Renderings of proposed development courtesy of the City of Long Beach.
At the May 17 Long Beach City Council meeting, the council members will have the opportunity to review two development proposals for the downtown area, according to a City of Long Beach release issued today. Both proposals involve past Redevelopment Agency parcels now owned by the city through the Redevelopment Agency’s successor agency, Long Range Property Management Plan.
The first proposal is for a potential 25-story hotel and business center at the southeast corner of Ocean Boulevard and Pine Avenue. The property is 35,500 square feet and in the former location of the Jergins Trust Building. That building was demolished in 1988, and its location has remained a vacant and underutilized connectivity issue to upper and lower Pine Avenue. Currently, the Downtown Long Beach Associates’ Loop seeks to temporarily address the connectivity issue.
“These new iconic developments will benefit Long Beach by providing a boost to our economy, generating jobs, and adding to our beautiful skyline,” said Mayor Robert Garcia in a statement.
A major part of the proposal is restoring the portion of Victory Park that runs along Ocean Boulevard at Pine Avenue, while the hotel development could include about 427 rooms, 19,000 square feet of pre-function space and meeting rooms, 8,000 square feet of restaurant space and 28,000 square feet of guest amenities, including a pool and sun deck. The project proposes 20 floors built above the elevation of Ocean Boulevard with an additional five floors above the Seaside Way elevation, according to the release.
“The proposal envisions dynamic use of physical space, increased connectivity between Downtown and the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center, The Pike Outlets and Shoreline areas, and also restores public access to the underground Jergins Tunnel,” said Vice Mayor Suja Lowenthal in a statement.
Rendering of proposed development by Ensemble Real Estate Investments, courtesy of the City of Long Beach.
The second proposal considers a 52,500-square-foot parking lot on the northeast corner of 3rd Street and Pacific Avenue for a potential mixed-use development with ground-floor retail and 325 housing units, according to the release.
“This proposal projects a strong confidence in our local economy and will help create jobs,” said Councilwoman Lena Gonzalez in a statement. “This world-class, high-rise development would significantly add to the urban fabric of Downtown Long Beach.”
The proposals would potentially enable future investment and pave the way for development opportunities that could bolster the city’s economy, according to the release. The city said that, if approved, these developments would eliminate blighting influences, enhance economic development opportunities adjacent to the properties, generate new jobs, and increase property tax revenues.