(July 5, 2006) -- A posting on LB City Hall's website indicates that under a federal process, LB city management is soliciting "notices of interest" from homeless service providers, state and local government entities and non-profit groups for redevelopment and reuse of the 5.5 acre ELB Army Reserve Center property at 3800 E. Willow St. which has been declared surplus and will be closed.

The federal facility is on the south side of Willow Street across from The Grand event center and just east of LB's Dept. of Health & Human Services HQ and the Alpert Jewish Community Center. (The site is east of Grand Ave. and west of Lakewood Blvd.)

The posting on City Hall's website indicates the City sought and obtained federal authority in May to develop a reuse plan for the property that as part of a federal process will "balance the economic, social and housing needs of the community."

The City of Long Beach website indicates city management "is currently soliciting Notices of Interest (NOI) from state and local governments, homeless service providers, non-profit organizations and other interested parties for reuse development projects" for the large site on the south side of Willow Street between Grand Ave. and Lakewood Blvd.

The notice states in pertinent part:

"State and local governments, homeless service providers and other interested parties must submit a NOI to the Project Development Bureau by December 15," a City Hall release indicates.

LB City Hall says a "community workshop" will be held on August 16, 2006 (location to be announced) to review submission requirements for the NOI and provide a tour of the facilities. "The workshop will include a summary of the base redevelopment planning process; an overview of the installation; information on any land use constraints known at the time; and information on the NOI process."

A city management release indicates the property is currently zoned R-2-N, a residential designation, which allows for single-family detached homes, single family attached homes and residential duplexes. The General Plan designation is mixed-use.

The site is in a southwest pocket of LB's 5th Council district, which after July 17 will be represented by recently elected Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske. A business park lies immediately to the south...with a sprawling residential area further south and to the east abutting part of the 4th Council district represented by Councilman Patrick O'Donnell. The AJCC and The Grand are to the north, wedged between Willow and the 405 freeway.

When ELB's former Navy Hospital was closed (Carson Street near 605 freeway), LB City Hall sought and obtained federal permission to reuse the property as a retail center; today, it's the ELB "Towne Center." Other surplus federal property at the Naval Station and Shipyard was given to the Port of LB. Former WLB federal housing became the site of LBUSD's Cabrillo High School and the Villages at Cabrillo (community-based clinic/social services, 300+ beds for homeless veterans).

Developing.