The Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles, California
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THE COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY OF THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA FIVE-YEAR IMPLEMENTATION PLAN [HEALTH & SAFETY CODE SECTION 33490] (FY2000 – FY2004) FOR BEACON STREET REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT MARCH 15, 2001 I. BACKGROUND AND INTRODUCTION The Beacon Street Redevelopment Project is located in the community of San Pedro, situated between the Palos Verdes hills and the main channel of the Los Angeles Harbor. The Los Angeles Harbor is the third largest international shipping port and container cargo terminal in the world (after Singapore and Hong Kong), currently moving 7.1 million cargo containers annually. The 60-acre Project Area encompasses sixteen (16) blocks generally bounded by the Southern Pacific Railroad right-of-way along Harbor Boulevard on the east, Seventh and Fifth Streets on the south, Centre and Mesa Streets on the west and Second and Third Streets on the north. The project area’s topography gently slopes downward from its western boundary at Mesa Street, approximately 80 feet above sea level, to its eastern border along Harbor Boulevard, about 15 feet above sea level. The Redevelopment Project was initially adopted by the Los Angeles City Council on April 21, 1969 to reverse the “skid row” type conditions of a physically blighted and economically depressed seaport town. The once thriving maritime commerce in San Pedro had declined dramatically after World War II. In 1969, Beacon Street was a deteriorated slum. Streets were dotted with vacant, boarded-up stores. The majority of remaining businesses were pawnshops, transient hotels, bars, and liquor stores. There were inadequate affordable housing opportunities for low- and moderate-income families. Port-related commerce was at a minimum and the waterfront was not being utilized to its potential. In a 1968 structural survey, 92 percent of the 217 buildings within the project area were determined to be structurally substandard and beyond rehabilitation. The Community Redevelopment Agency was called upon to eliminate blight through land assembly, foster new economic growth both locally and overseas and implement specific roadway and sidewalk improvements in order to create a new business and civic center environment that would promote tourism and Beacon Street Redevelopment Project March 15, 2001 Proposed Five-Year Implementation Plan (FY2000-2004) Page 1 benefit from waterfront activities. A total of 209 individually owned parcels were acquired for redevelopment activities. The Plan was amended on February 22, 1971; August 29, 1980; and December 17, 1986. Over the years, a San Pedro Community Development Advisory Committee (CDAC) had been established by the local Councilperson to provide input and guidance, particularly to residential relocation and replacement housing activities of the Agency. The CDAC is called upon when needed by the local Council person. II. SPECIFIC GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE AGENCY FOR THE PROJECT AREA AND HOW THEY WILL HELP TO ELIMINATE BLIGHT IN THE PROJECT AREA A. Redevelopment Plan Goals Identified below are the goals and objectives of the Beacon Street Redevelopment Plan which provide the basis in developing the Annual Budget and Work Program. 1. The elimination and prevention of the spread of blight and deterioration and the renewal, redevelopment, and restoration of the project to the extent permitted by law and specified in the Redevelopment Plan. 2. The removal of structurally substandard buildings, to permit the return of the Project area land to economic use and new construction. 3. The elimination of certain environmental deficiencies, including among others, inadequate street layout; overcrowding or improper location of structures on land; conversions to incompatible types of uses, obsolete building types; detrimental land uses or conditions, such as incompatible uses, and structures in mixed use; unsafe, congested, poorly designed, or otherwise deficient streets; inadequate public utilities or community facilities contributing to unsatisfactory living conditions or economic decline, and other equally significant environmental deficiencies. 4. The provision of land for needed public facilities within a proposed Civic Center area. 5. The achievement of changes in land use through the development of a new pedestrian connection between the Central Business District and the waterfront and the further provision for new water oriented commercial development in the Project area. Beacon Street Redevelopment Project March 15, 2001 Proposed Five-Year Implementation Plan (FY2000-2004) Page 2 6. The removal of impediments to land disposition and development through the assembly of land into reasonably sized and shaped parcels served by an improved street system and improved public facilities. 7. The achievement of an environment reflecting a high level of concern for architectural and urban design principles. 8. The expansion of employment opportunities in the Community. 9. The creation of new sites for residential development and the provision of a substantial number of housing units for families with low to moderate incomes. B. How the Goals and Objectives Will Help to Eliminate Blight The enumerated redevelopment goals established in 1969 continue to be applicable today, more than 30 years later. Redevelopment efforts have produced affordable housing for very low-, low- and moderate-income families, removal of structurally sub-standard buildings, changes in land use to encourage new port related commercial uses, provision of land for needed public facilities, and expansion of employment opportunities. Redevelopment activities have transformed the once physically and economically deteriorated, high-crime area of San Pedro into a modern downtown community with the potential to become an upscale, regional tourist and visitor destination. III. SUMMARY OF PAST ACCOMPLISHMENTS A. Summary of Accomplishments from 1969 to the Present 1. Housing a. New Construction To date, a total of 303 rental housing units have been developed with Agency assistance, all of which are affordable to low- and moderate-income Individuals. These consist of Harbor Towers, 180 units affordable to low-income seniors; Verdes del Oriente, 113 units available to low- and moderate-income families and New Hope Courtyard Apartments, 10 units affordable to very low-, low- and moderate-income persons and designed to accommodate physically handicapped or critically ill persons with AIDS. Beacon Street Redevelopment Project March 15, 2001 Proposed Five-Year Implementation Plan (FY2000-2004) Page 3 Project New Hope is located outside of the Project area at 1124 S. Palos Verdes Street in San Pedro. b. Residential Rehabilitation Outside the Project Area. The Agency assisted in the conversion of the Don Hotel located at 105 East “I” Street in Wilmington. This 127 room residential hotel was converted into 57 one-bedroom units affordable to very low-income senior citizens. 2. Public Improvements and Open Space Third, Fifth, Sixth and Centre Streets and Harbor Boulevard were widened and improved to provide an adequate street layout for increased commercial growth and development. Fifth Street was realigned and Sixth Street was reconstructed to enhance pedestrian use. New street lighting, street trees and storm drains were installed throughout the Project area. Open space improvements include the John S. Gibson, Jr. Park, American Merchant Marine Veterans Memorial and a landscaped public plaza lined with shade trees adjacent to San Pedro City Hall. 3. Commercial Development and Government Facilities More than 580,000 square feet of commercial and port-related office space has been developed, including the 122,000 square foot Port of Los Angeles Administrative Office Building at 425 S. Palos Verdes Street and 29,500 square foot Port of LA Plaza and World Tot Childcare Center at 100 W. Fifth Street. Major redevelopment accomplishments have also included the 232-room Sheraton San Pedro Peninsula Hotel and the 275,000 square foot Pacific Place office building and its adjacent 785-space parking structure. The attached Development Status map identifies and locates commercial office and retail developments completed since inception of the Project. 4. Historic Preservation of Benefit to Downtown San Pedro In an effort to enhance the cultural diversity of the San Pedro community and reinvigorate its Downtown retail corridors along Fifth and Sixth Streets, the Agency completed acquisition, with federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, of two properties containing architecturally and historically significant structures. These properties are located a very short distance outside of the project area and are significant because they contribute to the San Pedro Commercial District, an area eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. They were later Beacon Street Redevelopment Project March 15, 2001 Proposed Five-Year Implementation Plan (FY2000-2004) Page 4 conveyed to the City of Los Angeles for renovation, operation and cultural programming. a. The Warner Grand Theater, located at 478 West Sixth Street, was built in 1931 by Warner Brothers Pictures in the tradition of grand movie palaces of its day. It is one of the last remaining examples of a neighborhood picture palace containing 18,750 square feet with a fifty-foot high ceiling. It was declared a cultural historic monument by the City in 1982 and in January 1999, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Agency purchased the historic property in 1996 under the direction of the