Two blocks in downtown Long Beach, mostly filled with vacant buildings, will be revitalized and transformed into apartments, parking, open space and various storefronts as city council unanimously approved the long-awaited development Tuesday night.
Creed LA, a Los Angeles-based organization that advocates for fair labor practices in development projects, appealed the project’s approval. They argued that the city did not perform a complete Environmental Impact Report and urged the developers to hire locally.
Their appeal was unanimously denied by the city council.
The project has three areas of development: there will be two buildings with commercial or public art exhibits on the first floor and apartments on the seven floors above, and one building with storefronts on the bottom and a “pedestrian paseo” on the top floor as well as 1,383 parking stalls in garages. Six percent, or 54 of the 900 housing units will be intended for low-income residents.
“This location has been inactive for over five years and we really, as residents who live adjacent to that location, we’ve been desperate for something to come into that area to revive that part of downtown and from what I’m seeing, this project will do exactly that,” said Councilmember Mary Zendejas, whose district the development will reside in.
The site is roughly 5.5 acres and has undergone many changes in the past few decades. The area started as The Long Beach Plaza Mall in 1982, but couldn’t attract enough customers and closed in 1999. Developers revitalized the space in 2002 as part of a 14-acre project deemed CityPlace, which included commercial sites, open streets and parking structures.
The city identified this area of CityPlace as underutilized in its 2012 Downtown Plan. The developers chosen for the project, Mosaic, plan to tear down all of the existing buildings in the area and rebuild the parking garages, storefronts and apartments to be energy efficient.
Most residents who spoke during public comment were against the project, arguing that the city should push for more affordable units and require that the developers hire locally.
“How often does a significant project come along like this, with 900 residential units spread out over three seven-story buildings and almost 40,000 square feet? Not very often,” said Eric Farar with the Smart Local 105 Sheet Metal Workers trade union. “We were disappointed to see that something like this would not support the skill and trade local workforce best equipped to bring it into reality. Please deny this project until the property company agrees to include the men and women of this community.”
Multiple trade and labor union workers from various groups showed up to echo Farar’s comments. City documents claim that the Planning Commission received 18 letters of support from various business and neighborhood groups, but the only neighborhood group that showed up to the council meeting in support was the Downtown Long Beach Alliance.
It was not stated how many jobs would be provided or how long the project is expected to take, but it also includes improvements to the surrounding streets, the creation of a dog-walking area and other green spaces and indoor community spaces.
“We had hoped this developer would choose to hire responsible contractors who hire locally, provide living wages, ensure benefits for the workforce and provide the chance for apprentices to learn the trade on a real job site,” said Long Beach resident Gus Torres. “Unfortunately, these hopes seem to not be coming into fruition and have led us to strongly not support this project.”
Residents also asked councilmembers to push for more than 5% of affordable units, such as the 11% that the city recently mandated for downtown housing developments.
“I ask you to not only look at the business aspects of this project, but all aspects,” said Germaine Bradley. “It’s not often we get the opportunity to be able to build enough affordable housing for people who are in need of it yet it’s not being done. If we let this project and those who support it race through it without demanding the most from developers, what does that say about us?”
Director of Development Services Christopher Koontz said that since the city is not providing any funding for the project, “our role in the labor planning side is limited.” He also explained that since the city and developers started planning the project before the 11% mandate, they only need to create 5% affordable units.
City council unanimously approved the Downtown Long Beach housing development at 450 The Promenade North/501-599 Long Beach Blvd.
Long Beach has more apartments available that they do renters who can actually afford them. Every last vacant spot in Downtown LB has been transformed into over priced rentals that start in upwards of 2500+. Who can afford these rents? Has the city also considered the traffic new units will create? Just in case the City Council has not noticed there is only THREE supermarkets in the area . Two of them cater to the Latin Community and the third is VONS and is the only other market close to downtown. Does this new community call for an additional grocery store? I could also understand if 450 of the 900 units were affordable housing that would assist low income families and individuals but I guess that is just too much too ask for? . I would hope that with a Mayor who is a person of color would understand that most of the residents of Long Beach are blue collar working class citizens. Not wealthy entertainment or social media employees that live in Santa Monica , Manhattan , Redondo or other beach cities. Its just unbelievable that NO ONE understands the facts.