The Long Beach Civic Center Master Plan revitalizes 22 acres of downtown Long Beach by creating a new, vibrant mixed-use district that includes a 270,000-square-foot City Hall, 93,500-square-foot Main Library, 232,000-square-foot Port Headquarters, and the reactivation of historic Lincoln Park. The plan also develops design guidelines for 800 residential units and 50,000 square feet of commercial development, and reintroduces the city grid with the regional bike network, buses, and the Metro Blue Line. Made possible by a catalytic investment from Plenary Edgemoor Civic Partners, this massive undertaking is being delivered under an innovative public-private partnership model.
Targeting New Development LEED® Gold certification, the new Civic Center plan optimizes operations and maintenance, maximizes street parking, introduces plazas and promenades, and expands bike infrastructure to create a hierarchy and quality of place. Pedestrian improvements and passages weave the site together, creating a variety of pathways and experiences. Sustainable streetscape design seamlessly integrates the Civic Center landscape and infrastructure. The proposed sidewalk configurations, along with the scale and density of tree planting, create not only a welcoming and walkable environment, but a differentiated sense of place—one that befits the city’s dynamic center for culture, recreation, education, and government.
The new Lincoln Park is designed to support strategic programming that encourages greater use by a wider cross-section of the city population. The development of a “Cultural Loop” that connects a variety of artistic and historical experiences, and the integration the new Main Library’s programs within the park provide public activation and security for the renewed civic space.
