The Redevelopment of the Redondo Beach Pier.

Hello Everyone:

Welcome to the start of the week.  Today, I'd like to talk about the proposed redevelopment of the Redondo Beach Pier in Redondo Beach, California.  At the beginning of this year, the Mayor of Redondo Beach, Mike Gin announced a Request for Qualifications for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to develop an area of over 15-acres of oceanfront land and on the city's Waterfront.  This is a major milestone for the city's comprehensive Waterfront Revitalization project.  The redevelopment area will include 150,000 square feet of existing building area, with up to 400,000 square feet of net new development.  The RFQ is part of a broader revitalization program that will include targeted upgrades of public and private spaces across the Waterfront from the pier to King Harbor.  The first phase is scheduled to be completed by August 11th.  The enhancements to be completed by the August 11th deadline include major improvements to existing facilities: new paving, landscape, lighting, furnishings, and a new Harbor Patrol facility.  The revitalization program is expected to last several years and generate jobs.  Additionally, RDR Properties (http://www.redondochamber.org/Real-Estate/RDR-Properties-229) will undertake a historic remodel of the 32,000-square foot Redondo Landing Building, updating the facade and amenities, spearheaded by Robert D. Resnick, the master leaseholder of the Landing and President of RDR Properties.  Additional redevelopment includes "vintage-inspired" renovations to the Pier structures and a complete upgrade and a complete upgrade and vintage architectural makeover for the The Seaside Lagoon, the iconic Redondo Beach saltwater swimming facility. (http://www.redondobeachwaterfront.org/blog/city-redondo-beach-announces-rfq-part-multi-phase-waterfront-revitalization)

I first read about this project in yesterday's Los Angeles Times and recalled spending a few fun evenings with my then bf and friends.We'd go to the arcade and play some of the old-school games, have dinner, watch the fishermen, walk around and go home.  One of my favorite places was this fish market where all types of seafood were laid out in open-air displays where the customer could select a tasty morsel for dinner and have it prepared while waiting.  What I recall the most was how sad the Redondo Beach and King Harbor were, especially after the winter of 1988 when a fierce storm and lightening-induced fires destroyed a large part of the pier.  After that, it seemed that all the life got sucked out of the place.  Then, as if to add further injury, seeking a way to finance reconstruction of King Harbor, the city auctioned off control of the pier into separate leases.  This left shopkeepers with little incentive to make any sort of investment in their plots without knowing their neighbors' intentions.  Even more injurious, city of Redondo Beach razed its downtown area to make room for high-rise condominiums choking off pier and beach access.  Of all the stupid, misguided ideas.  Destroying a downtown area for a bunch condominiums.  I've seen fruits of this sheer act of idiocy, those buildings aren't even worth a second or third look. (http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-redondo-waterfront-20130609,0,3967958?)

 The long-lost glamour of the Redondo Beach Pier and King Harbor is finally set to get a $300-million plus redevelopment that will bring a market hall, local shops and restaurants, Water features, a boutique hotel with beach access, an 600-800 seat theater for movies and live performances, the renovated Seaside Lagoon which would be kept open year-round, and better bicycle and pedestrian access to the waterfront.  Leading the cause is Fred Bruning, the chief executive of Centercal Properties, a long time South Bay resident.  Mr. Bruning is determined to restore the glory days of the pier with a sentimental but shrewd approach.  Like his fellow South Bay residents, Mr. Bruning is keenly aware of past revitalization efforts which resulted in a citizen's revolt that rippled through the community for years afterwards.

The previous effort, known as Heart of the City, sputtered when Redondo Beach residents vehemently opposed the size and density of the project that would have allowed as many as 3,000 new homes and fifteen acres of commercial space along the waterfront.  When the city tried to move forward in 2002, a citizens' petition initiative garnered thousands of signatures to force a vote on the issue.  Rather, than put the issue to a vote, city officials abandoned the matter.  However, voters adopted stricter guidelines on future waterfront development and required voter approval on most zoning changes.  The resentment and bitterness lingers a decade later.

When Mr. Bruning first met with the public, many were suspicious of his efforts but Mr. Bruning was able to make believers out of some of skeptics.  Among the skeptics was Nadine Meissner, who lives in one of the waterfront condominiums (the irony) and founded a group called Residents for Appropriate Development.  Ms. Meissner was impressed by Mr. Bruning's outreach efforts.  The theme of the meetings has been inclusion and collaboration.  Excellant approach to (re)development and inclusion and collaboration of local residents is a key point of the preservation of community assets.  However, Mr. Bruning is clear about the fact that he wants to rethink most of this beloved landmark.

Although the concrete pier will remain intact, much of the existing buildings will have to be demolished and rebuilt to make room for upscale retailers or a art-house movie theater.  The City Council will still have to vote on the finalized plan in late July with the environmental review later in the year.  Further, the city will have to tackle such issues as how to phase the construction with minimum effect on local businesses, whether it is eligible for federal or state grants to help offset some of the costs, and how rents for longtime businesses will be affected.

In the short term, it sounds like the proposed redevelopment is off to a good start.  What remains to be seen is how it will perform over the long term.  As with any ambitious project, sometimes things have a way of going array.  I'm not trying to sound like a wet blanket, I'm just jumping on the bandwagon right away.  If Mr. Bruning is diligent about collaboration and inclusion, then the project, over the long haul, will be successful.  Hopefully, Mr. Bruning's efforts will mollify any citizens' suspicions.  Then, off course, there is the question of who will drive down or up to the Redondo Beach Pier and King Harbor?  By that I mean, what will attract visitors?  Interestingly, a quick check of the California State Office of Historic Preservation and the National Historic Preservation Trust revealed that neither resource has been landmarked.  I say interestingly because it opens the question of what is the full extent of Centercal and RDR Properties' plans for the site?  The question is how the project will interact with the surrounding area?  Much remains to be seen.