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Long Beach officially began demolition of two city-owned commercial buildings along the Atlantic Avenue corridors on Wednesday, marking a major step in economic revitalization in North Long Beach.
The property at 5641-5649 Atlantic Avenue has been vacant for years, causing safety concerns. However, their removal is expected to open the door to future development opportunities and breathe new life into highly transported corridors.
“It’s really about change. It’s really about new life in the corridors of North Long Beach and Atlantic Avenue,” said Beau Martinez, city’s director of economic development. “The demolition and structure of these existing buildings you see today clears the path to opportunity as well as the new investment path of Atlantic Avenue’s new chapter.”
The site is expected to be cleared by next month.
Demolition is part of a broader effort by the city to address underdeteriorating and underutilized properties.
According to a memo earlier this year written by Martinez to the mayor and city council, three city-owned sites on 5641-5649 Atlantic Avenue evaluated the demolition after being declared surplus under the state’s surplus land law.
All three properties will be cleared in a staggered process over the next few months, with each demolition estimated at around $300,000 and initially funded through the General Fund. These funds will be refunded later at the time of sale of the property.
The two sites have been issued substandard building notices due to repeated fire damage and vandalism, poses an ongoing safety risk to the public and surrounding areas.
The third site where Wednesday’s ceremony was held is cleared to increase the viability of groundup development.
“For too long, we’ve seen a lot of investment in the corridors. We’ve seen vacant seats. “We’ve been having a big vision for this corridor and how we can move it forward.”
Councillor Slash Nuchuk, who represents the region, spoke about his deep personal and community investment in the site.
“I talked to my neighbor. I spoke to a neighbor who said she just gave up what the potential of this corner was. She saw it every day and dreamed of what it was,” she said. “Today, we will stop waiting today, so we respect that dream to everyone who hoped and never stopped doing anything incredible.”
She also announced that her new field office will open just a few doors from the site, reinforcing her commitment to the North Long Beach community currently exists and accessible.
The project is part of a broader wave of development activities in the area, including new homes at KB Homes and Edgewood Point, Long Beach City College Higher Education Center, and a planned workforce development hub by local nonprofit Central CHA.
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