Downtown Long Beach

Downtown Long Beach.

Downtown Long Beach as seen from the dock of Queen Mary.

Downtown Long Beach at night.

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.[2]

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.[2]

• Aquarium of the Pacific
• Catalina Express – boats to Catalina Island
• East Village Arts District
• Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center
• Terrace Theater
• Long Beach Sports Arena (which has one of Wyland's Whaling Walls)
• Long Beach Plaza – shopping
• Museum of Latin American Art
• The Pike – shopping
• Pine Avenue — restaurants and nightclubs
• Queen Mary – historic ship, hotel, restaurants & conventions (nearby)
• Rainbow Harbor – shopping and restaurants
• Shoreline Village – shopping and restaurants

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]

• Long Beach Rescue Mission
• Long Beach World Trade Center
• Port of Long Beach (nearby)
• Molina Healthcare

Outdated office buildings that have reached the end of their competitive life-cycle are finding a new beginning as residential conversions.[7] In 2014 the city's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]

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

• A transit center of Long Beach Transit (bus)
• The southern terminus of Metro Rail's A Line: Downtown Long Beach Station (Transit Mall Station)
• The southern end of Interstate 710 (Long Beach Freeway)
• Bus service of Greyhound Lines, Amtrak Thruway, Torrance Transit, LADOT, and LACMTA

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

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

• Breakers Hotel (200-220 E. Ocean Blvd.)
• The Edison Building (100 Long Beach Blvd.)
• International Tower (700 E. Ocean Blvd.)
• Ocean Center Building (110 W. Ocean Blvd.)
• Ocean Club (1310 E. Ocean Blvd.)
• Tichenor House (Greene and Greene) (852 E. Ocean Blvd.)
• Villa Riviera (800 E. Ocean Blvd.)