Long Beach Construction (Planned, Proposed, & Current)

[LAMetroGuy]

Plan For Pike Hotel Gets Nod
Despite Lawsuit About Property



By Kurt Helin
Editor

Plans for a new seven-story hotel on the Pike property downtown got approval from the City Council last week and appear ready to become reality.

That approval came despite a call to put off the decision by an environmental group, and it still would need to be upheld by the State Lands Commission (an approval which is expected).

Sierra Suites Hotels wants to build a seven-story “boutique” all-suites hotel on undeveloped land near Cedar Avenue and Seaside Way. It would have a rooftop pool, meeting rooms, an outdoor courtyard and more. The goal is to have the hotel open in 2007.

There was no disagreement that the hotel would be a good fit or was a legal use of the downtown land.

The basis for the opposition, that caused the appeal to the council, was more to do with an ongoing legal issue regarding parts of the Pike, including the land where the hotel will be built.

Back before the Pike was built, California Earth Corps and other environmental groups sued to overturn a “land swap” deal that made the Pike development possible. That swap said the Pike land could be developed if about 10 acres of land along the Los Angeles River and 710 Freeway was preserved as open space. The Pike was built after a court hearing, but California Earth Corps kept appealing the case saying that this was a bad precedent to set.

Earlier this year, the California Appeals Court invalidated that land swap, an issue now headed to the State Supreme Court. Don May, representing California Earth Corps, said that the plans to build a hotel on this site was not the issue, but that the city’s appeal to the Supreme Court was.

His argument was that the city wanted its cake and to eat it to — that it had one set of lawyers working to get the land swap reinstated and another taking advantage of its absence to get the hotel approved.

The City Council followed the advice of their council, who said these were two unrelated issues. The city wants to land swap to preserve land along the river.

However, when the Appeals Court overturned the land swap deal, the potential uses for the land reverted back to any use permitted on State Tidelands property, city staff told the council. That includes a hotel use.

The hotel itself was not controversial, leading to its approval.

“Since everyone here is in agreement on the hotel, I am also,” said Second District Councilman Dan Baker.

Now that the City Council has reviewed the project, it is the State Lands Commission’s turn.

[LAMetroGuy]

Pedicabs approved, city credit rating up
By Jason Gewirtz, Staff writer

LONG BEACH — Pedicabs will soon be zooming through downtown.

With little discussion, the City Council on Tuesday approved a deal to allow Long Beach Pedicabs LLC to operate up to 20 of the bicycle-powered devices.

"I think everyone's happy to see this coming," said Councilman Dan Baker, whose 2nd District includes downtown Long Beach. "This is going to help the traffic situation in our downtown."

The plan approved Tuesday will allow the company to operate pedicabs in a zone from Eighth Street to the ocean, and from the Los Angeles River to Alamitos Avenue. Rides will cost $1 for each 1/10th of a mile.

The operator plans to put four pedicabs on the streets to start, said Jim Goodin, the city's business services officer. Operation could begin by March.

Other cities that feature pedicabs include Huntington Beach and San Diego.

Bond outlook
Also Tuesday, the city announced its bond rating has been taken off a negative outlook by the Standard & Poor's ratings firm.
"The bottom line is that our outlook has been revised to stable from what had been negative," City Manager Jerry Miller said.

The move, which affirms the city's AA-credit rating, could allow the city to receive reduced interest rates when it borrows money. Standard & Poor's attached the negative outlook in 2002 when the city faced a projected $102 million general fund shortfall.

Since then, the city has reduced $92 million from that gap.

The updated stable rating assumes the city will eliminate the remaining $10 million in projected deficit by 2007.

"The improvement in the city's credit rating is validation that we are on the right course," Miller said.

[LAMetroGuy]

The last 4 posts were posted today! Lots of stuff happening in downtown LB!

[POLA]

alright, rickshaws!

[RBR]

shame about the monorail...

[LAMetroGuy]

Upscale Grocer For
Shore Topic For BSRA

An upscale grocer and market wants to make Belmont Shore its newest location.

Next Thursday, Jan. 12, representatives from Famima Corporation USA will speak to Belmont Shore residents about a proposal to bring its brand of premium convenience stores to Second Street.

Famima!! (the exclamation points are part of the logo) is part of the popular Japanese chain, FamilyMart, which has more than 6,000 stores in that country. FamilyMart stores also are in Korea, China, Thailand and Taiwan.

The FamilyMart Co. Ltd., in partnership with importer/exporter Itochu Group, expanded to the United States in 2004, starting the Famima Corporation. The first U.S. store was in West Hollywood, and in early December a second store opened in Westwood. A third Famima!! in Southern California is slated for the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica.

According to its web site, Famima!! plans to add 30 stores in the Los Angeles area and the southwest this year, focusing on “areas where consumers have high living standards” and locations with a strong residential base.

The stores tout their selection of premium foodstuffs, and their all-in-one convenience, offering everything from a quick service restaurant and a convenience store to a drug store, bank and newsstand.

Bill Lorbeer, whose family owns several buildings on Second Street, asked to have Famima representatives come speak to the BSRA. He has not publicly discussed where a Second Street Famima!! might go.

The BSRA meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 12 in the community room of the Bay Shore Library, 195 Bay Shore Avenue. It is open to the public.

—Amy Bentley-Smith

[LAMetroGuy]

Public Invited To Comment On
Downtown Development Ideas


By Steve Irsay
Staff Writer

The public will have a chance later this month to weigh in on the future of City Hall East, the long-awaited Art Exchange and other parts of a redevelopment project that could reshape a neglected area of the downtown.

Seven teams are vying for the right to revitalize publicly and privately owned sites along Long Beach Boulevard between First and Third streets. They will display their plans and answer questions at an open house meeting later this month, said Amy Bodek, the city project development bureau manager.

The presentation had been planned for next Thursday, Jan. 12, but has been rescheduled to allow more time to notify the public, she said. The new time and location have yet to be determined, but it likely will be an evening meeting in the downtown area.

The meeting, which also will include a community survey on the proposed projects, is the latest turn in the process of selecting a developer or developers for the site — a process that has been criticized as secretive and may be strained by tensions between the City Council and Redevelopment Agency board.

In August meetings of the RDA board, 10 development teams presented a range of plans for the revitalization of the sites, which include City Hall East at 100 Long Beach Blvd., the vacant American Hotel Building near Broadway, several parking lots and a few small businesses including the 70-year-old Acres of Books.

In October, a selection committee made up of city officials and independent consultants chose seven developers to continue in the selection process. The proposals range from high-rise residential towers to mixed-use, low-rise developments. Five of the plans include some form of Art Exchange, a mixed-use enclave of retail, classrooms, studios and housing that some feel will be a hub for the East Village Arts District.

Each developer was required to submit additional information to the committee. But the further paring of that list — expected to take place early this year — has been put on hold, Bodek said.

“We have been asked by the RDA board and the City Council to not cut any other developers until we have fully briefed the agency board and City Council,” she said.

Those instructions came during informal conversations and briefings over the last four months, she added. Neither the council nor the RDA board took any formal action concerning the selection process.

The identities of those on the selection committee have not been released. RDA Board Chairman Thomas Fields and other board members had criticized the process for being closed to the public and the board itself. Fields recently said that while some decision-making must be confidential, openness is critical to a project of this scope.

“This is perhaps the most critical project we are doing downtown,” he said. “That is why we really want to have as many eyeballs as possible on it and those eyeballs include the community.”

But the somewhat contentious selection process may also hint at lingering strains between the RDA board and the City Council. Last year, some members of the council tried but failed to take over the independent board.

Since the project includes a mix of city-owned and RDA-owned sites, it is unclear whether the council or the RDA board will have ultimate say over the developer or developers selected, Bodek said.

Even the issue of which body will be the first to receive the selection committee’s recommendations remains a “tremendously sensitive issue,” she said.

Fields, along with First District Councilwoman Bonnie Lowenthal, both said the RDA and the council would likely consider the proposals together at a joint study session.

“This project has great value for the downtown and the city as a whole,” Lowenthal said.

Kristen Autry, a downtown resident and vice president of the East Village Association, said she hoped the public meeting was a sign of “a more transparent dialogue with the community” when it comes to redevelopment.

“The community is the first step in any city process,” she said. “We live here, and we will live here when the developers are gone.”

For more information, go to http://rda.longbeach.gov.

[LAMetroGuy]

Pike to include Borders store
By Don Jergler, Staff


LONG BEACH — More than two years after opening, the Pike at Rainbow Harbor is getting its first anchor retail store.

Borders is set to open next month in the Pike, next door to Long Beach Clothing Co., one of only a few existing retail stores in the shopping center.

The Pike's scant retail offerings so far have failed to bring in the foot traffic "lifestyle centers," a developers' term for outdoor shopping centers, often generate.

Though it has plenty of well-known restaurants, the Pike has been short on retailers, and some restaurant owners have complained of a dearth of customers to go around.

One eatery Big Dippers Belgian Fries failed because it couldn't generate business.

"It's a very big deal," said John Kokinchak, vice president of property management of specialty centers for Ohio-based Developers Diversified Realty, the manager and developer of the Pike.

Kokinchak likened Borders opening at the Pike to a "bell cow," which in developer lingo signifies that more retailers may be on the horizon.

"When you put a bell on one cow, all of the rest of the cows follow that cow," he said. "It's already starting to show in some of the conversations we're having (with prospective tenants)."

Kokinchak said he is in negotiations with a "yet to be revealed" boating and marine supply retailer for 10,000 square feet across from GameWorks in the 369,000-square-foot center, which he said is now nearly 80 percent leased.

Shortly after it opened in November 2003, the Pike had several large national restaurant chains, including California Pizza Kitchen, P.F. Chang's China Bistro, Gladstone's 4 Fish and Islands Fine Burgers.

A Laugh Factory is under construction at the Pike, and a hotel operator has agreed to open an upscale location.

DDR executives early on blamed failed efforts to get retailers for the center on the loss of Bass Pro Shops as an anchor store.

Bass Pro Shops pulled out of its Pike plans to concentrate on its Las Vegas and other locations, that company said.

Kokinchak said he will continue to concentrate on getting more retailers for the center.

The new 21,000-square-foot Borders will have the features of most newer Borders, including a Seattle's Best cafe and a Paperchase gifts and stationery shop.

A Borders spokeswoman would not give specific reasons why the company chose the Pike.

"We do always look for consumer demographics, strength of the co-tenants, availability of parking, attractiveness of the site," said Holley Stein. "We are very, very excited to be in the location and to be opening up our doors to this community."

There is one Borders in Long Beach, in the Los Altos Market Center. Ann Arbor, Mich.-based Borders Group Inc., which owns Waldenbooks, is the nation's No. 2 bookstore chain after Barnes & Noble with more than 1,200 Borders and Waldenbooks stores around the world.

Borders is a Fortune 500 company with annual sales of $3.9 billion, and its stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange. The company's combined estimated customer base exceeds 30 million annually.

Don Jergler can be reached at don.jergler@presstelegram.com or at (562) 499-1281.

[ChrisLA]

Borders is set to open next month in the Pike, next door to Long Beach Clothing Co., one of only a few existing retail stores in the shopping center.

Where next to the LB Clothing Co? There isn't any available spots as if I recall correctly Smoothie King is next door.

Now this is the only spot where I see work being done. A picture I took a few weeks ago.

[LAMetroGuy]

yes, that is the spot... I was in the area last night and noticed that they already started painting the inside...so Feb looks to be about right for the grand opening.

[LAMetroGuy]

Originally Posted by LAMetroGuy

Kokinchak said he is in negotiations with a "yet to be revealed" boating and marine supply retailer for 10,000 square feet across from GameWorks in the 369,000-square-foot center, which he said is now nearly 80 percent leased.

I don't know why this is such a secret... the "yet to be revealed" store is called West Marine... they have a store in the Long Beach Marina, San Pedro and Huntington Beach. DDR has the stores name on their website as "proposed".

[LAMetroGuy]

East Village project to join lofts, retail
By Kevin Butler, Staff writer



LONG BEACH — Aiming to create an entry to the East Village Arts District, a developer will build 82 condominium units and 7,000 square feet of retail space at the corner of Fourth Street and Long Beach Boulevard.
Standard Pacific Homes Los Angeles on Friday completed escrow on the property, which is slightly more than an acre. Next week, it expects to begin demolishing the Dollar Club store and an adjacent building at the southeast corner of the downtown intersection to clear space for the five-story, mixed-use project.

"I think it's a great location," said Adam Call, director of land acquisition for the Irvine-based firm. "It's up-and-coming. There's still some work to do, but I think this building will absolutely enhance that area and that corner."

The firm aims to complete the project in the fall or winter of 2007, he said.

The middle-to-upper-end condos will include six live/work units along Fourth Street that will contain a work space downstairs and a living space upstairs, he said.

The developer hasn't begun negotiations with potential tenants for the retail space on the ground level to be located on the Long Beach Boulevard side of the project, Call said.

Part of the attraction of the one-or two-bedroom units is their proximity to the Metro Blue Line train and major bus routes, he said.

"Part of our intent was to create a transit-oriented development," he said.

The building's courtyard will include barbecues, a large community room, fireplace and open grass space, Call said.

The Dollar Club store has moved to another location, and the site's other building, formerly occupied by the Youth Opportunity Center, is vacant, Call said.

The company bought the property from Belmont Heights-based Maverick Investments, which is owned by Kurt Schneiter and George Karahalios.

"I think (the project) is a great asset to the area," Schneiter said. "I wouldn't have gone with the developer unless I thought it was going to improve the area."

He declined to disclose the sale price.

Standard Pacific, which is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange, built more than 9,000 homes last year and is the No. 11 home-building company in the nation, Call said.

The firm has built residential units at Playa Vista in West Los Angeles and currently is building housing in Pasadena, Marina del Rey and Torrance.

The Standard Pacific project is the latest effort to encourage more residents in that area of downtown Long Beach, said Kraig Kojian, president and CEO of Downtown Long Beach Associates.

Ten developers are vying for rights to build a project at the former City Hall East at Long Beach Boulevard and First Street. The project would be home to hundreds, even thousands, of residents.

"We've been advocating for additional housing for quite some time (in the area) … So we're encouraged by the residential component" with the Standard Pacific project, Kojian said.

The Standard Pacific project was designed by architect Rick Aiken of William Hezmalhalch Architects.

Kevin Butler can be reached at kevin.butler@presstelegram.com or (562) 499-1308.

[LAMetroGuy]

L.B. land swap appeal tossed
By Joe Segura, Staff writer

LONG BEACH — The state Supreme Court has dismissed the city's legal effort to protect the Pike entertainment complex from development restrictions asserted by an environmentalists group.

The court agreed in August to consider a case initially filed by California Earth Corps challenging a 2001 land swap, which had cleared the way for construction of the Pike at Rainbow Harbor. Earth Corps argued that the swap violated state tidelands public-trust law. A state appeals court panel sided with Earth Corps last April, prompting the city of Long Beach to appeal to the state's high court.

Don May, head of the California Earth Corps, said he's elated by the court's decision, which reached the group's attorneys late Friday.

"One word says it all: 'Dismissed,"' May said.

City Attorney Bob Shannon said he is surprised by the high court's ruling.

"It's very, very unusual for the court to take the case … and then to dismiss it," he said Friday night.

However, Shannon said a careful review of the decision is needed before deciding what options the city might consider.

"I'm not sure what it means," the city attorney added.

The Pike entertainment complex was built on formerly submerged land where development use is restricted to ocean-and harbor-related functions, such as navigation, fishing, restaurants and limited types of commerce.

In 2001, the State Lands Commission allowed the city to exempt 3 acres of the site from those restrictions. In return, the city agreed to place tidelands restrictions on 10 acres of undeveloped land near a Long Beach (710) Freeway off-ramp near downtown.

California Earth Corps challenged the swap, asserting that a movie theater and video game complex at the Pike site failed to meet the tidelands' public-trust restrictions.

The city and State Lands Commission won the first ruling in the case, but the 3rd Appellate District Court agreed with the environmentalist challenge.

The state Supreme Court's dismissal could give the environmentalists a strong role in deciding the make-up of the Pike, including the eventual replacement of CineMark theater and GameWorks video arcade.

"Revocation of the land swap stands, with prejudice," May stated.

The Pike has several national restaurants, but they're allowed under the public-trust tidelands restrictions. The environmentalists did not seek the removal or replacement of any eating establishments.

The Pike has been slowly filling with tenants, but it has struggled to fill some retail space, in part because of the coastal restrictions.

Attorneys for Developers Diversified Reality, the developer and operator of the Pike, were not immediately available for comment.

[LAMetroGuy]

What gives with the California Earth Corps??? I mean the same land prior to the theater and GameWorks was a HUGE parking lot? This is just crazy... I hope that they don't remove the theater and GameWorks.... UGH!

[ChrisLA]

Yeah Game Works is probably one of the largest attractions, and especially on weekends. I guess my nephew better start thinking about finding a new job. I doubt GW will be taking any employees (including managers) with them if forced to move. I guess Borders Books will have to close as well. The bad thing is they're one month away from their grand opening. This sucks!

[LAMetroGuy]

for some reason, I think that Gameworks, the movies and Borders will not close... I beleive that through arbitration... DDR and/or the City will pay Earth Corps some settlement monies to make them "go away". I'm sure that's all they want.

[LAMetroGuy]

Both sides could win in Pike land swap
By Don Jergler and Joe Segura, Staff writers



LONG BEACH — A state Supreme Court decision last week that seemingly favors environmentalists in a lawsuit against a city-state tidelands swap at the Pike at Rainbow Harbor may have actually been a victory of sorts for both sides.

The court dismissed the city of Long Beach's challenge to an appellate court ruling in the case, but acknowledged a recent relaxing of the law governing such swaps.

The court apparently felt that the new legislation, according to one official, would allow the State Lands Commission to resolve the matter, which would benefit the city. However, the environmentalists hope that a newly comprised SLC board will be more amenable to their position.

The court's one-sentence ruling refers to the recently approved tidelands amendment that grants the State Lands Commission broader power to conduct land swaps like the one that cleared the way for construction of the Pike.

The court had consented to take up a review of a city challenge to the successful appeal by environmentalist California Earth Corps of a land swap for the 369,000-square-foot retail and entertainment center nestled between Queensway Bay and downtown.

Instead of setting up a hearing, the Supreme Court dismissed the city's challenge of that appellate court ruling. However, the state amendment giving the SLC broader power could end up being used to both the SLC and city's advantage.

The Pike was built on formerly submerged land where development use is restricted to ocean-and harbor-related functions, such as navigation, fishing, restaurants and limited types of commerce.

In 2001, the SLC allowed the city to exempt 3 acres of the site from those restrictions. In return, the city agreed to place tidelands restrictions on 10 acres of undeveloped land near a Long Beach (710) Freeway off-ramp near downtown.

The Pike opened in November 2003 and has struggled to find retail tenants, and managers have placed part of the blame for that struggle on Tidelands restrictions that limit development use to ocean-and harbor-related functions.

"We're re-evaluating our position," said City Attorney Bob Shannon. "This does not necessarily mean that the items that have been built on the property are going to have to be torn down."

The ruling makes the land swap illegal, but Shannon contends that the environmentalists must return with another filing that challenges proper Tidelands usage.

Shannon said any actions taken by the city will be determined after staff meets later this week, and following a closed session meeting with the City Council set for Jan. 17.

"It'll be uncharted territory for anybody," said Paul Thayer, a spokesman for the SLC. "The appeals court went one way, but the legislation cauterized what we've been doing all along. And by dismissing this, the (state Supreme Court) thinks that the new legislation resolved the issue that they wanted to take up in accepting the review, but it still leaves dangling this one case."

Like the city, the SLC is considering its next steps, Thayer said.

Santa Monica-based attorney Douglas Carstens, who is representing Earth Corps, said he expects the case to be referred back to the SLC board, and that the challenge to the land swap plan might encounter a more environmentally friendly decision because of the new members on the panel.

"The bottom line is that the deal must be compatible to public trust," he said, adding that would include open space and recreation facilities.

Long Beach-based attorney Mel Nutter, a former chairman of the state Coastal Commission, said the land-swap dispute is rare for the SLC.

"I don't recall very many lawsuits involving the question whether a land swap is legal when deal with with public trust," he said.

Don May, who heads the Earth Corps group, said the widening of the SLC's power for land swaps could have widespread impacts, since its public-trust issues include rivers, lakes and streams.

"I'm optimistic about this," he said. "The pendulum will swing the other way."

That view isn't shared by Richard Dongell, a partner in the law firm of Dongell, Lawrence, Finney, Claypool, the firm representing Pike owner and operator Developers Diversified Realty.

"It was clear that the Supreme Court originally granted review of the appellate court ruling because they were not comfortable with the ruling and intended to consider doing something about it," Dongell said. "Now that the California Legislature and governor have chosen to amend the exchange statute to avoid the result reached by the appellate court, it is understandable that the Supreme Court saw no need to address the issue any further."

The court agreed in August to consider a case initially filed by California Earth Corps challenging a 2001 land swap, which had cleared the way for construction of the Pike. Earth Corps argued that the swap violated state tidelands public-trust law. A state appeals court panel sided with Earth Corps last April, prompting the city of Long Beach to appeal to the state's high court.

California Earth Corps challenged the land swap, asserting that a movie theater and video game complex at the Pike site failed to meet the tidelands' public-trust restrictions.

The city and SLC won the first ruling in the case, but the 3rd Appellate District Court agreed with the environmentalist challenge.

The state Supreme Court's dismissal could give environmentalists a strong role in deciding the make-up of the Pike, including the eventual replacement of CineMark theater and GameWorks video arcade.

"Revocation of the land swap stands, with prejudice," May stated.

Executives at CineMark and GameWorks could not be reached for comment.

The Pike has several national restaurants, but they're allowed under the public-trust tidelands restrictions. The environmentalists did not seek the removal or replacement of any eating establishments.

Don Jergler can be reached at (562) 499-1281.
Joe Segura can be reached at (562) 499-1274.

[citywatch]

Originally Posted by LAMetroGuy

The state Supreme Court's dismissal could give the environmentalists a strong role in deciding the make-up of the Pike, including the eventual replacement of CineMark theater and GameWorks video arcade.

My blood pressure goes up.

However, the state amendment giving the SLC broader power could end up being used to both the SLC and city's advantage.

My blood pressure goes down.

[LAMetroGuy]

not to mention:

"The court apparently felt that the new legislation would allow the State Lands Commission to resolve the matter, which would benefit the city."

[LAMetroGuy]

Date Set For Public To View
Plans For “City Hall East”



By Steve Irsay
Staff Writer

The public will get to explore the possible future of downtown Long Beach at a Monday, Jan. 30, open house concerning the redevelopment project that includes City Hall East and the proposed Art Exchange.

Seven development teams will present their plans beginning at 6 p.m. on Jan. 30 at First Congregational Church (241 Cedar Ave.). Free parking will be available at the City Hall parking structure on Broadway near Cedar Avenue.

Each developer will have a booth with information on the proposed project and be on hand to answers questions. The public also will have a chance to provide feedback about the projects on a survey that can be filled out at the meeting or mailed back at a later date.

The open house will be preceded by a brief presentation from city staff on the developer selection process so far.

“The idea is to obtain input from the community before a decision is made,” said Sherri Rossillo, the city development project manager.

And to further increase overall public participation in the redevelopment process, the Redevelopment Agency announced that it will begin holding one meeting each month during the evening. (The agency has typically met on the second and fourth Monday of each month at 9 a.m. at City Hall.)

The first evening meeting will take place at 5 p.m. Monday, Jan. 23, at the City Council chamber at City Hall (333 W. Ocean Blvd.) The schedule change will take place for a three-month trial period during which attendance will be tracked to determine if the new time increases public participation.

The seven developers that will be on hand Jan. 30 were “short-listed” from 10 teams that presented plans to the RDA board in August. In October, a selection committee made up of city staff and independent consultants chose seven teams to continue in the competition for redevelopment rights.

The committee is expected to pare the list down further and next month present recommendations jointly to the City Council and RDA board, Rossillo said.

The proposals cover three project sites including a mix of city-owned and RDA-owned properties.

One site includes the city-owned former Southern California Edison building — referred to as “City Hall East” — at 100 Long Beach Blvd.

The second site, located on Broadway between Elm Avenue and Long Beach Boulevard, is for the proposed Art Exchange, an enclave of artist studios, galleries and classrooms.

The third site consists of two parking lots and the vacant American Hotel building on Broadway between Long Beach Boulevard and the Promenade.

While some of the plans may have changed since they were initially presented, many proposals likely will involve hundreds — if not thousands — of new units of housing.

Among those developers making the first cut are the Lee Group, which proposed building 314 residential units and retail space; Lennar Corporation, whose plan included 1,186 residential units with ground-floor retail and commercial space; Toll Brothers, who propose spreading 1,200 housing units over three high-rise towers; Urban Pacific Builders LLC, whose plan includes 279 residential units and a possible art school; and Williams & Dame Development, which proposes 387 residential and live/work units.

All five plans also included some form of Art Exchange, which is seen by some as a possible hub for the East Village Arts District.

The other two short-listed developers, who did not present plans for the Art Exchange block, are Grand Prix Place LLC, whose plan called for converting City Hall East into lofts or a boutique hotel above a museum dedicated to the Long Beach Grand Prix; and Urban Growth Long Beach LLC, which proposed 462 residential units and retail space.