by Bob Pinzler
Artesia Boulevard was a problem for the city when I moved to Redondo Beach in 1980. In 2026, it is still a problem.
Why? Following the demise of Redondo’s primary downtown near the Pier in the early 1960s, the city’s odd hourglass shape created two separate shopping zones. In the south, what became Riviera Village is a triangular-shaped area carved away from the main automobile travel street, Pacific Coast Highway, providing a logical space for commerce and residential to thrive together.
However, in the north, Artesia Boulevard, once slated to be a part of the area’s freeway system, was a completely different animal. (The terminus of the original 91 Freeway, for many years called the Redondo Beach Freeway, was to be the corner of Artesia and Pacific Coast Highway.) It was a service street slicing through a primarily residential area, while also serving as a main access point to the north-south 405.
In addition, most of the commercial properties along the street back up on residences, rarely occupying the full lot to the street behind it, Matthews or Vanderbilt. For many years, Artesia was known for “entertainment,” such as topless bars and nightclubs, the last of which was on the site now occupied by South Bay Appliance. It also housed a flophouse motel where Coffee Bean now resides.
Exacerbating the problem for the City was that the street was, until 2001, a state highway, which meant even the simplest traffic management measures, such as turning arrows and crosswalks, had to be decided in Sacramento rather than by the city. But local traffic management wasn’t going to solve the problem.
Many of the properties were owned by trusts from the original investors in the area. The trustees managing those properties often were absentee, solely concerned with income rather than with the impact their tenants might have on the city.
So now we come to 2026 and a new plan for the area. In part, it calls for increasing the permitted building bulk (floor area ratio) to allow greater height and decreasing the requirements for on-site parking. As with most plans, it has its good and bad points. On the upside, the change may be a trigger for a building’s trustees to either pursue upgrades or sell to people who will. New blood could generate more enticing offerings.
On the downside, increased height could create a tunnelling effect while impinging on the property owners who live just behind these now taller buildings. (One extreme example would be Wilshire Boulevard in Westwood, with high-rise apartments backing up on single-family homes.)
For most of Redondo Beach’s history, people have said that something must be done for Artesia Boulevard. This may or may not be the solution, but it is better than doing nothing. We will not know for years, perhaps decades, whether it has worked. But it is worth a try. ER
