By: Chris Munzing
Jacob Haberman, speaking on behalf of the Haberman Group, said in essence he was tired of haggling with the city and the neighbors over the future of his project. "We're building Seapointe Two," he said.
Seapointe Towers was originally built as what was supposed to be the first of four luxury condominium towers between Lincoln and Monroe Boulevards. Permits to build the remaining three towers were issued in the late 1980s, but no construction ever took place.
In late 2003, however, the Haberman Group acquired building permits from the City of Long Beach to start construction on a second tower, located where Seapointe's parking lot sits. Residents of Seapointe went to the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) to get the building permits revoked, and they were.
Since that time, the battle between the Haberman Group and the residents of Seapointe has been tied up in court and the Habermans appealed the decision of the ZBA. No decision has been made with regard to the appeal. While the case is being heard, a stay against any construction was imposed.
Jacob Haberman said Monday that the stay order was no longer in place, a statement that Michael Zapson, attorney for the residents, believes is not true.
"I don't think it has been lifted," Zapson said, adding that the timing of Haberman's decision to start bulldozing speaks volumes. "You know when someone works on a Sunday that they're doing it because they don't have any permits. It's hard to believe that somebody would bulldoze a parking lot when there are cars in it."
Seapointe residents were outraged at the demolition.
"They did this without any proper permits, and it seems like they totally ignored Long Beach laws," said Larry Posner, a Seapointe resident and member of its board of directors. "This is a slap in the face to the City of Long Beach and its rules and regulations. This is an outrage."
Haberman said that a permit was not required for the type of work being done, and that the work was causing only "a minimum of inconvenience" to the residents of Seapointe. "I haven't discovered how to make an omelet without breaking egg shells," he said.
City Manager Charles Theofan said that a stop-work order was immediately issued, an order that Haberman protested. Theofan said the order would remain in place at least until the next scheduled court date on Jan. 18.
