Redondo’s sleeping water front awakes

The new Redondo Shade Hotel is setting the tone for the makeover of the Redondo Beach waterfront.

Redondo Beach is poised for the most significant revitalization of the city’s Waterfront in a generation.

The effort began in 2006 with the City Manager’s Harbor Working Group, which established a set of guiding principals for revitalization. The City Council highlighted revitalization of the Waterfront as one of five Strategic Plan priorities for the city.

Updates to the Coastal Land Use Program including the Coastal Zoning Ordinance, Coastal Land Use Plan, General Plan and Specific Plan were approved by the entire community as Measure G on the November 2010 ballot.

The passage of Measure G laid to rest long-standing differences of opinion about the appropriate levels of potential development in the Waterfront and provided the framework and certainty necessary to attract new investment.

The Waterfront revitalization effort is anchored by three core components:

1. Public investment and facilities improvement,

2. Private investment by Waterfront master leaseholders, and

3. Execution of the City’s Asset Management Plan.

At the Pier, the city is implementing a makeover of the pedestrian areas, including new paver stones, landscaping, furnishings, and lighting. These are set for completion by early summer.

Investment by master leaseholders the Pier includes an investment of well over $1 million in improvements to the Redondo Landing pier leasehold. This includes both an interior and exterior remodel of the entire building, an expansion of south facing, ocean view patio space, and an architectural redesign in the style of the early 20th century Redondo Waterfront. Anchor tenant El Torito has signed a 10 year lease extension and is in the process of rolling out its new flagship restaurant design at the pier. Several improvements to the tenant mix are also planned.

To the north, the Harbor area is also experiencing significant new public and private investment. The City is currently constructing a new gateway entrance building at the Seaside Lagoon and a new Harbor Patrol facility on Mole B. The Zislis Group will soon be breaking ground on the Shade Redondo, a premier, 45-room boutique hotel on Harbor Drive with a fine cuisine restaurant, lounge, and public space overlooking the marina.

Lastly, the city is executing the 2007, City Council adopted Asset Management Plan for the Waterfront. The plan calls consolidating multiple leaseholds into a single, larger leasehold. This larger leasehold will facilitate private sector investment in renovation and new development on the site. It will also allow for architectural consistency, improved pedestrian circulation, and an improved tenant mix.

The City already controls much of the pier and is acquiring the Pier Plaza and the International Boardwalk leaseholds. The goal is to broaden the appeal of the Redondo Beach Waterfront while retaining the authenticity that makes the Pier and Harbor area so unique.

To learn more about Waterfront Revitalization in Redondo Beach, visit RedondoBeachWaterfront.org.

Aaron Jones is the City of Redondo Beach planning director. Peter Carmichael is the Harbor, Business and Transit Director. ER