Downtown Long Beach Explained

Downtown Long Beach
Settlement Type:Neighborhood
Pushpin Map:United States Long Beach#United States Los Angeles Metropolitan Area#USA California Southern#California#USA
Coordinates:33.7721°N -118.1935°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Name1:California
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name2:Los Angeles
Subdivision Type3:City
Subdivision Name3:Long Beach

Downtown Long Beach, California, United States is the location for most of the city's major tourist attractions, municipal services and for numerous businesses. There are many hotels and restaurants in the area that serve locals, tourists, and convention visitors.

Location

Downtown Long Beach is bounded by the Los Angeles River to the west, and Ocean Boulevard to the south (south of Ocean is considered the "Downtown Shoreline", a separate area[1]). Alamitos Avenue roughly delimits downtown to the east, although the City's actual downtown zoning extends a few blocks east of Alamitos.[2] Similarly, downtown effectively ends around 7th Street to the north, but the City's downtown zoning carries as far north as Anaheim Street between Pacific Avenue and Long Beach Boulevard, and up to 10th Street east of that.

The greater downtown area includes the neighborhoods of the East Village Arts District, the West End, North Pine, the Civic Center, and the "Downtown Core" or central business and entertainment area.

Tourist attractions and shopping

Events

2028 Summer Olympics

During the 2028 Summer Olympics, downtown Long Beach will host Sailing, water polo, triathlon and open water swimming.[3]

Government and infrastructure

Local government

County, state, and federal representation

Businesses

The Downtown Long Beach Alliance manages the business- and commercial property-based improvement districts in Downtown Long Beach. There are approximately 1,500 businesses in Downtown Long Beach, including several law firms given the proximity of the Los Angeles County Courthouse, as well as over 150 restaurants, wine bars, performing arts venues, and the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center. A complete and frequently updated business directory is available online at Downtown Long Beach Alliance's website.

The California State University system headquarters are at 401 Golden Shore in Downtown Long Beach.[6]

Revitalization Projects

Outdated office buildings that have reached the end of their competitive life-cycle are finding a new beginning as residential conversions.[7] In 2014 the city's Municipal Code provided for Adaptive Reuse, which is a "construction or remodeling project that reconfigures existing spaces, structures or buildings to accommodate a new use or to accommodate another purpose than what it was originally designed for."[8] The City created the Adaptive Reuse Incentive Program to guide developers through the process.[9] Re-purposing a building avoids demolition, sending the structure to landfills, while preserving the historic value and unique architecture of downtown Long Beach. Examples of buildings converted for reuse include the Verizon office building on 200 W. Ocean Blvd. in Long Beach which is changed into a mixed-use apartment building over retail.[10]

The Long Beach Professional Building, an eight story poured in place concrete Art Deco medical office tower constructed in 1929 and once in danger of being torn down,[11] was most recently renovated in 2018. The historic building is on the List of City of Long Beach Historic Landmarks and the California Office of Historic Preservation.[12] The building was accepted in 2005 into the National Register of Historic Places.[13] The restoration project was conducted by Global Premier Development and KTGY Architecture + Planning. The structure is now called The Regency Palms, an assisted living and memory care facility.[14]

Refer to the Downtown Update of the Long Beach Development Services for a presentation document showing completed, approved and pending projects.[15]

Transportation

The following are located in Long Beach's downtown area:

From 1902 to 1961, the neighborhood was served by the Pacific Electric Long Beach Line.

Education

Downtown Long Beach is within the Long Beach Unified School District.

Architecture

See also: List of City of Long Beach historic landmarks.

See also: East Village, Long Beach, California.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Downtown Shoreline Planned Development District (PD-6). lbds.longbeach.gov . City of Long Beach. 2014-06-18.
  2. Web site: Downtown Plan (PD-30). lbds.longbeach.gov. City of Long Beach. 2014-06-18.
  3. Web site: GOVERNANCE, LEGAL and VENUE FUNDING - Olympics Watch.
  4. "Post Office Location - DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH." United States Postal Service. Retrieved on December 6, 2008.
  5. Web site: Courthouses in Los Angeles County – Contacts and Locations – LA Court . www.lacourt.org . 17 June 2020.
  6. http://www.calstate.edu/ Home Page
  7. Web site: Transforming Downtown Long Beach: Converting Office Space To Living Space . Nahigyan . Pierce . 5 October 2018 . www.lbbusinessjournal.com . Long Beach Business Journal . 11 March 2019 .
  8. http://longbeach-ca.elaws.us/code/muco_voliii_title21_ch21.15_sec21.15.064.5 Long Beach Municipal Code Definition of Adaptive Reuse - eLaws.us
  9. http://www.lbds.info/civica/filebank/blobdload.asp?BlobID=4406 Long Beach Adaptive Reuse Incentive Program
  10. https://abc7.com/realestate/more-apartments-added-to-plan-for-long-beach-verizon-building/3748836/ More apartments added to plan for Long Beach Verizon building
  11. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-05-05-hl-54654-story.html Preservation: Lost Long Beach Landmarks
  12. http://ohp.parks.ca.gov/ListedResources/Detail/N2295 California Office of Historic Preservation
  13. https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/fc90a53a-baa6-4c64-a8f9-6c68ba1b4831 National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
  14. http://ktgy.com/work/regency-palms/ Regency Palms Renovation Information
  15. http://www.lbds.info/civica/filebank/blobdload.asp?BlobID=7493 2018 in Review, Downtown Plan Update