[LongBeachUrbanist]

While I obviously prefer the new plan (hotel, housing and retail) to the old (anonymous offices in non-descript buildings), I still feel using eminent domain for strictly private projects is a scary road to go down.

It used to be eminent domain was reserved for either public projects or blight removal. Again, my preferences aside, the current buildings certainly aren't "blighted", i.e., "in a state of ruin".