Downtown Long Beach

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Downtown Long Beach
Downtown Long Beach California Aerial.jpg
Aerial view of downtown Long Beach, California, looking southwest. San Pedro Bay and the Port of Long Beach are visible beyond, with Catalina Island faintly visible on the horizon.
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Downtown Long Beach
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Downtown Long Beach
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Downtown Long Beach
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Downtown Long Beach
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Downtown Long Beach
Coordinates: 33°46′20″N118°11′37″W / 33.7721°N 118.1935°W / 33.7721; -118.1935
Country Flag of the United States.svg United States
State California
County Los Angeles
City Long Beach

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

Contents

Location

Downtown Long Beach Long beach3.jpg
Downtown Long Beach
Golden Shore and Ocean Boulevard Downtown Long Beach, California 3 (6026494605).jpg
Golden Shore and Ocean Boulevard
Downtown Shoreline, 2009 City of Long Beach (3901409574) (2).jpg
Downtown Shoreline, 2009
Pine Avenue Downtown Core, Long Beach, CA, USA - panoramio (11).jpg
Pine Avenue
Dr. Rowan Building, constructed 1930 Dr. Rowan Building.jpg
Dr. Rowan Building, constructed 1930
Insurance Exchange Building Middough Brothers-Insurance Exchange Building.jpg
Insurance Exchange Building
Security Pacific National Bank Building, constructed 1924 Security Pacific National Bank Building.jpg
Security Pacific National Bank Building, constructed 1924
Farmers and Merchants Bank Office Tower, constructed 1922-1923 Farmers and Merchants Bank Office Tower.jpg
Farmers and Merchants Bank Office Tower, constructed 1922-1923
Pacific Tower, constructed 1923, Renaissance Revival architecture 205-215 Long Beach Blvd-Pacific Tower.jpg
Pacific Tower, constructed 1923, Renaissance Revival architecture
Walker Building, designed by Meyer & Holler 401 Pine-Walker Building.jpg
Walker Building, designed by Meyer & Holler
Californian Apartments 325 W Third-Californian Apts.jpg
Californian Apartments

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 [9] ). Alamitos Avenue roughly delimits downtown to the east, although the City's actual downtown zoning extends a few blocks east of Alamitos. [10] 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. [10]

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. [10]

Tourist attractions and shopping

Events

2028 Summer Olympics

During the 2028 Summer Olympics, downtown Long Beach will host BMX racing, water polo, triathlon and open water swimming. [11]

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. [14]

Revitalization Projects

Outdated office buildings that have reached the end of their competitive life-cycle are finding a new beginning as residential conversions. [15] 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." [16] The City created the Adaptive Reuse Incentive Program to guide developers through the process. [17] 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. [18]

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, [19] 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. [20] The building was accepted in 2005 into the National Register of Historic Places. [21] 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. [22]

Refer to the Downtown Update of the Long Beach Development Services for a presentation document showing completed, approved and pending projects. [23]

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

Related Research Articles

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References

  1. "Rowan Bradley Building". City of Long Beach.
  2. Van Dyke, Jonathan. "Downtown Security Pacific National Bank Converting To Condominums Above Federal Bar". www.Gazettes.com.
  3. "PCAD - Farmers and Merchants National Bank of Los Angeles, Office Building, Long Beach, CA". pcad.lib.washington.edu.
  4. Keller, Harvey. "Long Beach Treasures: Farmers and Merchants Bank". YouTube .
  5. "Pacific Tower". City of Long Beach.
  6. "PCAD - William Horace Austin Jr". pcad.lib.washington.edu.
  7. "Walker building". Loftway.
  8. "Municode Library". library.municode.com.
  9. "Downtown Shoreline Planned Development District (PD-6)". lbds.longbeach.gov. City of Long Beach. Retrieved 2014-06-18.
  10. 1 2 3 "Downtown Plan (PD-30)". lbds.longbeach.gov. City of Long Beach. Retrieved 2014-06-18.
  11. "GOVERNANCE, LEGAL and VENUE FUNDING - Olympics Watch" (PDF).
  12. "Post Office Location - DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH." United States Postal Service . Retrieved on December 6, 2008.
  13. "Courthouses in Los Angeles County – Contacts and Locations – LA Court". www.lacourt.org. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  14. Home Page. California State University . Retrieved on December 6, 2008.
  15. Nahigyan, Pierce (5 October 2018). "Transforming Downtown Long Beach: Converting Office Space To Living Space". www.lbbusinessjournal.com. Long Beach Business Journal. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  16. Long Beach Municipal Code Definition of Adaptive Reuse - eLaws.us
  17. Long Beach Adaptive Reuse Incentive Program
  18. More apartments added to plan for Long Beach Verizon building
  19. Preservation: Lost Long Beach Landmarks
  20. California Office of Historic Preservation
  21. National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
  22. Regency Palms Renovation Information
  23. 2018 in Review, Downtown Plan Update
  24. Edwards, Andrew (25 August 2016). "Former Edison building in downtown Long Beach converted to high-end apartments". Press Telegram.
  25. "PCAD - Tichenor, Adelaide M., House, Long Beach, CA". pcad.lib.washington.edu.