Update by Longbeachize Staff.
Monday, August 31, 2015: Developers of the in-construction Current Tower, which surpassed its halfway mark this past July, have officially announced at the $70M, 17-story residential tower will be open and leasing in April of next year.
The formerly empty lot that sits at Alamitos & Ocean, kitty-corner to the famed Villa Riviera, was a sight for sore eyes as the prime real estate was home to nothing but cars for years.AndersonPacific LLC, the developer leading the project, had initially proposed two towers, the Current on the west and the other—a massive 35 stories—on the east. It was initially proposed to construct the market-rate 35-story tower first but, following the economic and housing crisis of 2008, was switched, with the smaller tower breaking ground in March of 2014.
The Current will offer 223 luxury units, 6,750 sq. ft. of ground level retail space, and some 25,000 sq. ft. of plaza space that will include additional retail and amenities, as in the rendering of the plaza shown below.
Designed by San Francisco-based BAR Architects, the design is advertised by its creators as being inspired by SoCal modernists like Cliff May and Edward Killingsworth. The building, largely bisected by a tall fin, features alternating bays and terraces and multi-colored panels.
Units will be offered in four floor plans: studios, one bedrooms, two bedrooms, and penthouses.
March 19, 2014: The Current apartment tower, previously dubbed the Shoreline Gateway, is set to break ground this Friday and will welcome Long Beach’s first high-rise apartment complex in over a decade.
Located at the intersection of Ocean and Lime—its address will formally be 707 East Ocean—the $70M, 17-story design was ten years in the making after the property was purchased by AndersonPacific LLC (AP) in 2004.
“When we purchased this property, we had a very strong vision of what this area could become,” said Jim Anderson, CEO of AP. “It was to be a uniquely conceived project that would be a catalyst for the area: a walkable, iconic gateway to downtown, with green and public space, sensitive to the waterfront and environment. In short, we wanted to create something special for Long Beach that would contribute to the greater community–not just build a project.”
New to the public eye are the interiors of the units, created by El Segundo-based Rockefeller Partners Architects. Described as “a unique blend of cool, clean lines with warm, beach-inspired materials,” the units aim for contemporary with hints of mid-mod design to appeal to the inspiration behind the design.
After its completion, its accompanying sister tower will join the space behind The Current in the form of a massive, 35-story condominium tower that is expected to break ground in two years.
The building is slated to be completed in early 2016.
53 Comments
[…] action poppin’ down there: a 17-story mixed-user called The Current breaks ground on Friday reports Longbeachize, with 223 luxury units, 6,750 square feet of retail, and a 25,000-square-foot plaza that will […]
I hope they have some places parks etc where the community can walk through. A lot of these they just build right up to the sidewalk and have it closed off to public. They should have more mixed use with retail/ things to do on bottom instead of just a big residential development with not enough parking
I see they built the building right up to the sidewalk. Doesn’t the city monitor this and have codes for more open space? Also how about accessibility for walking through? The apartments and buildings that the Current now is in front of lost views and now how about access?
This is awful. Blocking our view and putting more useless un-affordable housing in the area. You better have your own parking because this area sucks royally now for residents. I guess they are trying to push out the lower to middle class out of this side of downtown. Look at all the other condos and so-called retail space after 5 years still empty because people don’t shop here. I hope this fails. Luxury units are useless here. We need housing and parking for people under $1000 a month. Good luck wasting your money no one wants to move here.
Complete waste of time and money. Long Beach doesn’t have the demographic to support this type of project. We are Long Beach, not Miami!
It gets so tiring listening to self loathers and doomsayers. Long Beach has a ton of momentum right now, project after project. Keep it moving.
Couldn’t agree with Kenny more.
AGREE!!
Let’s keep Long Beach moving! Idiot’s like the one that posted above saying Long Beach is not like Miami are the same idiot’s that’s slowed down growth in Santa Monica and Manhattan Beach which is now considered an amazing location to live. The main issue is the homeless population that continue to suck the resources and beauty of our city.
It’ s called gentrification and if you can’t afford it you will be pushed out.. Long Beach does not have rent control. You can’t expect to live right next to the ocean for under $1000 per month.
Actually, all that “un-affordable” housing you are talking about is being snapped up. Compared to LA or OC it’s a steal to live so close to the beach.
People dont shop here because it’s all caters to low-income resident who prefer shopping at Wallmart instead of supporting local business that cost a little more. Luxury units will bring in people who have higher disposable income, higher taste in goods and service, meaning higher demand for better retail.
Parking for renters one block from the beach at under $1,000 a month? Keep dreaming, where in California dose this fantasy place exist? Even Venice is a million dollar neighborhood.
So let’s put in low income housing so all of long beach becomes a gang infested, drug addicted urban crap hole. If you want rent for less then 1000 move up 7 whole blocks. There you go. The issue is if we want downtown long beach to be a new destination you have to wake up and smell reality. To many people in Long Beach are looking for a handout and that needs to stop. To many of us middle income people have to deal with the rude homeless idiots in downtown asking and following you around begging for change. Who wants to shop around that? We need more higher income residents. Look at the streets from Ocean to Willow, and then tell me we have to many high income housing. Nearly every street in that area 70% is low income. You can’t have an amazing downtown where more than 70% of the houseing is low income. WAKE UP! and sorry if its not the PC thing to say.
Forget the low income housing. I welcome this sort of thing to LB. We are definitely in an upswing. LB is being revitalized. They’re also building in other parts of downtown. We all just need to do our parts to keep our neighborhoods safe and keep the thugs to the north out of our neighborhoods
Yes it is time to clean up Long Beach.
Low income housing and rent control is bad for the community it ends up creating blight– places like compton, south central LA –all rent control and low income. It’s better to have a lot of owner-occupants or smaller buildings that owners improve to rent to descent mid-class people
I call this progress. Long Beach is a wonderful city, but needs to be cleaned Up. The downtown area can be trashy and if it takes money to do the job so be it.
Can they perhaps do something like the Promenad in downtown so that people can walk through.
I don’t mind luxury condos– I mean they own the land they should be able to sell for what they want as long as it’s within the parameters of city codes and they allow accessibility.
Do you expect them to just put a bunch of welfare units within a walk to the beach?
I couldn’t agree with you more! I’ve been living in Long Beach for 32 years and yet Long Beach is still trying to get rid of lower or middle class people when it comes to apartments! Let the rich stay richer and the poor stay poorer! And besides those apartments are design for people with 6 or 7 figure incomes, with jobs such as Doctors, Lawyers, Judges, Detectives the list goes on and on. I say Long Beach in general isn’t hurting for one Damn! Dime in this crumy ass town! And plus there are dozens of cities I rather live besides Long Beach.
What does having luxury apartments next to the beach have to do with having the poor stay poorer? Please take some economy classes before making fruitless comments. Having more luxury apartments will increase the amount of money in the city which will improve the entire neighborhood.
It is best for neighborhoods to have a mix of housing types which creates economically stable situation. If too may luxury condos are built they can be a problem if there are not enough people who can afford them in the future. The buildings are often empty for many years. The excess number of available units can cause the real estate selling prices to drop drastically due to the large supply. Luxury condos are very risky. It is better to have an affordable and filled area that provides enough residents to provide customers for businesses that are located nearby.
If you rather be in dozens other places, why are you here after 32 years? Do people really live in such narrow boxes for entire lifetimes? Wow. Get out. See the world. It’s a really dynamic place.
I lived in Long Beach for close to ten years during the 1990a. I returned to Sacramento , which is where I grew up, to be closer to my parents. I had heard that it was a ghetto and dangerous. I lived at Villa Riviera penthouse and at Galaxy Towers and never felt unsafe and never had a problem. I think people tend to display their racist tendencies when they describe LB. They see Black and Nexican people and they automatically feel in danger. The only violence and thug behavior I saw was viewing occasional beatings of Mexican residents by the police down by the beach. They were lined up, beaten and pushed in their cars and then let go. I would like to buy a condo down there. Its a beautiful city.. If you feel otherwise, then you should see other cities that look similar but have many detractions. For example, nearly all locations in the state s of Florida, North Carolina, Alabama.
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If you can’t afford it.. don’t buy it. At least it will block the view of blight for those of us in the International Tower
[…] poppin’ down there: a 17-story mixed-user called The Current breaks ground on Friday reports Longbeachize, with 223 luxury units, 6,750 square feet of retail, and a 25,000-square-foot plaza that will […]
[…] fact that their spiny structures were alluding to wind sails and lighthouses (but do little than mimic the residential tower being built down the way)… Despite a 16-story, 250 room hotel (which is what the whole design looked like: an oddly […]
Will it be a pet friendly building? 😉 Allowing ALL breeds and sizes?
I hope they ban all filthy dogs. Dogs should be left in the country. We really don’t want your dogs shitting and pissing in the hallways and elevators. No Dogs Please.
You should be hanged upside down and made to bleed to death for saying what you said about dogs. You should get the “f” out of town and go live in the country alone, by yourself.
My God. Thank you! Amen to that
I think this is the controversial building that is only allocating 1 parking place per unit. Which means, parking in the East Village Arts District and neighboring Alamitos Beach is going to be more horrific than it already is. Local residents are pretty bummed. 🙁
My understanding is that it is 1.5 parking spaces per unit, not 1…
Can someone explain to me how as a resident, you get “1.5” parking spaces. This makes no sense.
You don’t get one as a resident; each UNIT has a required 1.5 parking spaces to be built, which means that for every 2 units in the building, 3 spaces are required.
It’s an average. Especially in studio and 1 bedroom designs, some of us have only 1 car need. Others have 2.
It changed to one for one bed rooms and studios.
We fought the one parking space per unit at a hearing in City Hall. They told us to ride the bus, train, or ride a bike. I asked the City Council if anyone of them rode a bus, bike, or train to the meeting. No one said anything. Parking sucks in this area and it is now even worse. It is going to be really bad when the 35 story building goes up next door to this 17 story building.
I’m very excited about this project!! I want to live here!
I am very excited about this project! I live in a very nice place now (gallery 421), but I can’t wait to see what this new place will offer.
Long beach is loosing my faith in humanity. All I have left is North Division police dept. and the young paramedics to whom helped me in court on March 16, 2015. Thankyou, bedisides my 3 babies and my mother, your all I have left
I am stoked about the project! I just wish it catered to middle class a bit more. I am not poor but I can not afford a million dollar pad either, and long beach is my home! Now I pay 1050 a month, but if I could get into a building like this I would be willing to pay 1500-1800. Really though, I want to buy a property so my sights are set on signal hill! The view will never be blocked from up there! 🙂 I agree that Long Beach is on the upswing, and that is awesome. At the same time, with the city hall remodel and all that I think we do need to build a shelter or somewhere where the truly homeless people can go. NOT the slackers who want a hand out- I have no patience for them, but the truly crazy, couldn’t work if they wanted to, homeless people should have somewhere to go- because if not- they will just stay where they are and all of this will be done in vain….
I’ve read all your comments and I can see and understand all sides here. Many of you talk about Long Beach going through an upswing right now. I remember the Long Beach of the late 1960’s, and 1970’s! You talk about a funky, trashy city, it was then. I have seen remarkable changes to the city of Long Beach these last 40+ years that have made it a beautiful port city. This city has made a 180 degree change and improvement! It’s amazing! I moved to downtown about a year ago and absolutely love it! I have been watching The Current being built, and it’s exciting! I understand the anger for those of you losing a view. I understand the comments on this apt site being high rent, but like some of you said, so be it. It will bring in money to the downtown area, maybe more investments for small businesses by these renters, and I think this building will add to the already beautiful complexion of the downtown area! Every time I am walking around, I run into visiting people taking pictures of Ocean Blvd., and the gorgeous high rises and our views, commenting how lovely it is here, and close it is to the beach with such lovely views (especially if we can see CataliNa that day!). I feel proud to live in downtown and I welcome the new, contemporary building and a fresh new look across the street! I can’t wait to go in and tour it! Also, I agree with the person that commented we need more shelters for the homeless! Talk to our Mayor Robert Garcia, get involved in city issues, that’s how we make a real difference!
[…] Opening Date Announced for 17-Floor Tower in Long Beach (LongBeachize) […]
I’m confused as to this view that’s supposedly being ruined by the Current. Is it the view of the Villa Rivera? It certainly isn’t the view to the beach cause that’s obstructed by the other buildings, convention center, and port cranes.
That’s interesting and I reaffirmed the same last night. From the upper ramp at Vons, it is clear that this building is dwarfed by the’older’ buildings that prevent any real view for The Current. If there is a 35-sorry, that might change. But THIS building also has no real view of the beach area.
I wonder how much the rents will be?
Open houses start on Wednesday, 06 April. Stop in and see.
I don’t understand why anyone would want to pay that much money to rent a place me and my husband are middle class earners until I graduate and can add to our income we we’re excited about this built but after looking up the going price for the newly built lofts on 6th street where they have a 2bdrm listed at $2700/mo I’m sure it’ll be double for a place at the current and I just don’t see how long beach has the draw for that type of clientele … They’re not enough jobs here most people with deep pockets want to live closer to the studios and Hollywood area but we’ll see I think we will eventually move out of California I love it here but I would feel like a financial idiot to pay that much money towards something I won’t ever own….
Awesome post Brian, this is very exciting!
This is the type of development LB needs to boost the local economy. Young professionals want luxury and status in the ideal location and this is it! I can see this building attracting the type on consumer DTLB needs. I see this boosting local shopping, nightlife, and buzz around DTLB. I would love to learn more about anything relating to this.
So, they are going to lease (rent) the units, not sell them? I agree with Steve, gentrification is under way in Downtown Long Beach, much like what Downtown Los Angeles is doing.
Th problem with buildings like The Current, is they don’t take into consideration the city and immediate area around them.
they should focus on keeping the area open, mixed use so that there are things to do, and ample parking that is affordable.
Putting this many units into one busy corner at Alamitos/Ocean, will have a lot of impact all around– crowding, blocked views, inaccessibility.
It used to be an open space that people could walk through. Now it will be closed off.
Long Beach is notorious for not planning well as far as impact of large multi units on immediate areas.
The Current should do things to incorporate the site into the community. Not close it off and create access issues
I work across the street from The Current and so far it looks pretty interesting with lots of outside terraces populated by lots of people on any sunny day, but whoa! What’s this! Last night the building was brightened by strips of purple neon and tonight there are red lights at each corner of the roof. Did the city of LB allow this? Somebody out there must know something.
Gentrification us the stupidest thing ever. Your pushing people out of the city that have lived here for longer than you’ve been alive, yet you walk down the street looking at them as if they don’t belong. You supporters of this make me sick and I’m tired of seeing your faces in this city. I don’t care how high the rent goes, me and family are staying here.
[…] shelf and brought into reality. Now, the second phase of the project—just after completion of the $70M, 17-story Current tower—will become more tangible as the group developing the new 35-story face the Planning Commission […]