Long Beach City Council To Review Downtown Development Proposals

At the May 17th City Council meeting, the City Council has the opportunity to review two exciting development proposals in Downtown. Both proposals involve past Redevelopment Agency parcels now owned by the City through the Long Beach 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 35,500-square-foot property is the location of the former Jergins Trust Building, built in 1919. The building was demolished by a former owner in 1988, and the site has remained vacant and largely underutilized, and has been a visual and physical impediment to the connectivity of upper and lower Pine Avenue.

“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.

An integral part of the proposal is restoring the portion of Victory Park that fronts Ocean Boulevard at Pine Avenue. The hotel development could include approximately 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, as proposed, is 20 floors above the elevation of Ocean Boulevard with an additional five floors above the Seaside Way elevation.

“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.

The second proposal involves a 52,500-square-foot parking lot on the northeast corner of 3rd Street and Pacific Avenue. The City Council will review a potential mixed-use development featuring ground-floor retail and 325 housing units.

“This proposal projects a strong confidence in our local economy and will help create jobs,” said Councilwoman Lena Gonzalez. “This world-class high-rise development would significantly add to the urban fabric of Downtown Long Beach.”