Downtown Long Beach Walmart (E. 5th St.) To Close In Less Than Two Weeks
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(Jan. 15, 2016) -- Walmart has announced it will close its downtown LB location -- 151 E 5th St. -- effective Jan. 28, 2016 (closure date for the public.)
The company is closing 269 of its stores globally (154 in the U.S.) and a company release indicates the downtown LB closure has the distinction [if we can call it that] of being among only 52 of the company's stores closing in the U.S. that aren't "Walmart Express" locations (pilot program since 2011.)
A company release states: "In October 2015, the company said an active review of the portfolio was underway to ensure assets were aligned with strategy. Today's action follows a thorough review of Walmart's nearly 11,600 worldwide stores that took into account a number of factors, including financial performance as well as strategic alignment with long-term plans."
Also among the company closures is its location in Hawaiian Gardens at 12120 Carson St.; the ELB Towne Center location is NOT among stores listed for closure.
[Scroll down for further.]
Previously, Nordstrom Rack left the downtown location and resurfaced near 2nd/PCH. Albertsons also left CityPlace and was replaced by an El Super ("cuesta menos") while SE LB got a Gelsons.
[11:50 a.m. Update] 1st dist. Councilwoman Lena Gonzalez has issued a statement stating in part:
I will be working with Tony Shoshooni, owner of City Place, Mayor Robert Garcia and local downtown community members for ideas of a possible replacement for this loss. According to Walmart, this store closure is one of 269 locatons that are closing globally. Rest assured that the 300 employees will be offered jobs at nearby locations." [end update]
Some area residents blamed the downtown Walmart for various ills, including crime and nuisances. However the counter-argument is that other areas have Walmarts (including ELB's thriving Towne Center) and they don't attract what residents and shoppers complained about in that portion of LB's 1st Council district which includes some areas disproportionately crime impacted compared to other parts of Long Beach and other nearby cities.
On September 2, 2015, city officials and the City Place owner held a press event to announce what they called the "repurposing and repositioning" of City Place Long Beach (artist renderings and release reproduced below.)
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The 1st Council district was represented until mid-June 2014 by now-Mayor Robert Garcia, who recommended budgets that brought LB taxpayers the largest reduction in citywide deployable police officers within five years in the over 100 year history of the City, including eliminating LBPD's former field anti-gang unit. On taking office as Mayor, Garcia recommended budgets in 2014 and 2015 that continued those levels, approved without dissent by the Council, including LB's now 1st district Councilmember (Garcia's former Council office field rep) Lena Gonzalez. (The adjacent downtown 2nd district has been represented since 2006 by Suja Lowenthal, exiting in mid-July 2016.)
On December 15, 2015 the Council voted (without dissent -- and with the enthusiastic support of downtown Council reps Gonzalez and Lowenthal plus Mayor Garcia -- for a Civic Center transaction that will require LB taxpayers citywide to pay annual escalating sums (CPI inflator) for over 40 years without the City having sought bids for a more modest City Hall seismic retrofit (that would require voter approval for a fixed cost financing bond.)
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A week later on December 22, in connection with an item agendized to discuss what it called citywide infrastructure needs, the Council asked the City Manager to return early in 2016 with ways to increase revenue [a common euphemism for proposing tax hikes.]
In his Jan. 13, 2016 "State of the City" message, Mayor Garcia asked the Council to work with him to restore LBPD's South Division...which Garcia voted to eliminate in the FY13 budget by consolidating it (as a cost saving measure) with LBPD's West Division. The action effectively saved a Commander's salary plus separate office staff...and LBPD management told the public at the time that this wouldn't affect sworn officer staffing. "The officers previously assigned to the South Division will deploy out of the West Division Substation at 1835 Santa Fe Avenue instead of Police Headquarters in downtown Long Beach," said an October 2012 LBPD release.
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Below are artist renderings of the "repurposed/repositioned" CityPlace announced in Sept. 2015 with an accompanying release (in full).
Promenade view looking north at 3rd St.
Promenade view looking south at 4th St.
Third St. looking west from LB Blvd.
Third St. looking west from the Promenade
Below is the verbatim text of a September 2, 2015 release announcing the "repurposing and repositioning" of CityPlace.
[CityPlace release text] (September 02, 2015) --- City Place Long Beach officials today announced the repurposing and repositioning of City Place Long Beach to begin immediately. The nearly 4-year, 3-phase, multi-million dollar project will transform Downtown Long Beach. Studio One Eleven, architects and urbanists, led the urban design and facade improvements. In collaboration with P+R Architects, they also designed the interiors for the development.
Leading the project announcement was Tony Shooshani, owner's representative for City Place Long Beach; Dr. Robert Garcia, Mayor, City of Long Beach; Lena Gonzalez, 1st District Councilwoman, City of Long Beach; and Michael Bohn, Senior Principal at Studio One Eleven. Special appreciation was extended to Pat West, City Manager, City of Long Beach.
The first phase of the project focuses on the areas from Third Street between Pine Avenue and Long Beach Boulevard, and Promenade North between Third Street and Fourth Street. Harvey Milk Park will also play a great role in the new district. The project will build on the existing foundation and make it better by integrating into the adjacent downtown, and eventually repurpose the eight-block area into a vibrant mixed-use district featuring a hub of unique restaurants, businesses and retail for all the residents of Long Beach to enjoy.
New dining spaces will include three restaurants lining the entrance to Promenade North on Third Street. The project aims to establish a creative district consciously diverging from the City Place shopping center and aligning itself with the energy and development trends that are taking place to the south of the site.
"The Downtown area is flourishing with new activity and growth. We made every effort to create the right balance of work, eat and play that will enhance the existing surroundings and appeal to today's audiences," said Tony Shooshani, owner's representative for City Place Long Beach. "Along with repurposing and enhancing of the shopping center we are repositioning the new district to offer a distinct guest and employee experience that opens the opportunity for a new name."
Longtime Long Beach-based Studio One Eleven and P+R Architects will become a tenant and will experience firsthand the benefits of their work when moving from their current location on West Ocean Boulevard. "Our company has been rooted in Downtown Long Beach for more than 20 years and we are thrilled to stay here," said CEO of P+R Architects Steve Ruth.
"Studio One Eleven/P+R is excited to be part of Downtown's revival by extending the vibrancy and character of the Promenade south of Third Street northward," said Michael Bohn, Senior Principal at Studio One Eleven. "By moving our 120 jobs to this area, we hope to be a catalyst for new dynamic retail serving downtown's burgeoning residential population. This exciting move fits directly with our mission which is dedicated to creating vibrant and healthy communities." Founding Senior Principal of Studio One Eleven Alan Pullman added, "As a community based firm becoming the anchor tenant on Third Street allows us to not only design for urban repair but to practice it."
The building renovations are intended to be simple and contemporary. Materials and graphics creatively transform the art deco style of the buildings into a cohesive urban environment that truly reflects today's residents and patrons. New buildings adopt a minimalist architectural style, allowing flexibility of tenant modification while forming the backdrop to the excitement of the public realm. Exteriors of long-term tenants will be improved to better integrate into the district, while smaller "maker spaces" will be created for local chefs and artisans, craft brewers, barbers, and clothing designers -- all reflecting the changing demographics of the city and current retail and food and beverage trends.
In addition, City Place Long Beach will also take on a new name with the help of the community. Together with Downtown Long Beach Associates, a public forum will soon launch to assist in the renaming of the new downtown district.
JLL Senior Vice Presidents Mike McKeever and George Thomson represented P+R Architects in the lease.
City Place presents 37 retail stores, specialty shops, entertainment venues, and dining outlets to residents, workers and guests to the Downtown area. [end release text]
