![\"steelcraft2\"](\"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/steelcraft2.png\")
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Images courtesy of SteelCraft.<\/em><\/p>\n The first-ever food court made of shipping containers in Los Angeles County will be erected in Long Beach come early 2016, and everything we know about it so far is making us want to dance. Beer, ramen, waffles, flowers, locally-sourced produce and coffee all rolled into one very innovative design concept, \u00e0 la SteelCraft, is Bixby Knolls\u2019 next major craft-focused endeavor.<\/p>\n \u201cWith the Port of Long Beach being one of the world’s busiest seaports, supporting over a million jobs nationally and generating billions of dollars in economic activity each year, it seemed only fitting to utilize shipping containers for the build out,\u201d said SteelCraft developer and Cal Heights resident, Kim Gros.<\/p>\n \u201cThis will be a major coup for the boulevard,\u201d said Blair Cohn, Executive Director of the Bixby Knolls Business Improvement Association, which played a major hand in pushing the project. \u201cIt will activate and bring attention to the businesses that are already there (Long Beach Cyclery & Five Starr Pilates). Plus, it will be a great destination for those working along [Long Beach Boulevard] for a place to gather and eat throughout the day. And of course, [it\u2019s] a major destination for the neighborhood. [It will be] easy to walk or to ride a bike to the site.\u201d<\/p>\n Gros\u2019 concept has been in the making for quite some time now. She says the idea for SteelCraft came from a desire to see people congregate over good food and drinks in a compelling environment thoughtfully and creatively designed. A couple of those thoughtful details include the tables being made of reclaimed wood and the ability for guests to lock their bikes to racks composed of 96 percent recycled materials.<\/p>\n Gros and Brian Ulaszewski of Long Beach-based City Fabrick<\/a> had been working on the project for years, and months continued to fly by as they searched to find a suitable location in downtown Long Beach, to no avail, when Cohn suggested the use of Martin Howard\u2019s lot on Bixby Road and Long Beach Boulevard.<\/p>\n The idea stuck, and now Howard\u2019s company, Howard CDM<\/a>, responsible for the design work and construction of three Michael\u2019s Restaurant Group locations in Long Beach (Chianina, Michael\u2019s on Naples and Michael\u2019s Pizzeria) will serve as general contractor, while DeMaria Design Assoc.<\/a> will serve as architect on the project.<\/p>\n \u201cThe concept started with just one container (serving ice cream), and has evolved into 10 shipping containers arranged to create a series of outdoor spaces including dining patios and community space,\u201d said Gros.<\/p>\n Moving into the containers, which are being fabricated courtesy of IPME (International Port Management Enterprise) in Gardena, CA, are Long Beach eateries and drinkeries alongside a handful of popular establishments from neighboring cities. Torrance-based Smog City Brewing<\/a>, for one, will be moving in with a satellite taproom, a mirror of their current tap room’s lineup.<\/p>\n According to Smog City spokeswoman Laurie Porter, the space will have \u201capproximately 15 taps, lots of pilot beer and experimentals and, of course, our tried and true trusty core line-up. We\u2019ll also offer growler fills and bottle sales.\u201d<\/p>\n Porter says that setting up shop at SteelCraft will bring Smog City closer to their already supportive Long Beach customer base and give them a chance to be partnered with some excellent food vendors.<\/p>\n \u201cThe one thing our taproom lacks is food, and this allows us to focus on what we do best, beer, and to piggy-back on what they do best, food,\u201d said Porter. \u201cWin Win.\u201d<\/p>\n SteelCraft\u2019s food vendors were selected with the following criterium in mind: a profound understanding of the craft of making food, a deep love for the craft and for the food and an innate consideration for those who will eat the food, according to Gros.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is obvious at every step: selection of ingredients, care of process and joy in presenting it to others,\u201d she told the Post.<\/em><\/p>\n![\"steelcraft\"](\"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/steelcraft.png\")
You really can\u2019t get more Long Beach than that. Set to go in on the corner of Long Beach Boulevard and Bixby Road, SteelCraft is ready and waiting to be the destination for you to get your grub on and enjoy a straight-up great time with your beer-guzzling buddies and tight-knit community acquaintances.<\/p>\n![\"steelcraft\"](\"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/steelcraft.jpg\")
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Incoming food vendors will be Working Class Kitchen<\/a>, Long Beach Cup Ramen<\/a>, Seabirds Kitchen<\/a>, Waffle Love<\/a>, Long Beach Farms<\/a> and Steelhead Coffee<\/a>, along with a flowershop, Blooms by Brooke.<\/p>\n