Developers Present Plans For Pine Pacific Block
By Thyda Duong
Staff Writer
Last week, Williams Dame & Atkins presented its plans for a mixed-use residential community on the block bounded by Pine and Pacific avenues and 3rd and 4th streets to both the Long Beach Redevelopment Agency (RDA) board and the planning commission.
The presentations were aimed at gathering input from both city officials and community members, whose comments would be considered during the planning process.
Currently referred to as “Pine Pacific Block,” the development would feature a six-story building with 176 residential units and 7,494 square feet of ground-floor retail, and a 13-story structure with 186 residential units and 16,919 square feet of retail.
The development will also include neighborhood-serving retail and open-space patio, subterranean residential parking and a full amenity deck with a lap pool, barbecue grill and picnic areas.
The goal of the project is to create an “urban oasis” in the heart of Downtown Long Beach, said Jim Atkins, a principal with the development company, who noted that the architects will incorporate sustainable design principles and target Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.
Atkins said he expects the environmental impact report to be complete in late 2008, with construction on the first phase of 176 units to begin by early 2009.
The second phase, which will occur on the corner of 3rd Street and Pine Avenue, will be market driven, Atkins said.
“The condo market is a cyclical business. And right now we’re at a tough point in the cycle. It would be tough to sit here today and tell you we’re going to get the project financed on Phase II at a certain, known point in time,” he said. “But having said that, we believe enough in Long Beach that we did close on that portion of property, so we have invested money there at the project site. And we believe the best way to get Phase II financed and ultimately make it economically viable is to complete a successful Phase I.”
One of the concerns brought up during the RDA board meeting was the construction of a street-level parking lot consisting of 56 stalls on Pine Avenue during Phase I.
“Pine’s not going to be enlivened at all by a parking lot, and that does seem to be our commercial thoroughfare,” said RDA Board Chair Thomas Fields. “So it seems to me there’s going to be critical time space between Phase I and Phase II.”
Although Atkins admitted it is not a perfect solution, he noted that developers plan to activate Pine with a kiosk, such as a newspaper stand or an outdoor flower shop, or may work to incorporate open space.
Despite his concerns, Fields noted, “It’s a very nice project and I look forward to seeing it come to fruition.”
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