Long Beach Construction (Planned, Proposed, & Current)

[BrandonJXN]

^ You should be aware of the downtown LA rundown thread: http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=130839

The Roosevelt shouldn't have scared you off as it is slated to be one of the better loft conversions in DTLA. The ground floor will be replaced with retail therefore scaring off the smelly homeless folk.

There are smelly homeless folk in DTLB too btw. But good luck and congrats.

[regboi21]

Does anyone have any updates on the east village art exchange project like what other buildings on the site has been torn down besides the terry's camera building.

[Ruby]

Originally Posted by ThreeHundred

^ You should be aware of the downtown LA rundown thread: http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=130839

The Roosevelt shouldn't have scared you off as it is slated to be one of the better loft conversions in DTLA. The ground floor will be replaced with retail therefore scaring off the smelly homeless folk.

There are smelly homeless folk in DTLB too btw. But good luck and congrats.

We really like historic buildings such as the Roosevelt and that is why we put a reserve on the place. It was not the homeless that drove us out; it is the developer and their misrepresentation that did it. Before we reserved the unit, we specifically asked the salesman if there is any parking and they said there'll be one place. Then we read the fine print and realized the so called included parking is leasesd and it'll be free for five years (they later changed that to ten years). Their advertised living area for that unit is 913 square feet and it measured to be only 750 square feet. After all this, we still stayed on. Then they sent us the contract and they increased the purchase price by 3%. When I called them up, the salesman said they would credit us back the 3% if we go with their preferred lender at close of escrow. I read the contract carefully and found that it said the seller would credit 3% towards use for closing cost only. That would mean that we have to pay more than $817 per sqt for a place on 4th floor, w/o any view and w/o any parking. We feel that we had given enough concessions towards the building and they've gone way too far and since we are not suckers of the century, we cancelled on them right away.

I love the Roosevelt building and the fact that it is located within walking distance to both LA live and Grand Avenue but I just can't stand the developer and so we quit. We just got a private invitation to see the Brockman which is on the same street but it came a day too late; we've already signed with the Aqua. I am still upset when I talk about Roosevelt; we wasted all these months waiting for nothing.

[lbguymetro]

ruby, welcome to the post....i also live in aqua and i like it a lot...i would totally be disappointed with my place if my friends tell me i did the wrong decision...long beach is much more beautiful than downtown LA! as for drisee, his comments on you was way too unbecoming....to use that word "bullshit" just irritates me.....better learn how to approach issues with decorum...i cant imagine how he would act properly in a formal community meeting...!

[drisee]

Originally Posted by LB Life07

Shoreline gateway will be a very nice project!! hopefully it gets built. The metro block project will turn out to be very nice!! Press Telegram lofts look to be very nice!! Oceanaire also looks nice. Do you mean to tell me that you can't find any appreciation in any of these projects if they do get built!! because all of them have been approved!!

yes, some of these projects are exciting and it would be great to see them break ground but they're still far off. the closest one to popping would be Oceanaire...not sure what they are waiting on right now. The MTA block is not approved from what i know and i don't think it's even being planned for anymore, unless someone has different info. Btw, what was so exciting about the MTA block, looked pretty generic to me. And what about the new west gateway project, what are your thoughts on that one? it's horrible!! and what about the new boutique hotel planned for the pike, it looks like generic USA as well. if that's long beach's definition of a cool boutique hotel i think we're really in trouble. come on long beach, step it up. appeal to a more stylish and progressive demographic. stop building crap for the low income peeps and the old and retired crowd. That will not help get this city on track to becoming a true world class international city. like yibs says, don't believe the hype.

LB life, i will agree with most of your other comments as well. Things do go up and down but you have to agree with someone like myself and yibs when we say that long beach could have come so much further and in comparison to other cities we really don't have shit to show for the recent housing boom that brought life to many blighted downtowns.

Ruby, i'm warming up on you...but the jury is still out. I do like your idea of having there be a central meeting point to connect people. from what i understand the various community groups are decent watchdogs and i would expect the new north pine one to be good, but i'm not sure. Perhaps we can post more information here since we don't have a resource like the one you talked about that exists for DTLA.

lbguymetro, how honest are your friends? ever wonder no matter how ugly new babies are your friends will always tell you how cute it is. don't mistake people being polite for living in a cool place. and please, the word Bullshit got your panties in a bunch. i thought we were adults here, when did this forum become PG rated. i think that's fuckin' bullshit.

[LB Life07]

I happen to think that the MTA block project would have looked fine in that area!! It has sort of an Elleven and Luma feel to it!! both of those buildings look very nice!! As for the West Gateway I believe the developers have all pulled out except for one!! I never was a big fan of those projects!! I believed that for that area the projects should be much taller!! But Im not necessarily opposed to what they were trying to create there with all of them being mixed use and trying to extend a more pedestrian friendly and retail area to the ground sector of those corridors!! It's like I said, everyone is not going to share the same views on things......we may not like those projects but Im sure there are those who do!! which is why they end up getting built in the first place!! Some people don't like the Pacifica and the 133 promenade buildings but I don't mind them and happen to think that they are nice additions to that area!! The test of time will tell when we see what type of retail fills the ground levels!! that's more important to me at this point....that's what really creates a downtown, the things that you can go do and not so much the look of the buildings.....the look just happens to be a plus!!

[lbguymetro]

drisee,..yeah ...bull shit....well, that is your definition of free speech...but you have actually dispappointed a newcomer in this post and your'e apathetic....anyway, my friends are not idiots...and how judgmental you could be about people...maybe i could say bull shit too if i dont like how your place looks like..aqua is 92% sold according to ruby and its much more beautiful than the other condos ive visited...besides , its its location as well that lured us to purchase the property...the fact that its between pine avenue and the shoreline....its one good piece of property to buy...

[Ruby]

Well, I am not someone that is easily disappointed or offended. Constructive criticism doesn't bother me and everyone is entitled to his/her opinion anyway. I am also used to swearing from my male co-workers; they say bullsh*t everyday to my face.

BTW, can someone tell me where is the closest grocery store? We strolled around downtown today to get a feel of the area. The Pike and Pine avenue has lots of restaurants which is pretty good since I don't intend to cook if I can help it . However, there are not too many places to shop; it took us a while to find the City Place and I can't say Walmart or Ross are my favorite stores.

[regboi21]

the following has grocery stores in your area 1. an albertsons is on the city place center property by the old post office building on long beach blvd 2.vons grocery store is on east broadway near alamitos ave 3. and a superior grocery stores are on long beach blvd by the popeye's chicken and on pacific ave by the metro blue line station.

[PromenadeIrishmen]

Originally Posted by InsExchLoft_dweller

It sounds like a lot of people, even us on the thread, bought into the pitch that downtown is this great city... now that we know it's not - we need to try to change things. I know this thread is about "new developements" but let's face it, all these pretty renderings are crap and that's why I don't read the thread so much anymore... time has proven that all these renderings are just that, renderings. Now that this thread seems to be more about, hey what the hell is going on and why is this city still a pile of shit, i'm going to come back more often. Here's a group of residents trying to make a difference.


North Pine Neighborhood Alliance

MEETING NOTICE-
Monday, October 1st, 6:00pm at King's Fish House on Pine- Community Room

This next meeting will set the tone, agenda, and leadership for the North Pine Neighborhood Alliance for the next year. The meeting will be conducted in an open forum so that all NPNA residents will have the opportunity to help develop the goals and priorities of our association.

Your input is very important!

AGENDA

Develop goals for NPNA
Pass the NPNA Bylaws
Elect open executive board positions
Form committees
Make a difference inour neighborhood....see you all on Monday.

Robert Garcia

NPNA President

wwWWOOO00oooww! Looks like I missed a good amount of meaning less conversation over the weekend. Dam.
Lets not cloud the air waves with battle over who is who and what is what, lets get back into the nature of this blog please.

1)Will anyone else be joining me at the NPNA meeting tonight at Kings off Pine Ave?
2)Anyone interested in the Bixby Knolls area construction off Long Beach Blvd and Bixby. I can provide great pictures of past constructed and future proposed projects, nothing big just if anyone is interested?
3)The Aqua is a GREAT addition to Ocean Blvd. I spent my Friday and Saturday night running back and froth from my place at the Promenade and the Aqua. And making stops at the SKY ROOM / SKY BAR all the time leaving my camera at home. Dose anyone have pictures from the top of the SKY ROOM it’s a great 360 degree of all of long beach,

[drisee]

Irishmen. I'm interested in your #2 from above. It would be cool to see what's going on up in that area. Did you attend that meeting last night, cool to see something like that happening in downtown.

[regboi21]

What do you guys think would make long beach ca a world class city like what steps or special distant future projects would make long beach be like San Francisco in terms of world class status also could you all give me some examples that the long beach city planners designated long beach as a city for the poor or the low income residents.

[SantaCruzGuy]

In order for our city to acquire all the necessary tools to build a unique "international city" we need to spread positiveness in a major advertisement campaign. Many people think of Long Beach as a city that is engulfed with violence, we do have violence like any other major city... What we need to do is to begin to spread a positive note (i know Santa Cruz did) through cable commercials that promote our downtown living, restaurants, and aquarium, etc. to all surrounding counties. When the word is out, we will have more curious people visiting our city, and more interest can build up for people to move in downtown, and hopefully retail can also follow. We can open a macys downtown, or a Hollister, but that will not get the crowds that advertising can...

[drisee]

SantaCruz, i like your idea and i've been thinking about the same type of thing...but a little different.

for me i think the city should champion a cause, a new direction. we should advertise and spread PR to overcome our bad rep, but we should promote a new vision for what we are working towards. definitely not promote what we have now, which is plain to see that it's not that great. people will see right through it unless we paint a different picture and talk about the future. more importantly, start to work towards the future and show people the results. as we all know...talk is cheap.

btw, i can't believe a santa cruz guy would mention hollister as something a beach city should shoot for. hollister is a mid america wanna be surf brand that copies surf culture from CA. that's the last kind of store i would want. there are enough authentic surf stores to shoot for if wanted them.

[PromenadeIrishmen]

Originally Posted by drisee

SantaCruz, i like your idea and i've been thinking about the same type of thing...but a little different.

for me i think the city should champion a cause, a new direction. we should advertise and spread PR to overcome our bad rep, but we should promote a new vision for what we are working towards. definitely not promote what we have now, which is plain to see that it's not that great. people will see right through it unless we paint a different picture and talk about the future. more importantly, start to work towards the future and show people the results. as we all know...talk is cheap.

btw, i can't believe a santa cruz guy would mention hollister as something a beach city should shoot for. hollister is a mid america wanna be surf brand that copies surf culture from CA. that's the last kind of store i would want. there are enough authentic surf stores to shoot for if wanted them.

But in all reality the last time I think I surfed anything in Long Beach was the sports channels at Smooth’s…..Kidding
I just don’t see Downtown ever taking on that look of surf stores and all that, I think that’s more or less going to be left up to Belmont Shore.

I am working on more of the images that I have of past / present / proposed of Long Beach Blvd. here is a soon to break ground that is directly across from my office. At Long Beach and Bixby.



Developer is Howard CDM not sure on the soon to be tenants yet but it will be retail im sure.

And yes I did attend the meeting on Monday it’s a great group of Pine Ave residents all sorts of ages I highly recommend keeping an ear out for the next meeting and making an effort to get out to it.

[InsExchLoft_dweller]

And yes I did attend the meeting on Monday it’s a great group of Pine Ave residents all sorts of ages I highly recommend keeping an ear out for the next meeting and making an effort to get out to it. [/QUOTE]

I missed it... but I'll keep posting the meeting invites as i get them.

The idea of the city promoting a cause or theme is great, but man do they need help. The Party On Pine event should have been a great thing... they had a great band that sells out arenas across the country and yet there were barely enough people to fill the intersection on Pine and Broadway. Did they even put a poster up at cal state long beach? Did anyone know that they would play a full set? When i first moved out to LA i never really wanted to go to hollywood... then I heard about a free outdoor cold play concert and decided to go. It was such a good time and even though I wasn't into the hollywood scene, i kept going back (afterwards) just to see what else was going on.

Sometimes there are events going on that I had wished I known about... it's such a shame that this city has such a hard time getting the word out. I mean, I live at the promenade for god's sake.

What if the city just focused on promoting long beach to it's own residents. I am sure if the residents were happy then the word would get out that we do have a great city.

[Ruby]

I am not sure if it is lack of advertisement or lack of word of mouth. I live only 20 minutes away but I don’t come to downtown LB. Until a week ago, I always thought the sports arena is the aquarium.:

When the residents or tourists don’t go to an area, it is often because the place is lack of attractions or it is too expensive or both. I visited the Queen Mary once when it first opened and I never went back; I never see the Spruce Goose or the aquariam. In my mind, all this tour will take less than one hour and there is nothing else to do afterwards; it is really not worth the fee they charge plus the parking to get in. In order to attract the masses, the city might want to consider free parking and host more free entertainment. If the attendance to the parking lot or the aquarium is poor, slash the price until people come. The aquarium looks so deserted when I drove by the other day; the city can make it more alive by providing free shows or some activities at the entrance. Instead of keeping the fee high so one person will come; cut the price in half so two people will show up. The net is still the same but keep the masses coming; the more, the merrier and the busier the street, the more likely other businesses will follow. My older colleagues in Douglas used to tell me no one was buying the DC-10s at the time and the company was facing bankruptcy. Since the planes were sitting idle anyway, Douglas gave the plane away by leasing them to airlines. It turned out it was a great strategy; the airlines loved them and when the leasing term expired, they bought the planes. May be we can learn a lesson or two from the old Douglas.

[drisee]

Originally Posted by InsExchLoft_dweller

The Party On Pine event should have been a great thing... they had a great band that sells out arenas across the country and yet there were barely enough people to fill the intersection on Pine and Broadway. Did they even put a poster up at cal state long beach? Did anyone know that they would play a full set?

What if the city just focused on promoting long beach to it's own residents. I am sure if the residents were happy then the word would get out that we do have a great city.

I couldn't agree more. The Party on Pine totally sucked. I remember walking down to check it out just out of curiosity to only to look over the fence and see nobody there. And the people that were there you can tell had no clue about the music. The big reason for that was that they charged for it. why not just do a free show. are they in the business of being promoters or promoting the city ya know. something like that could be cool but you need a big draw and it needs to be well promoted. things like that never seem to be promoted...even to the people that live right next to it.

I'm also on the same page with you about promoting the city to the people that live here versus just selling a lemon to the people from outside the city. i think if they switched their efforts around to that they would see more value come from their efforts. their best source of pr is the people living here, but there is nothing for us to get excited about.

[SantaCruzGuy]

Good point, and I agree that we need to do more within the city too, but I believe it needs a blend of the two PR campaigns. We need to spread our image beyond LB if we want to bring in more new people. Without people, business and other attractions will not follow.

[regboi21]

Does anyone know where the east long beach area is located.