Zoning Board approves Superblock plan

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“Now that the zoning board has rendered its decision, we are ready for this project, decades in the making, to move forward,” City Manager Jack Schnirman said. “The tax revenue generated by this new facility will be far greater than the existing vacant property, and that is certainly wonderful news for all of us here in Long Beach. And along with construction jobs, this development will create numerous permanent jobs here in both the residential and commercial sectors.”

Cheers and jeers for board’s vote

The proposed development sparked a mixed reaction among residents who support the plan and others who are concerned about parking, traffic and the height of the buildings. The vote was applauded by some in the audience, while others booed — and one woman even shouted, “You’re all corrupt!”

“My concerns were the height and the density — what the variance was for,” said board Trustee Angelo Lomonte, who cast the lone dissenting vote. “Apparently not everyone [on the board] felt that way. My concerns were the concerns that most people had; I wanted to see [the height of the buildings] come down a couple of floors.”

The developer already had approval to build on the property: In 2006, the city rezoned the Superblock, allowing for two 110-foot-tall buildings with 425 condominium and hotel units. Representatives of iStar, however, said that plan would not be economically viable in today’s market.

“At the end of the day, all the people who wanted a skate park and a bowling alley, it’s not realistic,” Lomonte said. “The property is owned by a private company and that company’s goal is to develop the property and make a profit.”

Asked whether approval of the variance set a precedent for future development, Lomonte explained that each case presented to the zoning board is evaluated on its own merits. “That variance was strictly given for that particular section of the Superblock,” he said. “Does that mean another developer will come in and ask for it? They might try.”

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