Photo source: North Village Center draft EIR

Mr. Beck's agendizing memo identifies the applicant/developer as "North Long Beach Partners, LLC," [which we presume is accurate]...which LBReport.com has learned is an entity comprised of Civic Enterprise and AMCAL. Those two entities are both publicly disclosed clients of Murchison Consulting, the government-relations firm owned/operated by Mike Murchison.

Murchison Consulting's website lists Civic Enterprise and AMCAL among its clients (the webpage has a typo misspelling AMCAL as "Amocal"). The Redevelopment Agency's 2008 Year End report (the most recent full year available) identifies "Civic/Amcal" as the developer. The 2009 EIR identifies the project applicant as "North Long Beach Partners LLC c/o Civic Enterprise Development LLC" and the Secretary of State's website displays the same address for North LB Partners, LLC as AMCAL.

Virtually none of the information is secret; it's very public...although to our knowledge LBReport.com is the first LB media outlet to report the items as newsworthy. [The draft EIR's conclusion re re-use as the superior enviro alternative has been reported elsewhere, but to our knowledge RDA management's failure to acknowledge this in agendizing the item has not.]

In a recent series of the stories, Press-Telegram.com reported that Mr. Beck (who is simultaneously Director of City Hall's Planning Bureau) has vacationed and taken other trips with Mr. Murchison and the paper said the two have been friends for some time. The PT also reported that City Manager Pat West is looking into the matter and City Attorney Bob Shannon is preparing a report for City Manager (no allegations of illegality to date in connection with the trips).

The draft EIR (proposed for RDA Board certification) says demolishing the Theater for a mixed use project with mitigation (documenting and preserving some parts of the demolished building) would accomplish the project as proposed by the developer...but also states that retaining and reusing the Theater -- which qualifies for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places -- is the superior environmental alternative.

6.4 ENVIRONMENTALLY SUPERIOR ALTERNATIVE

...[T]he Historic Resources Preservation alternative would be considered environmentally superior, as it would avoid significant impacts related to historic resources and land use and planning, and would incrementally reduce impacts related to traffic, noise, air quality and other issue areas due to the slight reduction in commercial space. This alternative would generally meet the project objectives, although slightly less commercial space would be constructed.

Source: North Village Center Draft EIR, p. 6-11.

This finding is omitted by RDA Director Beck's memo/agendized report to the RDA Board decisionmakers.

To view RDA management's memo in its entirety as presented to the decisionmaking Board and signed by Mr. Beck, click here

The proposed project includes up to 61 units of multi-family housing in a mix of row houses, courtyard units, and units built atop ground floor non-residential space; up to 36,000 sq. ft of commercial retail space, including restaurant space, oriented primarily toward Atlantic Avenue; and a public library and community center totaling approximately 30,000 square feet on the eastern side of Atlantic Ave...the side on which the Theater is.

At an October 2009 meeting of the North LB Community Action Group, a city staffer said the west side of the project (not affecting the Theater) would be built first...and indicated that city staff and the developer are having discussions about the eastern (Theater) side.

Certification of the EIR had been scheduled for November...but was re-scheduled for December...and when it re-appeared on the December agenda, it was coupled with an RDA management request to approve the Theater's demolition.

RDA Board Certification of the Environmental Impact Report and a Board decision to authorize demolition of the Theater, are two legally separate actions; the RDA Board could certify the EIR with or without authorizing the Theater's demolition, now or later.

Civic Enterprise Associates, LLC, officed in the Mt. Washington section of Los Angeles, states on its website:

Successful real estate projects are solid economic investments as well as anchors for community revitalization. CEA's planning expertise creates a deeper understanding of the communities in which it builds and helps aligns the company's interests with those of the neighborhood. By building trust within communities and constructing projects that respect their context, CEA helps assure the success of its real estate developments and the neighborhoods in which they are built.

What is CEA's Vision?

• Untapped Value -- Existing urban neighborhoods have social and physical qualities that developers and cities often spend a great deal of energy, time and money to recreate in newer developments. CEA understands that this authentic character has real value, and it is the centerpiece of all CEA projects.

• The In-Place Community -- Neighborhood revitalization is only truly successful when it benefits existing property owners, residents, business owners and workers. CEA's plans and projects facilitate participation by the in-place stakeholders in their own neighborhood's revitalization. This means infrastructure serves the broader community, households of various age and income can afford to live in the neighborhood, and business and property owners of all sizes can make more effective investments in their future.

• Understanding Context -- Successful revitalization requires intimate knowledge of a community. By more fully understanding the history, forces, people, places and aspirations of a neighborhood, CEA sees opportunities others often miss. Through its ability to recognize, analyze and understand what matters in a community, CEA can capitalize on the existing points of value that will anchor a neighborhood's revitalization.

AMCAL's website says in pertinent part:

In addition to affordable rental multi-family and senior housing, AMCAL Multi-Housing, Inc. is focused on the development of low-to-moderate income "for sale" condominiums, zero lot line single-family homes and townhouses. From 2002 to 2006, AMCAL was among the highest recipients of Federal Tax Credits in California, amounting to $225,000,000. These credits funded 21 affordable developments throughout the state. AMCAL has 1,600 units in development (of which 1,100 are under construction). These developments are located in Los Angeles, Maywood, San Fernando Valley, Palmdale, Victorville, Coachella, Brawley, San Diego, Central Valley, Sacramento and Oakland.

The EIR states that to accomplish the project goals set by the developer includes demolishing the Theater, which the EIR says can be mitigated by documenting and preserving some of its remnants...but the EIR also says the Theater could be saved and reused, with a relatively small reduction in commercial/retail space (36,000 sq ft. to 30,000 sq. ft)...and calls this the superior environmental alternative.

[EIR text]...5870-74 Atlantic Avenue. The property was constructed for Ivan C. Hanson in 1940 as the Atlantic Theatre Building. The ground was broken for construction in April 1941 and the building was finished in May 1942. The building was designed by the Los Angeles and Kansas City architectural firm of Carl Heinrich Boller. Shortly after its founding, the firm was expanded to include Robert Otto Boller, and became to be known as Boller Brothers, recognized for their expertise in theater design. Carl Boller relocated to Southern California and in addition to this property, his firm is credited with designs for the Inglewood Theatre (Inglewood, 1922), Ritz Theatre (Long Beach, 1924), Largo Theatre (Watts, 1924), Corona Theater (Corona, 1929), and Stadium Theater (Los Angeles, 1931). The firm also designed theaters in Montrose, Santa Ana, and Covina.

The property at 5870-74 Atlantic Avenue consists of a one and two-story reinforced concrete commercial building and theater with a rectangular plan located on a corner parcel. The primary (western) elevation on Atlantic Avenue consists of a one-story commercial storefront wrapping the corner of 59th Street. The storefront features a band of display windows above a low bulkhead with a shallow projecting canopy above. The upper façade consists of a featureless parapet. The parapet steps upward to the south to meet the two-story western elevation of the theater. The street elevation of the theater is characterized by curved walls forming a deeply inset semi-circular forecourt that features a terrazzo floor. The upper façade features narrow vertical reveals and a projecting marquee. The primary architectural feature of the theater is the tower, which is characterized by stepped vertical fins terminating in an open metal-frame diamond-shaped lighting element set on a hexagonal base. The architectural style of the building is Moderne.

The design integrity of the property is generally good. Apparent alterations include the replacement or alteration of the original theater marquee in 1977 with a marquee that is evidently smaller than the original. A fountain located at the front of the forecourt replaced a freestanding ticket booth. The commercial storefront is somewhat altered, including the removal or enclosure of transom windows over the display windows and the removal of stepped fluted pylons that projected above the top of the parapet. This latter alteration is more significant, as this design element was originally intended to reinforce the verticality of the tower. The integrity of setting for the property is substantially diminished due to the loss of much of the historically related commercial and residential area.

A 2006 Jones & Stokes survey completed for the City of Long Beach Redevelopment Agency, Community Development Department found this property to be potentially eligible for the NRHP as the structure embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction, represents the work of a master, possesses high artistic values or represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction (Criterion C). The structure embodies notable characteristics of the Art Deco style and is associated with a nationally recognized master architect of theatre design, Carl Boller. At the time, the City of Long Beach Redevelopment Agency and Community Development

Department staff and the City of Long Beach Cultural Heritage Board reviewed and approved Jones & Stokes’ assessment of 5870-74 Atlantic Avenue...

This property [5870-74 Atlantic Ave.] appears to be eligible for the NRHP [National Register of Historic Places] under Criterion C as a building designed by the Boller Brothers, recognized for their expertise in theater design, and as a scarce remaining example of monumental commercial architecture of the period.

The integrity of location for this property is intact; it is located on the site of which it was originally constructed. The property’s design criterion is generally good as alterations and replacements have occurred. Examples include the replacement of the original theater marquee in 1977 with a smaller marquee than the original. Also, the fountain located at the front of the forecourt replaced a freestanding ticket booth. Finally, the commercial storefront is somewhat altered, including the removal or enclosure of transom windows over the display windows and the removal of stepped fluted pylons which projected above the top of the parapet. This alteration is the most significant as this design element was originally intended to reinforce the verticality of the tower. The property’s integrity of feeling and association has been diminished due to the loss of much of the historically related commercial and residential area.

This property appears to maintain integrity required for it to be eligible for listing on the NRHP. Therefore, it should be regarded as an historic resource for the purpose of CEQA.

The draft EIR assesses the following alternative...which would preserve and reuse the building and "meet most of the objectives of the proposed project":

6.3 HISTORIC RESOURCES PRESERVATION ALTERNATIVE

This alternative involves adaptive reuse of the eligible historic properties (5870-74 Atlantic Avenue and 635 South Street). The adaptive reuse program would be conducted consistent with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation. Land uses would be generally the same as for the proposed project; the site would be designed and programmed around and with the historic structures to result in roughly the same amount of residential and institutional space. Commercial space would be slightly reduced (by 6,000 square feet for a total of 30,000 square feet) as there would be less area available for two-story development (please see Table 6- 1 for the basic characteristics of this alternative). The 635 South Street building would be renovated for commercial space and the Atlantic Theater building would be adapted for reuse either as a portion of the library and community center or for commercial use...This alternative would meet most of the objectives of the proposed project and would avoid the significant impact to historic resources that would result from implementation of the proposed project.

6.3.1 Aesthetics

...[T]he development’s appearance and massing at street level would be similar to the proposed project, although slightly reduced at the locations of the historic structures. Changes to the site would have less visual impact as the two historic structures would be rehabilitated for adaptive reuse. Thus, impacts associated with the change to the visual character of the site would be reduced, and would be less than significant...

6.3.3 Cultural Resources

...The historic Atlantic Theater would be adapted for reuse as the library and community center or for commercial use and 635 South Street would be adaptively reused for commercial space. Therefore, this alternative would avoid the significant and unavoidable impacts to historic resources associated with the proposed project. Impacts associated with this alternative would be less than significant and mitigation would not be required.

6.3.7 Land Use and Planning

Impacts related to land use and planning would be reduced for this alternative in comparison with the proposed project. The significant and unavoidable impact related to potential inconsistency with historic resource preservation policies would be avoided, as this alternative would not involve demolition of the historic structures. All other land use and planning impacts associated with this alternative would be similar to those associated with the proposed project and would be less than significant.

On the proposed project's environment aspects, the draft EIR states:

6.4 ENVIRONMENTALLY SUPERIOR ALTERNATIVE

...Among the other alternatives being considered, the Historic Resources Preservation alternative would be considered environmentally superior, as it would avoid significant impacts related to historic resources and land use and planning, and would incrementally reduce impacts related to traffic, noise, air quality and other issue areas due to the slight reduction in commercial space. This alternative would generally meet the project objectives, although slightly less commercial space would be constructed.

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