronger potential hurdle, since that law does not allow displacement of wetlands for commercial or residential projects.

"It's protected,' he said.

Violations of the Coastal Act often prompt court challenges.

The parkland is a public-trust area and protected by the local coastal plan, according to Posner.

"All park lands are protected ... to remain park lands in perpetuity,' he said.

A push to develop the park would require a 2-to-1 ratio trade-off for public land in another part of the city. That would include any development of the area set aside for the park's parking spots but not the slots for marina parking, the commission planner explained.

"The city has made it very difficult to do anything in park lands other than park uses,' Posner added.

Parking issues

Parking will be a key component of the planning, according to the city.

The focus of the parking study will be east of Pine Avenue and south of Ocean Boulevard.

"This is the last major remaining development opportunity site in this vicinity,' the report notes.

However, the future consultant will also review parking supply and demand for the Pike project area, to assure the study is complete.

The selected consultant will review data used as part of the Downtown Long Beach parking study, and apply the findings along with a computer parking model that was created for the Pike project.

There's generally plenty of parking in the downtown shoreline complex.

Parking blocs can be found at all corners north and south, east and west of the complex's crossroads at Pine Avenue and Shoreline Drive.

One large bloc of parking spaces is taken up by boat owners with slips in the marinas.

Development north of Shoreline Drive should not have any impact on the boat owners' parking arrangements, according to Mike Malbon, a member of the city's Marine Advisory Commission.

However, he said there could be new concerns if any development is pegged for south of Shoreline.

The city's report identifies the "peripheral stakeholders' as the Aquarium of the Pacific, Shoreline Village, Downtown Marina boat owners and the Pike retail/entertainment complex.

Malbon believes that the "peripheral stakeholders' status could change, if the development gets a foothold south of Shoreline especially in the marina parking sections.

That would make the boat owners "major stakeholders,' he asserted, adding that the Marine Advisory Commission would most likely review the development proposal and make its recommendation to the City Council.

Without any new development, Malbon said, visitors generally cause only minor parking problems, generally during special events.

"They have their own spaces,' he said of visitors. "And that works out just fine.'

Traffic issues

At this point, there's no development plan on the drawing board to worry about.

Ditto for traffic problems linked to any possible development proposal except for one spot at Pine and Ocean, where westbound vehicles become gridlocked attempting to make a left turn into the southbound Pine Avenue lanes, according to Malbon.

"When they close down Shoreline for for an event, Pine and Ocean become really congested,' he added.

City Councilman Dan Baker, whose district encompasses the Tidelands area, wants a study of the area to examine ways to reconfigure the eastern end of Seaside Way bordering the arena convention complex to mitigate the impact of traffic from the Convention Center on residents.

If a proposed development leads to improvements of in that complex area, local residents would be happy, the councilman predicted.

"This really could be an upside for the folks that live in those buildings on Ocean,' Baker said.

Grand Prix factor

Other concerns about inserting a new project in the area is that major events' use of the parking lot could be driven off.

The Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach is one such event that uses the parking lot.

Drivers use the lot as a staging area, along with pit crews, garages and concessions during the city's largest and most spectacular sports event, which draws about 200,000 people over three days each spring.

"We've asked the Grand Prix folks to be part of our team,' Fallon said, adding that other nearby spots could be found to stage the event, if necessary.

Preserving a Grand Prix staging area in the vicinity would be given top priority in any proposal, Fallon asserted.

Marina vista

One key issue, according to Malbon, would be the public's view of the marinas and other shoreline facilities the same concern he raised with the recent proposal for a massive tower similar to Seattle's Space Needle, labeled by the developer as the Tower of Toscana.

While the project was hailed as the "crowning jewel of the Long Beach renaissance,' it tumbled within months of its unveiling last November, when developer Russell Geyser head of an Encinitas- based specialty retail development company, Geyser Group pulled the plug on it. He was upset, in part, because of a dispute over the souring talks on an unrelated restaurant development deal at Alamitos Bay.

The tower's deal was given a blunt obit.

"As much as anything can be dead, I think that would be dead,' Fallon said.

Before the deal died, however, Malbon raised concerns about the tower's dimensions, and he strongly suggested planners consider alternative sites, where there would be less disruption of established uses.

New development south of Shoreline could breathe new life into the same visibility concerns.

"It's an open-space area,' Malbon said. "It (new development) could have tremendous visual impact.'

Legal quagmire?

Development projects in the shoreline area all public trust tidelands turf can easily get entangled in litigation by environmentalists.

The California Earth Corps, for instance, has been tangling with the Long Beach since the fall of 2001 over the Queensway Bay land-use exchange. The group, headed by May, asserted the city and state violated state laws by not performing an environmental impact report on the land involved in the deal, adding that the swap didn't meet requirements for exchanging development rights on public-trust land.

Community activist Bry Myown, who maintains a vigil eye on coastal and port issues, said any potential project could most likely avoid legal challenges, if it benefits tourists and residents alike a plan that will be environmentally friendly and offer affordable activities for the public.

That mix, in the end, will most likely benefit local merchants and restaurants, she said, adding waterfront facilities are big draws pumping new cash into merchants' coffers.

"When I leave the (shoreline) spots, I'd go to a restaurant,' she explained.

"I think people would come here to see the beach and spend money for something we've already built.'

[longbeachnik]

Screw all this enviromental talk...what worse use could be gotten out of this huge chunk of land that isnt as bad as the parking lot currently there?

Personally, I'd like to see a stadium of some kind. Demolish the old Arena and build something really state-of-the-art. Then we can go on and get a real professional sports team and lure all the hot musical acts. :)

Yup-new Arena!

[LAMetroGuy]

Improving the Pike

A fountain and more benches would make it more inviting.

The Pike at Rainbow Harbor, Long Beach's newest retail, dining and entertainment development, is not meeting its financial expectations. And that isn't just a private concern. The City of Long Beach assumed a portion of the risk and is on the hook for millions of dollars if business doesn't pick up.
As the Press-Telegram's Don Jergler and Felix Sanchez reported earlier this month, the city may have to pay $1.1 million or more next year in bond debts because the Pike's parking lot isn't making enough money to pay for itself. The Pike opened about seven months ago, and pedestrian traffic is still noticeably sluggish.

Things are getting better as more retailers climb on board, according to city officials who are tracking parking lot receipts. But there has to be more improvement, and soon. The city has far too many financial problems without adding the Pike to its long list of budget woes.

So what's the problem at the Pike? Jergler and Sanchez interviewed retail and real estate experts who pointed to several difficulties facing the complex: the lack of retail outlets to complement the preponderance of restaurants and entertainment venues, competition from other shopping areas, the location, and the demographics of downtown.

Those are important factors. But as Long Beach resident Pat Fraley wrote in a letter we published July 9, the design appears to be a major fault. The Pike's layout does little to encourage people to spend time there. As Fraley astutely observed, the Pike's core area has no outdoor atmosphere to speak of, and is almost devoid of pedestrian-friendly features such as benches, tables and fountains that lend character to such places as The Grove in Los Angeles and even Long Beach's Towne Center. (To clarify, Fraley was commenting on the inner core of the Pike, north of Shoreline Drive, and not the waterfront section, with P.F. Chang's and Outback Steakhouse, where business is booming.)

There is a smattering of benches at the Pike's central areas, and some outdoor tables on restaurant patios. But at the Pike's core, which should be the heart of the complex, there is a traffic intersection instead of a central fountain, benches or open tables that would create a friendly ambience. The design says: See a movie, eat, spend some money and then get out.

It's not too late to change that.

Fraley's letter hit on four major design flaws, three of which could be corrected to improve the Pike immensely.

First, get rid of the useless interior streets that cut the Pike's core into several disconnected areas for no good reason. Since most people will walk into the Pike from the outside, the streets cutting through the shopping area aren't serving any worthwhile purpose. Reconfiguring them into pedestrian walkways; adding elements like landscaping, benches and kiosks would be a major improvement.

Then, add lots of outdoor benches and tables. People like to eat and drink outside, especially in the summer. They also like to find a place to sit and talk. For a place that was billed as a public gathering area, it's not at all conducive to conversation.

The Pike also needs at least one big fountain. Every like- minded development of note has a fountain, and the lack of one at the Pike is a glaring, correctable omission. (Fraley's other complaint was that that the Ferris wheel and carousel are outside the complex, instead of in the middle surrounded by shops and restaurants. He's right, but it's probably too late to change that.)

Developers Diversified Realty, Inc., the Pike's development company, says it signed leases for a dozen new retailers, and several more are soon to be announced. That will help boost activity at the Pike, as well as use of the parking structure that is so crucial to the city's bottom line.

City Hall and by extension, the entire population of Long Beach has a considerable investment in the success of the Pike. It must not fail. But success is harder to envision if the Pike's outdoor areas remain uninviting. City and development officials ought to order and oversee some design changes while there's still time.

As one real estate expert told the Press-Telegram, the Pike "is not the most convenient place to go." In other words, people have to seek it out. With a more pleasant, welcoming atmosphere, more people would seek it out.

[LAMetroGuy]

New condos for Pine

http://www.jrare.com/images/EdgewaterOnOcean.jpg

Developer buys downtown site to construct 22-story building.

By Don Jergler
Staff writer

LONG BEACH — A Pasadena developer has purchased one of downtown's premium ocean-view sites, and construction on the city's newest upscale residential tower could get under way by this time next year.

The Edgewater on Ocean, a 22-story, 155-unit condominium tower at Ocean Boulevard and Pine Avenue, could be completed and ready to be occupied by 2007, according to developer James Ratkovich & Associates Inc. of Pasadena.

The developers say they have "set an aggressive schedule' to get the project completed.

The firm purchased The Pacific at 850 E. Ocean in 1996, a failed venture developed by a Japanese firm, and completed and sold the 187-unit, 16-story condo development by 2000, said Steven Clark, Ratkovich's executive vice president.

The firm's newest project will be developed by 100 E. Ocean Partners LLC which includes Ratkovich and other investment partners, Clark said. 100 E. Ocean is the site's address.

The site was sold by Ensemble Investments, a former owner of the World Trade Center in downtown Long Beach and a property manager.

Clark declined to give the purchase price.

"It was a lot of money," he said. "We bought it for a great price relative to the current value. We believe we got a good deal."

Clark said units, which range in size from a 990-square-foot one-bedroom unit to a 3,600-square-foot penthouse, will sell for between $400,000 and $4 million.

The building will include a subterranean garage with 338 parking spaces. Additional parking for the structure will be built at the corner of Seaside Way and Locust Avenue by the seller as part of the deal, Clark said.

Ground-floor retail tenants proposed for the project include a gourmet market, a cafe and a spa and health club.

"This building is going to be an icon building in the city of Long Beach's skyline," Clark said.

Up to 4,000 upscale residential units are being added to downtown, many in the form of high-rise towers.

In June, a deal was made for a two-tower, 246-unit project on the site of what is now a pay parking lot at Ocean Boulevard and Chestnut Street. Units in the 29-and 22-story towers will sell for between $400,000 and $1 million.

Further down Ocean is Camden at Harbor View, consisting of 538 waterfront units in two nine-story towers, as well as four towers built to four stories, which have been renting for more than a year. Further yet on Ocean is the nearly completed 556-apartment-unit Aqua, formerly known as Ocean Villas, two 22-story towers, at Linden.

Once ground is broken, the Edgewater project will take from 16 to 20 months to complete, Clark said.

He estimates project costs at between $100 million and $105 million and said he believes they will recoup more than $150 million in sales.

Since Ensemble had previously obtained civic approval to build a 22-story residential tower, no further city action will be necessary to get the project green-lighted, other than basic permit approvals, Clark said.

He said the project attracted his firm because of its locale its near the newly opened Pike at Rainbow Harbor retail and entertainment center, the Long Beach Convention Center and Pine Avenue.

"We like the fact that it's urban living on the beach," Clark said. "Being at the corner of Pine Avenue, that's where it's all happening."

[LAMetroGuy]

(August 2, 2004) -- A 22-story luxury condominium tower is being planned for the southeast corner of Ocean Blvd. at Pine Ave.

James Ratkovich & Associates, Inc., a Pasadena-based development firm, says it has completed purchase of the site and is now in the final design stages of the high rise which will be called "Edgewater on Ocean."


As described in a release by the firm, "the $150-million project will be a multi-use development consisting of a 155-unit high-rise residential tower and ground floor restaurant and retail space. Other contemplated ground floor tenants include a gourmet market, upscale cafe and a full-service spa and health club. The highly amenitized condominiums, with floor plans ranging in size from a 990-square-foot one-bedroom unit to a sprawling 3,600-square-foot penthouse, will be priced from the $400,000s to over $4 million.
"This is one of the finest development sites in all of Southern California," said firm president James Ratkovich in the relase. "There is no other site north of San Diego and south of San Francisco that can deliver the urban waterfront lifestyle to be found at Edgewater on Ocean. We're excited to be creating what we believe will be the most cosmopolitan address in this unique urban waterfront setting," he added.

The release continued:


A modernist's dream come true, the tower's collection of one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom units will feature standard ceiling heights in excess of ten feet, spacious balconies, as well as stunning floor-to-ceiling glass walls to create the feeling of total transparency. More than 80% of the units will reveal spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean, the Queen Mary and Long Beach Marina. North-facing units will enjoy views of city lights to the San Gabriel Mountains. A rare collection of only 24 penthouses will occupy the 18th to 22nd floors, offering an elite group of owners the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience the distinctive cachet of penthouse living. These luxurious residences will feature 12-foot-high ceilings, unparalleled views and total living areas over 3,600 square feet. Plans also include an exclusive rooftop lounge where owners are free to mingle or relax against the vibrant backdrop of the Long Beach skyline.
The elegant interiors will be timeless moderne, yet with a fresh spin towards casualness and fun reflecting the Southern California way of life. Design appointments and customization options will be comparable to those found at many high-rise developments throughout the surrounding coastal region. Ideal for entertaining, gourmet kitchens will offer granite countertops and top-of-the-line appliances. Extensive pre-wiring for phone, Internet and fax communications will be a major benefit for owners working from home. To make home ownership more enjoyable and carefree, owners have exclusive access to a Residential Concierge to experience the comforts of personal attention and first-class service.

The fourth level of Edgewater on Ocean -- reserved exclusively for residents and their invited guests -- will be an expansive indoor/outdoor area of refined amenities, including a recreation room, library, movie theater, private wine cellar, as well as a fitness facility with menís and womenís locker rooms and saunas. Just outside, one discovers the most alluring perk of ownership: the pool terrace. Here, residents may soak in the hydrotherapy pool, or relax on the sundeck surrounded by an eclectic mix of exotic tropical landscaping. One may also take a refreshing dip in the infinity-edge lap pool, which creates the wonderful illusion of gently floating over the distant waters of the blue Pacific.

Edgewater on Ocean is scheduled for a 2005 groundbreaking with completion sometime in 2006.

James Ratkovich & Associates was the developer of Long Beach's The Pacific.

[LAMetroGuy]

First, a rendering of the two 18-story towers:
http://www.aqualb.com/images/AquaBuilding.jpg

View of Queen Mary
http://www.aqualb.com/images/QueenMaryClose.jpg

View from 14th Floor - Looking South
http://www.aqualb.com/images/14thfloorSOUTH.jpg

View from 16th Floor - Looking North
http://www.aqualb.com/images/16thfloorNORTH.jpg

View from 4th Floor - Looking East
http://www.aqualb.com/images/4thfloorEAST.jpg

View from 16th Floor - Looking West
http://www.aqualb.com/images/16thfloorQueenMary.jpg

View from 4th Floor - Looking Northeast
http://www.aqualb.com/images/4thfloorNORTH.jpg

View from 9th Floor - Looking Southeast
http://www.aqualb.com/images/9thfloorSouthEast.jpg

Artwork, 'Bruce' lifted to his new home - atop the West Tower
http://www.aqualb.com/images/aqua_const1.jpg

'Bruce's' view looking down from West Tower
http://www.aqualb.com/images/aqua_const2.jpg

'Bruce's' view looking out over Downtown Long Beach
http://www.aqualb.com/images/aqua_const3.jpg

[glidescube]

I live in belmont and rarely vebture downtown, but i wouls love it if downtown look like mid-town manhattan nyc!

[LAMetroGuy]

Douglas Park gets OK

Mixed-use project on Boeing land goes to council after planning panel’s approval.

By Don Jergler
Staff Writer

LONG BEACH — A massive development of 1,400 residences and more than 3 million square feet of commercial and retail space near Long Beach Airport was unanimously approved Thursday by the city Planning Commission.
The commission’s recommendation sends the proposed Douglas Park mixed-used development to the City Council, which has final say on the project proposed for a site bordered by Long Beach Airport, Lakewood Country Club, Carson Street and Lakewood Boulevard.

Since the property was vacated by Boeing, hotly contested plans to develop the site have been revised several times over the past four years.

But on Thursday, the final plan received unanimous support from commission members and nearly full support from community members who attended the meeting.

Boeing Realty Corp.’s final plan to convert the 239-acre parcel, a former McDonnell Douglas commercial aircraft plant that was the heart of the city’s economy during from the 1940s through the late 1980s, is the result of numerous meetings with the community and countless hours of collaboration.

‘‘I’ve never sat through so many positive comments in all my six years (on the commission),’’ said Charles Winn.

The latest plan includes:

• 3.3 million square feet of space for commercial, retail, office, research and development and light industrial space;

• up to 400 hotel rooms;

• 13 acres of parkland or open space;

• 1,400 residences, including single-family homes, town houses, condominiums and up to 400 apartments.

Under the agreement, the developer would contribute $3 million to the city to use in support of affordable housing and $8 million for building schools downtown.

At completion, the project would generate $2.4 million to $3.6 million more in tax revenue than it would cost in city services, such as safety and utilities, according to the developer.

It is estimated businesses within the project will employ 11,000 people and create a payroll of $1 billion.

Most of the dozen attendees spoke overwhelmingly in favor of Douglas Park.

‘‘We are very happy to support this project,’’ said Matthew Kinley, vice chairman of the board of the Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce. ‘‘It adds much needed value to our region and our city.’’

Those few who spoke in opposition raised environmental and noise concerns, or they just had other ideas for the property.

Resident John Heinz said 13 acres for parks and open space isn’t enough in a city as crowded as Long Beach.

‘‘I’d rather see this 200-plus acres built entirely into a park,’’ he said.

[HailStorm]

Check out: http://www.douglaspark.org/about.html

Cool Video: http://www.douglaspark.org/movie/strada2.wmv

[LAMetroGuy]

L.B. office space getting scarce?

City has one of lowest such vacancy rates in county, report says.

By Don Jergler
Staff Writer

LONG BEACH — A report issued Monday shows office vacancy rates in Los Angeles County have fallen to the lowest level since 2001, a sign that businesses may be gearing up for a stronger economy.
Over the past year, countywide vacancy rates dropped to 15.5 percent from 17.4 percent, bringing the area near a low point at the end of 2001, when the rate stood at 14.5 percent, a quarterly report by real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield shows.

"Businesses are starting to get a little bit more optimistic," said Jack Kyser, vice president and chief economist for the Los Angeles Economic Development Corp. "What we're seeing in Southern California is a pretty steady stream of business expansions."

The vacancy in the Long Beach area remained among the lowest in the county, falling to 10.6 percent from 11 percent the previous quarter, according to Kimball Wasick, a Cushman & Wakefield senior director.

"Long Beach was not a recipient of the big run-up of (lease) rates during the tech boom, so because of that, we didn't have the big fall," Wasick said. "We've been steadier."

Wasick credits that to downtown, which recorded 92,000 square feet of positive absorption in the past 90 days. Realtors measure absorption by lease availability. Positive absorption means more leases have been signed.

The World Trade Center downtown has two yet-to-be announced leases, taking office space in the 27-floor tower to 93 percent of its 560,000-square-foot capacity, Wasick said.

The Kilroy Airport Center also contributes to the area's low vacancy. The 1-million-square-foot business park is 94 percent leased.

The county's Westside market, including West L.A., Santa Monica and El Segundo, has shown the greatest gains since the beginning of the year, falling nearly 3 points to 14.9 percent, Wasick said. The Westside, the area in L.A. hardest hit by the dot-com crash, was the softest in the county at the end of 2002.

The Tri-Cities area Burbank, Glendale and Pasadena remains one of the healthiest office markets with a vacancy rate of 11.8 percent, and the South Bay continues to be the weakest at 19 percent, the report shows.

[LA rehab]

L.B. office space getting scarce?

City has one of lowest such vacancy rates in county, report says.

By Don Jergler
Staff Writer

LONG BEACH — A report issued Monday shows office vacancy rates in Los Angeles County have fallen to the lowest level since 2001, a sign that businesses may be gearing up for a stronger economy.
Over the past year, countywide vacancy rates dropped to 15.5 percent from 17.4 percent, bringing the area near a low point at the end of 2001, when the rate stood at 14.5 percent, a quarterly report by real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield shows.

"Businesses are starting to get a little bit more optimistic," said Jack Kyser, vice president and chief economist for the Los Angeles Economic Development Corp. "What we're seeing in Southern California is a pretty steady stream of business expansions."

The vacancy in the Long Beach area remained among the lowest in the county, falling to 10.6 percent from 11 percent the previous quarter, according to Kimball Wasick, a Cushman & Wakefield senior director.

"Long Beach was not a recipient of the big run-up of (lease) rates during the tech boom, so because of that, we didn't have the big fall," Wasick said. "We've been steadier."

Wasick credits that to downtown, which recorded 92,000 square feet of positive absorption in the past 90 days. Realtors measure absorption by lease availability. Positive absorption means more leases have been signed.

The World Trade Center downtown has two yet-to-be announced leases, taking office space in the 27-floor tower to 93 percent of its 560,000-square-foot capacity, Wasick said.

The Kilroy Airport Center also contributes to the area's low vacancy. The 1-million-square-foot business park is 94 percent leased.

The county's Westside market, including West L.A., Santa Monica and El Segundo, has shown the greatest gains since the beginning of the year, falling nearly 3 points to 14.9 percent, Wasick said. The Westside, the area in L.A. hardest hit by the dot-com crash, was the softest in the county at the end of 2002.

The Tri-Cities area Burbank, Glendale and Pasadena remains one of the healthiest office markets with a vacancy rate of 11.8 percent, and the South Bay continues to be the weakest at 19 percent, the report shows.

Good news!! If it hits 10% and stays there for a while, we may see some more WTC office towers rise. I'm dumping all my LA rent control properties and am looking at office buildings in LB for 1031 uplegs. It's a hot area.

[LAMetroGuy]

Isn't 1031 for replacement properties of "like-kind", how is a rent controled property "like" a long beach office building?

[LA rehab]

Investment property of any sort, whether it's a rent controlled ghetto-hole or a swanky highrise on Wilshire or a manufacturing bldg in Fort Worth are all considered "like-kind". I get avoid pissing away my profits in capital gains....for now.

The one thing that a 1031 seller absolutely must do is to make sure the upleg is of equal or greater value than the property(s) being sold and the mortgage debt is greater than or equal to that of the properties being sold.

[citywatch]

The vacancy in the Long Beach area remained among the lowest in the county, falling to 10.6 percent from 11 percent the previous quarter, according to Kimball Wasick, a Cushman & Wakefield senior director.

The World Trade Center downtown has two yet-to-be announced leases, taking office space in the 27-floor tower to 93 percent of its 560,000-square-foot capacity, Wasick said.

The county's Westside market, including West L.A., Santa Monica and El Segundo, has shown the greatest gains since the beginning of the year, falling nearly 3 points to 14.9 percent, Wasick said. The Westside, the area in L.A. hardest hit by the dot-com crash, was the softest in the county at the end of 2002.

It's nice to know that LB isn't burdened with so much unleased space. Seems like the last time I saw stats for the area, it was way up there with double digit vacancy rates. I was worried it was going to end up like the LAX area (esp along Century Blvd), which has had really high vacancies for what seems like decades.

And West LA at 14.9 at least won't be as much a big counter deadweight to DT. However, DT (at least in another set of stats I saw not long ago) still is listed as having way too much unused space, about 4% higher than the westside, 7% higher than LB. But if DT LB's office bldgs can get in better shape, maybe there's hope for DT LA's highrise bldgs too.

As for the Douglas proj, that sounds like a great shot in the arm for the north LB area. It will be the first somewhat large amt of new (non-highrise) housing to be built in SE LA County in a long, long time. Up til now, such devlmpt has been exclusive to southern OC or the hoods near the LA/Ventura border.

[LosAngelesBeauty]

OMG, I had no idea LB was getting THIS MUCH development! That's WONDERFUL! My word, if it continues, we could start to see it rival Century City's skyline.

I only wish LA was more consolidated...IMAGINE: DT LA, LB, Century City, Westwood, Glendale...all in one area...(sigh)

Anyway, I am a bit sad to read that the 600-footer won't be built. I thought it would have been a big draw for the area.

With all this going on in DT LB, I think it warrants more Blue Line attention to get more people to ride down to LB.

[LAMetroGuy]

The 100 wonders of Long Beach
By Tim Grobaty
Staff columnist

A BOOK ON THE LOOKS OF THE CITY: There are hundreds of ways to look at Long Beach: Launching into town from the north you get a view of an industrialized tangle of trucks, refineries, port structures. Soon enough, you're whipping down a corridor of sparkling glass towers, followed by a string of modern, postmodern, classical buildings: The Ocean Center, the Villa Riviera, the International Tower, the Galaxy all reach for the sky before things settle down along the bluff, bordered on the north by stately summer "cottages"-turned-fulltime, multimillion-dollar residences.

Turn inland, you'll find beautiful buildings some business, some residential (some business converted to residential) along Pine Avenue.

And it goes on and on down every street and boulevard: striking and diverse examples of just about every style in the architectural portfolio.

We could name them all and cite 100 examples, but we'd merely be lifting them straight out of the pages of "Long Beach Architecture: The Unexpected Metropolis," by architectural writers Cara Mullio and Jennifer M. Volland (Hennessey & Ingalls, $39.95).

There's been a shelf full of books written about Long Beach some looking at its history, most just looking at its sights in scrapbook/photo album formats. "Long Beach Architecture" is the first we've seen to so thoroughly and enjoyably present the architecture, and the history of the architecture, in a perfect balance of photographs and analysis.

Mullio, who was born in Long Beach, and Volland, who lives in downtown's Walker Building, have documented 100 projects residences, businesses, churches, stores, condo complexes, even a bridge some still in existence, some destroyed, some unrealized, all showing the breadth of ideas that give the city its look.

Though there are many of the city's consensus-best buildings in the study the Villa Riviera, Security Pacific National Bank, the Breakers Hotel, the Pacific Coast Club, the Adelaide Tichenor House the book is not a collection of Long Beach's Greatest Hits.

"It's a representative sampling of not necessarily the most important buildings, but of those most indicative of certain styles," says Volland.

The writers don't even like all of them though they like most of them: "I like 99 of them," laughs Mullio, though she's too diplomatic to say which one she doesn't have a fondness for.

"She doesn't like the Skinny House," says Volland.

A quick riffle through the book's high-quality, lushly illustrated pages takes you on a tour that includes brisk studies of the Masonic Temple on Locust Avenue, the Hotel Virginia, the Carnegie Public Library in old Lincoln Park, the Harnett House on Sunrise Boulevard, the Kress Building, the Insurance Exchange Building, the Pray/Dawson House on Country Club Drive, the Gaytonia in Belmont Shore, the Newton P. Rummond House (the "Skinny House'), George's Fifties Diner, Java Lanes, the Elks Lodge No. 888 on Spring Street, the THUMS oil islands, Grace United Methodist Church, The Pyramid at Cal State Long Beach and the Aquarium of the Pacific. Some of those, as you're probably aware, are gone now.

"Long Beach has torn down some amazing things," says Mullio.

"And what's sad," adds Volland, "is what they're torn down for. Sometimes they're torn down for nothing."

And other times it's for, oh, a new set of buildings the Pike at Rainbow Harbor, the Camden at Harbor View, CityPlace's stores and apartments. The writers/critics have nothing kind to say about the architectural merits offered by those projects.

Here's the short version, offered by Mullio: "We would've hoped the city would've set its sights higher than that."

The 276-page book was to have been delivered to stores and online sellers by Oct. 1, but labor shortages in the port have delayed its release. You want to see the book now, go out to Bluff Park and look out to sea. It's on one of those container ships waiting in line.

The projected release date now is Nov. 2.

After that? Well, Mullio and Volland certainly have enough knowledge and material for a Volume Two, but they're zeroing in instead on their next project: a monograph on one of Long Beach's most famous and respected architects, Edward Killingsworth.

Killingsworth, who died in July, was a friend and mentor to both writers and his work is amply represented in "Long Beach Architecture: The Unexpected Metropolis."

[longbeachnik]

Oh God...I've been waiting for a book like that forever!

"Long Beach has torn down some amazing things," says Mullio.

"And what's sad," adds Volland, "is what they're torn down for. Sometimes they're torn down for nothing."

I spent my whole birthday dragging my girlfriend around downtown telling her all about whats been lost in Long Beach...Im so going to order this ASAP.

[LAMetroGuy]

Gladstone's open in L.B.

LONG BEACH — Gladstone's Long Beach opened Thursday, giving the Pike at Rainbow Harbor another well-known restaurant chain.
The new 9,000 square-foot seafood restaurant is located near the Aquarium of the Pacific and will employ 200 workers. It can seat up to 425, and offers five distinct areas, a bar, a sushi bar, a main dining area, a party room and a deck area.

The restaurant's decor is highlighted by photography of the city's history.

Restaurants now open at the Pike include Island's Fine Burgers, P.F. Chang's China Bistro, Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., Outback Steak House, California Pizza Kitchen and Jax Grill in GameWorks.

The Pike, which has been open more than a year, has struggled to find retail tenants, and recently a major anchor store set to go in the mall pulled out. The Pike is managed by Developers Diversified Realty.

Gladstone's also has locations in Malibu and Universal City.

-Don Jergler

[ChrisLA]

Gladstone's open in L.B.

The Pike, which has been open more than a year, has struggled to find retail tenants, and recently a major anchor store set to go in the mall pulled out. The Pike is managed by Developers Diversified Realty.


Well it doesn't matter to me since I'm not big on seafood. It's sad that The Pike can't seem to attract any retail stores. I know on the weekends the Pike seems to bring in an acceptable amout of people. I know everytime I go up there, the traffic getting in and out of there can be a task.

Do you know what retail store pulled out?
Most people I know would shop there if they had quality retail. Right now it seem like the Pike is catering to the young teenagers. GameWorks is attracting huge crowds, and the restaurants seem to be doing pretty well. We really need top quality retail, and I do believe the people will come.

[Capt AWACS]

Any grumblings in LB about Boeing and what could/will happen if/when the 717 ends production and the plant shuts down, and what will happen to the former McDonnell-Douglas plant itself? I've read sketchy reports in aviation industry pubs but I've seen nothing in "mainstream" media about it.

What, if anything are folks in the area hearing?

Ciao, and Hook 'em Horns,
Capt-AWACS, If it ain't Boeing, I'm not going

[LAMetroGuy]

Hotel proposed as part of Pike

By Jason Gewirtz
Staff writer

LONG BEACH — The developers of the Pike at Rainbow Harbor have submitted an application to build an eight-story hotel east of the project's parking garage, a city planning official said Friday.
The proposed Sierra Suites Hotel would offer 140 extended-stay rooms at 285 Bay St. in the downtown dining/entertainment/retail Pike complex. The site is bordered by Seaside Way to the north, Cedar Avenue to the west and Bay Street to the south.

Sierra Suites operates 21 hotels nationwide, including four in California, according to the company's Web site. The company's first hotel was built in 1996 in Atlanta.

The project will require an environmental impact report prepared by the city before it moves forward, said Greg Carpenter, the city's zoning officer.

"This is the very beginning," he said.

The Pike project, formerly called Queensway Bay, underwent an environmental review when it was first proposed. The project's developer, Developers Diversified Realty Corp., envisioned a potential hotel somewhere within the project.

But since the previous environmental review did not address the specific new Sierra Suites proposal, a separate review is required, Carpenter said. After the city's environmental review is complete, the document will be followed by a 45-day public comment period.

Carpenter said a final environmental report on the proposal could be "months away."

The hotel chain's other California sites are in San Jose, Santa Clara, San Ramon and Pleasanton.

[LAMetroGuy]

Hotel may come down the Pike

Area businesses excited by possible project.

By Don Jergler
Staff writer

LONG BEACH — Businesses in the Pike at Rainbow Harbor are stoked about the possibility of a hotel opening up in the entertainment and shopping center, where a lag in customer traffic has caused some worry.
A 60-year lease has been signed for the Sierra Suites Hotel at the Pike, setting the stage for construction of a 140-room all-suite, seven-story hotel with a rooftop pool at a cost of up to $19 million.

Work on an environmental impact report is expected to begin later this week, with a traffic impact study to follow. The project must meet city approval, and be approved by the California Costal Commission.

"Our hope is that we could break ground sometime in late 2005," said Chris Gebert, senior vice president of Wichita, Kan.-based LogeWorks LP, which owns and operates dozens of Sierra Suites across the country.

It's estimated the project would take nine months to complete. Gebert declined to disclose the lease costs for the hotel. Room rates are expected to average between $159 and $229.

LogeWorks executives approached Pike owner Developers Diversified Realty more than a year ago, and have been in negotiations on the deal for the past three months, Gebert said.

The hotel site it's bordered by Seaside Way, Bay Street and Cedar Avenue is a vacant parcel across from the Pike parking structure, according to Gebert.

Proximity to the Long Beach Convention Center, low-vacancy rates at downtown hotels, and nearby tourist attractions and shopping and dining opportunities make the spot ripe for a hotel, Gebert said.

He noted that the Pike is near the water, and has several well-known restaurants, as well as entertainment facilities like GameWorks and a theater.

Some Pike tenants have expressed concern about the lack of customer traffic and retailers at the center, but were decidedly upbeat about news of the hotel project.

"I love it," said Jay Tilles, who owns Long Beach Clothing Co.

One of the few retailers in the Pike, the store features about a dozen clothing brands with ties to Southern California, including a line with the city's name and clothing bearing the logo of the World Famous KROQ, where Tilles works as "Lightning," producer of the Kevin & Bean morning radio show.

"All (hotel guests) have to do is look at the window, and they're sold," Tilles said. "And if it goes in, that hotel would be within 75 yards of my front door."

GameWorks executives say having a hotel as a neighbor would boost group sales, which so far have been a mainstay for the combination arcade, restaurant and bar.

The GameWorks in the Pike is noticeably busier during conventions, said Clint Manny, senior vice president for sales and marketing for the Glendale-based chain.

Because of group bookings at GameWorks, "we're slightly above expectations," he added.

Few mixed-use malls, referred to in the industry as "lifestyle centers," include hotels as a component, though this may the next evolutionary step in the fledgling lifestyle concept, industry watchers say.

"We're beginning to see the lifestyle center concept evolve to include things like a hotel," said Patrice Duker, a spokeswoman for the International Council of Shopping Centers.

Out of the 120 lifestyle centers in the U.S., few Duker could name include a hotel, but she said such centers have begun including concepts during the last five years, like large department stores and high-end supermarkets.

"We are thrilled to announce the transaction with Sierra Suites," Dan Hurwitz, DDR's executive vice president, said in a statement. "It's another positive step in the direction of the Pike."

The plan for the hotel is to use the nearby 2,200-space structure for parking, where many lots remain open because of slow customer traffic, something that may force the city to fork out a $1.1 million payment toward a bond for the Pike garage due in May under an agreement with the developer.

However, city officials say parking revenues at the Pike have been going up, a possible sign of increased public interest.

[LAMetroGuy]

Council to weigh use of key waterfront site

$195,000 study on developing lot east of Arena on agenda.

By Jason Gewirtz
Staff writer

LONG BEACH — The city could move closer tonight to determining what, if anything, to build on downtown's last major piece of developable waterfront land.

The City Council tonight will consider a $195,000 consulting study to determine how to develop a giant parking lot east of the Long Beach Arena into something that would attract tourists and visitors to the city.

If approved, the review would take nine months to complete. At the end, the Los Angeles-based consultant, Gruen Associates, would recommend the best possible use of the 2,000-space parking lot.

City officials say the timing is right to figure out what to do with the city-owned, formerly submerged property. With construction continuing on the nearby Pike at Rainbow Harbor complex, the arena parking lot is the final parcel of developable land along the city's downtown waterfront.

"It's pretty much our last opportunity to fill in the pieces of the puzzle," said Amy Bodek, the city's Project Development Bureau manager.

Ideas for the land have come and gone in the past.

Most recently, a developer proposed a 46-story Tower of Toscana at the site to rival Seattle's Space Needle. The project has since been abandoned, city officials said.

The city has also heard from others interested in a permanent aquatics center, coming off the success of the summer's Aquatics Festival. The event featured a 10,000-seat temporary grandstand and pool built on the parking lot to host the U.S. Olympic Swim Trials and other water sports events.

Other potential projects could include an expansion of the nearby Long Beach Convention Center, arena or Hyatt Regency Hotel.

Or, Bodek said, "The study could come back and say don't do anything, leave it as a parking lot."

If the council agrees to fund the study, the consultant would hold meetings with stakeholder groups before issuing a recommendation, Bodek said. Those groups are expected to include the Long Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, the convention center, the Hyatt, the Grand Prix of Long Beach Association, the Aquarium of the Pacific, Shoreline Village, the Pike and nearby residents, including those on Ocean Boulevard.

Among the challenges any developer faces is how to accommodate the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, which uses the parking lot as a staging area for the city's premier special event. The course also winds its way through the site.

Race officials said Monday it was too soon to comment as nothing has been proposed for the area.

"It's fair to say nothing at this point because we don't really know what's going to come out of this," said Chris Esslinger, spokesman for the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach.

David Gordon, general manager of the convention center, expressed similar thoughts.

"We want to wait and see," he said.

Any development proposal would likely include a new parking configuration to make up for lost parking space, Bodek said. But there is also no guarantee any recommended project would be built soon, if at all.

"This is a tremendous opportunity to set forth a vision for that area," Bodek said. "Whether that vision is enacted in three years or 10 years is really not the issue."

[LAMetroGuy]

I visited the sales office of the West Ocean Long Beach project. They had a cool model of the first tower. Very nice! Here are some pictures I took of the model. The rep stated that they will be breaking ground in December and they will build this tower along with the second smaller tower at the same time. The rep also palyed a cool video on a large plasma screen of the skyline with the two towers included, very dramatic. This first tower will stick out very nicely. At 30 floors, it will be a nice addition to the Long Beach Skyline!

http://image.pbase.com/u20/ripulido/large/36584852.WestOceanLBDSC01971.jpg

http://image.pbase.com/u20/ripulido/large/36584854.WestOceanLBDSC01972.jpg

http://image.pbase.com/u20/ripulido/large/36584848.WestOceanLBDSC01967.jpg

http://image.pbase.com/u20/ripulido/large/36584849.WestOceanLBDSC01968.jpg

http://image.pbase.com/u20/ripulido/large/36584850.WestOceanLBDSC01969.jpg

http://genji.image.pbase.com/u20/ripulido/large/36584851.WestOceanLBDSC01970.jpg

Project Site for the two towers, current parking lot (right next to the pike).


http://image.pbase.com/u20/ripulido/large/36584858.WestOceanLBDSC01976.jpg

http://image.pbase.com/u20/ripulido/large/36584859.WestOceanLBDSC01977.jpg

http://image.pbase.com/u20/ripulido/large/36584855.WestOceanLBDSC01973.jpg

http://image.pbase.com/u20/ripulido/large/36584856.WestOceanLBDSC01974.jpg

http://genji.image.pbase.com/u20/ripulido/large/36584857.WestOceanLBDSC01975.jpg

[deehrler]

http://image.pbase.com/u20/ripulido/large/36584854.WestOceanLBDSC01972.jpg

This proves that their are height limits in LB and why.

[LAMetroGuy]

I'm not sure, how does it prove there are height limits? Just curious. thnx

[LA rehab]

This proves that their are height limits in LB and why.

Bah! The Ocean Blvd elevation is FUGLY! What a schizophrenic tower! The curved expanse that faces the Pike is gorgeous but that Ocean Blvd facade.....there's no excuse for that.


On the plus side however, the structure appears to be a good 33 floors from the base of the parking garage. assuming high ceilings in a for-sale project this oughta break 340+feet. I'm glad it's breaking ground in a few weeks. I was there last night and was getting a little worried.

[LosAngelesBeauty]

Okay, from what I'm getting here, it seems like LB is revitalizing very fast, but why is it having problems attracting retail at the Pike? What kind of retail are they trying to get?

This is my opinion on connecting DT LA with DT LB. There should be an express train from 7th St/Metro to LB with as few stops as possible. Is this feasible once the two centers are once again undeniably thriving with life?

[LAMetroGuy]

So you guys CAN see these pictures???

[LAMetroGuy]

By Don Jergler and Felix Sanchez
Staff writers

LONG BEACH — Craig Joseph and a team of Big 5 Sporting Goods workers have had their work cut out for them. Putting the final touches on a new Big 5 at the downtown Long Beach CityPlace shopping center, workers have had to stand guard at the front door to shoo away customers who don't know the more than 11,000-square-foot sporting goods emporium won't open until Wednesday.
That's a good thing for a retailer, Joseph and other Big 5 executives say. Customers are already in that holiday spending mood, and Big 5 is ready.

It was similar thinking to capitalize on the Christmas holiday spending spree and publicly jump-start the project by CityPlace developers that led them to push the opening of the $100 million outdoor shopping center to November 2002.

CityPlace had thousands of square feet of retail space sitting vacant at the opening, much like a sister development, The Pike at Rainbow Harbor, when Developers Diversified Realty opened it to much fanfare in November 2003.

But key anchor stores Wal-Mart, Ross Dress for Less and Nordstrom Rack were already open at CityPlace in hopes of drawing holiday traffic.

The word from DDR executives and city of Long Beach officials who helped push the projects as key components to the revitalization of downtown using retail and new housing developments was that The Pike and CityPlace would fill with other retailers as buzz built.

Two years later, CityPlace has nearly 50 tenants and 80 percent occupancy and has become a popular place for diners and shoppers particularly during lunch hours. Down the bluff, The Pike at Rainbow Harbor has eateries such as P.F. Chang's, Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., California Pizza Kitchen, Islands Fine Burgers, Gladstone's and Outback Steakhouse, anchoring a center with far more restaurants than retailers.

The restaurant portion of the Pike project seems to be a resounding success, with weekend wait times often an hour or more.

But storefronts still sit vacant in significant numbers at The Pike and to a smaller degree at CityPlace. And in what some might perceive as a way to "dress up" the vacancies, windows are decorated with colorful ads for the season's newest movies playing at The Pike, or the offerings at CityPlace's live playhouse.


A waiting game
Some tenants at The Pike and CityPlace say they are discouraged by the few number of retailers.
Tenants are quick to point out many of them are successful — particularly those in high-traffic and high-visibility parts of the projects, such as those at The Pike with frontages facing the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center.

CityPlace's Wal-Mart is regularly packed with shoppers, many of them riding the Metro and transit systems or walking. And at noon downtown workers often stroll to the project's Ross and Nordstrom Rack.

But there are other, smaller stores in the Pike whose owners say they are simply getting by, waiting for the new retail that will bring them more customers.

They are emphatic, however, that they aren't close to going out of business, as bad publicity about the Pike in particular, might have suggested.

"I think we all feel like we wish it had happened sooner," said Melanie Fallon, the city's community development director.

When Bass Pro Shops, seen as an anchor store for The Pike, scratched plans to open a store there, other retailers wanting to hook the expected foot traffic were put in a holding pattern, Fallon said.

"Some retailers are waiting to see who the big retailer is going to be," she said.


Critical mass
So what is the reason for a lack of new retailers at the centers and downtown?
It may be "critical mass," which refers to having enough residents to build a demographic that will lure retailers to an area.

A massive, ongoing $1 billion investment in downtown is expected to eventually yield 3,637 residential units, 947,400 square feet of retail and 230 hotel rooms, according to a report released last week by Downtown Long Beach Associates (DLBA).

So far, 902 units have been completed and made available.


Good things to those who wait
"There's a number of factors that are playing into development here," said John Kokinchak, DDR's vice president of property management for specialty centers. "It takes time to make sure that you establish the right tenant mix."
Kokinchak acknowledges "the Pike and CityPlace perhaps have't progressed as quickly as we would have liked," but he views the centers as puzzles whose missing pieces will be found soon. "Clearly we are creating critical mass down along that whole area with all of the restaurants" he said. "And clearly the retail portion lies in all the residential projects that are taking place. Once that is completed you're going to see that critical mass grow."

The list of successful restaurants at the Pike continue to grow. Buca di Beppo has finalized a contract to go into the Pike and construction on a Chili's is underway.

"We are very close to completing negotiations on what I would consider to be two major openings," Kokinchak said.

He described the two retailers as big-box operations that will take "well over 5,000 square feet each."

His definition of a box-box store includes "a big sporting goods store, a Circuit City, a Marshall's, Ross Dress 4 Less," he said, declining to say who DDR is in talks with.

The Pike is 67 percent leased, and when the two deals close that will take the center to 80 percent.

"In a year's time, 80 percent occupancy is a respectable number," he said.

CityPlace is 80 percent occupied, but that figure, too, may be about to change.

"We have three deals that we are negotiating along Pine," Kokinchak said, adding all that all three are retailers.


Environmental hurdles
Project delays and loss of potential retailers at the Pike also are being chalked up to environmental hurdles because of its location in a Tidelands area.
Any use of Tidelands properties must be related to water, or a project that draws visitors to the shoreline. That could include gift shops, restaurants and hotels, according to the State Lands Commission, which regulates the Tidelands. General uses are restricted on the public-trust terrain, such as supermarkets, offices, schools, libraries and residential units.

"There are retailers who have been interested, who would love to go (in The Pike) but do not meet this test," said Fallon, declining to name those retailers. "There have been a couple that have been pretty big."

A T-Mobile store in The Pike, for example, was required to relocate within the center because it did not fit the designated Tidelands usage.

Under the original development plan, not all prospective tenants qualified under the restrictions, so the city negotiated with the Lands Commission to allow non-tidelands uses in five of the parcels.

Frustrated by repeated delays, those tenants pulled out of the project and the developer has been left to refill the parcels with others, Fallon said.


The cold shoulder
Local design experts say another problem with the Pike is it isn't pedestrian-friendly.
"I think you really need a talented design team to look at (The Pike) comprehensively," says Jonathan Glasgow, an architect with Interstices, designer of the Walker and Kress lofts on Pine Avenue. "I think DDR has proved not to have visioning design capabilities. Between CityPlace and that place, it's just not top-caliber work."

The Pike's design is criticized in a new book on city architecture.

"The way (the Pike) sits, it almost turns its back on the city," said Cara Mullio, co-author with Jennifer Volland of "Long Beach Architecture: The Unexpected Metropolis," released earlier this month.

"Not linking the Pike to Pine Avenue was a big problem in terms of pedestrian traffic and attention," Mullio said. "You're confronted with two large parking structures and a roller coaster bridge."

More green space and environmental elements would draw more visitors to what is now an uninviting design, Glasgow and Mullio said. Only a Ferris wheel and carousel, both still unopened, are welcoming, Glasgow said.

"There's not really any activity except those couple elements facing Shoreline Drive," he said.


Blame the economy, too
The economy could be partially to blame for the lack of progress at the developments — the last few years have not been a great for retail expansion, experts say — but other similar developers have fared much better, said Richard Giss, with accounting firm Deloitte & Touche LLP, which tracks retail trends.
"It's a tough time for retail investors right now, but there are still retailers that are expanding," Giss said. "I would suspect it would be with that center."

For example, Paseo Colorado in Pasadena, also operated by DDR, is "doing really well," Giss said.

The difference is that "Paseo Colorado is located in the middle of a land mass, and Rainbow Harbor is at the end of a land mass, so you're drawing from 180 degrees instead of 360 degrees," he said. "You have to get retailers in there that get somebody to drive there."

One retailer won't make the difference, either. Centers like the Pike need several working together, Giss said.

"You need a package of retailers, and that package has to be a compelling argument for the consumer to go visit that location."

The formula is simple: anchor tenants, such as department stores or big-box retailers, are surrounded with specialty retailers that feed off consumers heading to the anchors. The specialty stores create repeat customers, generating more business for the anchors.

"The developer down at Rainbow Harbor has to put together a package of retailers that are … different from one another but also compatible," Giss said. "It really relies on this symbiotic relationship. They have to feed off one another. And if you don't have a full complement of retailers in there, it makes it difficult for the others to pull their oar. You've got to have restaurants, entertainment and retail."

Tough times Major retailers do not always like to gamble on an unproven location, according to the analyst.

"The problem is that retailers, they want a sure thing," Giss said. "You need to get some more retailers in there, and if you don't do that, you could have the pioneers become the ones with the arrows in their backs."

Such was the fate of two CityPlace tenants.

Merle Norman in CityPlace shut down in February after less than a year.

"If the traffic had been better, I would still be there," owner Shiela Wallace said after closing the store. "I did everything I could there just wasn't enough to sustain it."

KB Toys is closing its CityPlace location along with others as part of bankruptcy reorganization.

"Suffice it to say, these stores under-performed," said John Reilly, a chain spokesman.


Holiday dollars
Pike tenants were recently given a marketing overview of some of the things DDR will do to stimulate visits, including opening the carousel and Ferris wheel — two attractions that evoke the namesake Pike amusement park, which for decades, brought visitors downtown.
Mario Duarte, owner of Kelly's Coffee & Fudge at The Pike, said his business has been steady, but not gotten better since opening.

"I thought we would be doing three or four times as much business as we're doing now," he said. "You need to reach people not only from Long Beach but from other counties and they're not doing that yet."

The problem is lack of shopping, he said.

Why go to The Pike when a 30-minute drive leads to Irvine Spectrum, which has a pedestrian-friendly array of restaurants, arcades, movie theaters and retail stores?

At CityPlace, tenants say business is picking up as the holiday season approaches.

Customers have different ideas about whether CityPlace or The Pike will be a holiday shopping destination outside of stalwart Wal-Mart.

"I'll go holiday shopping to Fashion Island in Newport Beach before coming here," said Long Beach resident Ed Schibig, who was spending a lunch break shopping at Nordstrom Rack last week.

Robert and Dayana Levy, of Long Beach, split on their opinions of CityPlace and the Pike.

"The Pike has a lot of nice people there, and it's nice to go eat and walk around," Dayana Levy said. "CityPlace has its ups and downs. But it's convenient."

Her husband prefers CityPlace because of convenient parking. He called getting to Bubba Gump Shrimp and other popular destinations in The Pike a hassle.

"It's congested," he said.

Not alone The lack of retailers at The Pike and CityPlace is a not a singular phenomena for downtown Long Beach.

"I think that we'd all like to see a nice entertainment-retail mix down there," said Todd Cutts, who recruits businesses for Downtown Long Beach Associates.

The DLBA has launched a multifaceted campaign to market downtown, and is working to get more retailers for downtown's restaurant-and entertainment-rich Pine Avenue.

"Whenever retailers make a decision in the area, it's a function, No. 1, of economics," Cutts said. "They are going to find the safest, easiest investment."

Potential good news came for The Pike earlier this month when the Sierra Suites Hotel chain announced it is applying for permission from the city to build a 140-room hotel.

The Pike may just need a laugh.

The Laugh Factory is set to open in April, a year later than anticipated. Club owners forged ahead with the opening of a Times Square Club in New York because of development delays in opening The Pike, said Joane Bouman, a club spokeswoman.

The original Hollywood club draws large crowds and celebrities. Dave Chappelle reportedly showed up at the back door of the club to perform last month and audience members regularly include the likes of movie stars Chris Tucker and Jamie Foxx.

"We intend to bring that sort of ambience, and that sort of high-end talent to The Pike," said Bouman.

Bouman said her company is unconcerned about retail at the center.

"People come to us," she said. "We're going to be a huge draw for everybody else. We're planning on being a real cornerstone there."

— Staff reporter Joe Segura contributed to this story

[citywatch]

"I'll go holiday shopping to Fashion Island in Newport Beach before coming here," said Long Beach resident Ed Schibig, who was spending a lunch break shopping at Nordstrom Rack last week.

Thanks for posting that article, LAmG. When I see Schibig's comment, I'm reminded again that if a city takes too long to improve its hoods, such places will be in rocky shape for a long time & will easily lose out to other towns.

I knew there was some growing pains with the new Pike devlpt, but I was hoping the somewhat older & more ideally located CityPlace was doing much better. It certainly has to be doing better than the old LB Plaza it replaced.

I know that reported attendance problems with the LB Aquarium awhile back were attributed to lack of devlpt around the bldg, so if the new nearby Pike area turns out to not be adding enough energy to the area, that will be totally unacceptable.

The designers of the Pike should have done no less than what Rick Caruso did with his Grove proj (or prob what his future Glendale proj will be like), & I hope the owners will insert improvements that should have been there to begin with. The local population around CityPlace also needs to be much larger & has to have a higher level of disposable income. Nonetheless, I'm more optimistic about DT LB's potential today than in the past, & if the city can start building even more quality housing throughout the area, DT may finally start to pick up speed.

Newport Bch is nice, but I think DT LB is more interesting. Hopefully ppl who live in NB in the future will be saying "I'll go holiday shopping in Long Beach & visit the various sights up there before sticking around here to see the same-old, same-old Fashion Island."

[ChrisLA]

DT Long Beach really need better and more well known retail to draw even the locals from the outter neighborhoods. Thats the biggest complaint from everyone I know. They are excited about what has happen thus far, but don't feel there is enough to keep them coming back. Downtown LB has a interesting feel to it, and the evenings (especially Friday & Saturday night) are quite busy. I have often heard visitors thrilled and rather surprised at what DT LB has to offer. Yet the locals are more critical and would like to see much more to actually draw them downtown. Many also hate the fact that them have to pay or parking if they visit the new movie theater. I think either get two or three hours free, but at the restaurant it two hours. So a good number of locals Long Beach residents in the surrounding areas will choose to drive to the edge of LB over to the Towne Center. Personally I hate the set-up at the towne center. The parking is bad, and the traffic getting into this center can cause a heart attack. Yet they offer the retail that most people like. Even with the hassles the towne center draws a lot of people. This just goes to show you that if we have the right mix in retail/restaurants the people will come.

[citywatch]

So a good number of locals Long Beach residents in the surrounding areas will choose to drive to the edge of LB over to the Towne Center. Personally I hate the set-up at the towne center. The parking is bad, and the traffic getting into this center can cause a heart attack.

If you have only a vague idea of the place Chrisla is referring to, the LBTC is a few miles south of the often promoted Cerritos Auto Sq, along the 605, & was built not too many yrs ago. I used to wonder why its owners included such a huge parking lot in the middle of all the TC's big box retailing, but after seeing how packed it can get on weekends, now I know why. The writers of the LB Press Telegram article mentioned the Irvine Spectrum as major competition to DT LB, but they really should have pointed to the LBTC.

The TC to me is a throwback to typical sprawling 1-floor shopping cts of 1950s burbs, & I think it's kind of dull & discouraging. But the devlps proved the motto "build it and they will come". If that's not been as true of the Pike or CityPlace, then it's because DT LB still doesn't have a big enough population base, at least one with a fair amt of $$ to spend, & a strong enough image. DT LB is like a southern LA county version of DT LA.

Both DT LB & DT LA show that a town has got to turn things around a lot faster, or else success will be harder to find. I like to think that city govts & local ppl are starting to understand that, & will want to push up the speed of improvments, or what is the OPPOSITE of Nimbysm.

[deehrler]

I'm not sure, how does it prove there are height limits? Just curious. thnx

Would you please take a look at that Geat Beam in the Sky?

It looks like they ran out of room for their model.

Sorry for being flippant.

[LAMetroGuy]

County may refit L.B. courthouse

Up to $20M may be spent on aging facility; plans for new structure held up.

By Wendy Thomas Russell
Staff writer

LONG BEACH — One local attorney called it putting "lipstick on a pig."
Yet Los Angeles County officials appear to be moving forward on a $12 million to $20million seismic retrofit of Long Beach's antiquated, overcrowded courthouse on Ocean Boulevard and Magnolia Avenue.

The county-funded retrofit will take a few years to complete, and discussion of the project has already raised concerns about asbestos exposure and other construction-related nuisances among courthouse personnel. What's more, court officials argue, the project would not add courtrooms or address the 1958 building's general deterioration.

The county may have little choice.

A proposal for a new, $126million Long Beach Courthouse at Broadway and Magnolia Avenue envisioned as a public-private venture has enthusiastic local support. But its success rides on whether the state Judicial Council of California sets a date to take over the courthouse, as mandated by law. If the state cannot guarantee a lease for the proposed courthouse, the county could not consider a land deal.

"Obviously, a new courthouse would be a win-win for everyone," County Supervisor Don Knabe, whose 4th District includes Long Beach, said, "but, you know, we can't sign on the dotted line without some guarantee that the state is going to pay for it."

The state budget crisis has compounded the problem, slowing the pace of the courthouse takeovers. There are a plethora of needy courthouses throughout the state, said Judicial Council spokeswoman Lynn Holton. And so far, she said, Long Beach Superior Court the seventh-largest court in the state is nowhere near the top of the list.

It's unclear when the state would take over the building, she said, leaving the court's future in limbo.

"It's a very large project," said Long Beach Superior Court Presiding Judge Bradford Andrews, a proponent of the a new courthouse. "It's a very big commitment for the county, and, of course, everyone is in the position right now where we don't have any money."

Three developers have offered to build a new courthouse at no cost to the county in exchange for the land where the current building sits at 415 W. Ocean Blvd. That land, across the street from the new Camden at Harbor View apartments, is considered prime downtown real estate by developers.

The proposal has involved Kam Babaoff, managing director of Ensemble Investments, who agreed to erect a building with at least 32 courtrooms. The current courthouse has 25, which is considered inadequate by court officials.

Babaoff also agreed to raze the court parking structure at Broadway and Magnolia, and to build a new structure that could also accommodate employees and visitors to the nearby Long Beach Federal Building, which has no designated parking.

As proposed, the developers would then lease the new courthouse to the county at about $4 million a year, with an option to buy, Andrews has said.

"We are hoping that they will design this as a demonstration project, a demonstration of public-private financing," he said.

Meanwhile, the retrofit may be just months away. County engineers have said the building is far from earthquake-safe and an ever-widening gap between the old and new wings of the courthouse necessitates reconstruction as quickly as possible.

"I can't sit here and ignore the county engineers' issues," Knabe said. "We're proceeding down that line because we don't know when (the state will take over) whether it's going to be a year from now or 20 years from now. We have to protect people."

— Staff writer David Rogers contributed to this report.

[LAMetroGuy]

Who on the board lives or visits Long Beach?

[LAmetroman]

I must admit that I prefer LBTC to The Pike.

I have often used LBTC to meet with family driving up from OC. It is a convenient midway point and parking is FREE. Sometimes the parking situation is not the easiest, but it just means you have to park farther away. Also, the Edwards cinema is far larger than the Cinemark theater, so no matter when you arrive you have a better selection of movies playing within a reasonable timeframe. There are also more affordable eateries at LBTC and diverse, while at The Pike it seems to be more continental. Last, almost to be ironic, I would say the center of LBTC is more pedestrian friendly than the Pike. The Pike has little streets running through it, it is a very strange setup. I was very excited long before The Pike opened, but after I visited it just once, I was severely let down. The whole orientation of the place is very backwards. Hopefully some renovations soon will save the place.

Downtown Long Beach seems to be the area that almost succeeds, while never completely achieving its goal. I do think the increasing residential population and the newer cruise ship terminal should help each of the area's elements work together.

[ChrisLA]

Who on the board lives or visits Long Beach?

I live in downtown Long Beach. Why?

[ChrisLA]

Downtown Long Beach seems to be the area that almost succeeds, while never completely achieving its goal. I do think the increasing residential population and the newer cruise ship terminal should help each of the area's elements work together.

I think DT LB is okay, but there still seems to be a piece of the puzzle missing. The income is sort of mix where there are upper income along the beach front to middleclass on other parts. Then we have the down right poor, and a few druggies/hippies who still thinks its 1970.

I think LB really needs to look at the success of Santa Monica. DT Santa Monica (3rd Street Promenade) came a long ways from what it was in the 80's. In some ways I think it was far worse than LB Pine Avenue ever was.

[LAMetroGuy]

Well, I currently live in north LB (bixby knolls) but am moving to downtown LB in March. I wanted to find out what it is like to live there rather than just visit the pike, i know there is more to downtown LB than the Pike.

[ChrisLA]

Well, I currently live in north LB (bixby knolls) but am moving to downtown LB in March. I wanted to find out what it is like to live there rather than just visit the pike, i know there is more to downtown LB than the Pike.

I understand your dilemma since I too had originally moved from Bixby Knolls to DT Long Beach a bit over 4 years ago. I was a bit unsure at first because I really didn't know much about the neighborhood. It certainly was much more urban and gritty compared to the well manicured lawns of Bixby. Anyway for me DT is a bit more busier since I live right on the street, as opposed to being in an apartment facing the courtyard and away from the street. I ended up downtown because the supply of condo's in Bixby was hard to come by. Even before the recent real estate boom, I had problems with people outbidding each other for an affordable place. As you know a home in Bixby is only for the well off to afford. I think overall the rent is a bit cheaper in Bixby as compared to DT LB.

Anyway I have come to love DT Long Beach, and I think it would be really hard to move somewhere else in LB. It's has grit, we have glamour, along with the urban city life. You also have the options of not using your car, and you can walk most places. I also take advantage of free Passport buses to get me around the area when I don't feel like walking. The Pike has it negatives of course, but I still rather to see a movies at Cinemark over Edwards at the LB Towne Center since both are new with stadium seating. Cinemark is also less crowded, and less hassle since you don't really have to drive there and look for parking.

I live off of Magnolia and 6th and I've never had any problems in this area. There are a few hippies/druggies thats been around for a while, but they are harmless. Most of my neighbors know who they are, but for the most part its pretty safe. There has never been any gang activity, or any bullets flying. If thats what you are worried about, it not a problem. There are a few spots that are cheezy, but not really bad like perhaps Compton, or even parts of North LB. There is a mix of people that live down here, so I would say just expect to see all kinds. It can get interesting some days, and my nephew and I get a laugh at times. We sometimes joke about the freaks coming out at night, especially at the Vons Supermarket on Broadway. If you end up shopping at the new Albertsons, you'll notice there is the yuppies, as well as the strange. It won't be your suburban supermarket. Wallmart on the other hand is just ghetto, but you still see a few yuppies, and even tourists (mostly europeans, and asians). Its beyond me why they would want to visit WallMart, but they do. I'm also guilty of shopping there for household items such as dishsoap, and things such as toothpaste. But I think many of the locals do as well.

The other thing I like visiting is the waterfront. The Yard House is a cool little spot for summer nights. They have a late night menu thats faily cheap. Its just a nice place to hang out on the patio looking at the marina. There are so many cool spots that most people outside the neighborhood don't really know about. They are far more than I can note in this reply. But trust me, Bixby Knolls can't compete. My suggestion is to get a pair of rollerblades and just explore. You will find all kinds of treasures that you don't notice when you just driving through. As you know the beach front is also downtown, and I spend many summer mornings skating along the bike path all the way down to the pier. There is also the Latin American museum, and the LB Museum of Art, and many other cultural events that happens downtown. That is if you like this kind of entertainment. There is also the Blue Cafe which seems to be quite popular. You are probably already aware Pine Avenue is full of night spots. I personally like Alegria, but there are many many good eats and night spots down here. I'm not one who frequent many of the night spots, but the ones I've been to are pretty good and not sleezy. I think you will love being so close to the ocean, well at least I am. Just taking a stroll/drive down Ocean Avenue, or walking along the bluffs will make you fall in love with this area. Seeing those highrises at night from the light tower, will quickly calm all fears of living down here.

I know this was very long, but I wanted to try and give you my experience. It will take some adjustment from Bixby, but for the good at least in my opinion. Also one of my relatives loves it downtown, and she moved from the white picket fence city of Rancho Cucamonga. Recently another relative (my nephew) has moved here from Ontario, and he swears he'll never move back to the Inland Empire. If you have any more question feel free to PM me and I'll try my best to answer your questions.

[LosAngelesBeauty]

Wow, sounds like DT LB is winning the race against DT LA so far! :)