Analyzing Second Street in Belmont Shore

ANALYZING SECOND STREET

IN BELMONT SHORE

THANK YOU Bill Lorbeer (Lorbeer Equity Management, Inc.), Derek Burnham (Burnham Planning & Development), Mike Sheldrake (Polly’s Gourmet Coffee), Eric Johnson & Matt Peterson (Legends Sports Bar), Heather Duncan (Blue Windows), Dede Rossi (Executive Director, Belmont Shore Business Association), Terry Endersen (President, Belmont Shore Residents Association), Paul van Dyk (Traffic Engineer, City of Long Beach), Sean Crumby (Deputy Director/City Engineer, City of Long Beach), Graham Gill (Lee & Associates) and Frank Colonna (Colonna & Co.).

Thank you for contributing your knowledge, ideas and time to this study. Studio One Eleven greatly appreciates your help and the positive daily contributions you make to the community.

STUDIO ONE ELEVEN CREDITS Michael Bohn (Principal in Charge) Alexandra Burkhardt (Research , Graphics & Composition) Tiffany Peterson (Graphics) Stephanie Kamka (Graphics)

WHY STUDY 2ND STREET IN LONG BEACH? With the largest rents and lowest vacancies, Second Street is considered the most successful retail street in Long Beach—a city of close to 500,000 residents. Known for its prestigious stores and concentration of food, beverage and entertainment venues, Second Street maintains a healthy balance of national retailers and ‘Mom & Pop’ shops.

Thus, why is Second Street’s design a successful model not replicated in other communities? Much of the original zoning that helped make the district successful would be difficult or impossible to implement today, with many of the regulations no longer even allowed in the area. Why is it the zoning has changed? Today, it provides only one third of the parking required by conventional retail standards. As Second Street continues to mature as a multimodal, desirable destination, how is the city accommodating inconsistent zoning?

This study is to serve as an analytical guide to a successful, traditional retail street. The purpose is to analyze the components that make a successful shopping district, including retail configurations, uses, demographics and transportation and parking. By coupling the analysis with empirical data and opinions from area experts, the study aims to assist other cities, BIDS, architects, retailers and researchers.

SECOND STREET STUDY | CONTENTS 01 02 03 04 05 06

HISTORY + CHARACTER RETAIL ANALYSIS URBAN LIFE STUDY THE COMMUNITY PARKING + TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS PRESENT + FUTURE

[06] [12] [36] [46] [56] [68]

1HISTORY + CHARACTER SECOND STREET STUDY IN BELMONT SHORE

HISTORY From 1900 to 1920, Long Beach was the fastest growing city in America. Because of the growing retail and business districts, Belmont Shore and the area surrounding Second Street became a sought after destination for Southern Californians. The changing forms of transportation, from Red Cars, to automobiles to bikes and pedestrians, has transformed the physical nature of Second Street into what it is today.

Pacific Electric Railway first day of operation in Long Beach [1902]

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Second Street [1927]

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Second Street outdoor seating [1920s]

HISTORIC TIMELINE 1888 1910 1924 1937 1940 1948 1960’s

Emergence of vehicles, looking west from Argonne [1930] 8

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City of Long Beach was incorporated Retail development begins on 2nd Street Red Cars operate on 2nd Street Auto-oriented retail introduced Red Cars discontinue operation on 2nd Street Belmont Shore Business Association founded Landscaped medians installed Belmont Shore Parking Association started

Parking meters installed 1990’s Sidewalks widened Auto oriented retail declined Signalized intersections installed 2009 Sharrows installed 2012 “Smart” bus stops installed

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STREET CHARACTER Mass transit originally defined the street right of way, followed by domination of automobiles and recently by the demands of pedestrians and bicyclists, which have helped Second evolve into a complete street. Retail became auto focused with gas stations, drive thru’s and surface lots fronting Second, however now, virtually all have disappeared as mobility options have expanded and land value and rental rates have increased.

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West Second Street [1920]

2nd Street Bridge looking West on Second Street [1969]

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Near the corner of Park; undefined lanes to accommodate automobiles and red cars [1929]

Same view [2012]

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Sidewalks widened and sharrow lanes integrated into Red Car track replaced with landscaped median; focus on automobile culture with gas stations, cars and drive-thrus [1970] street [2011]

HISTORY + CHARACTER

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BUILDING CHARACTER As a result of the Red Car trollies that once traversed Second Street, many of the original structures were denser in character, even three stories in height, and supported mixed-use development. Though with the emergence of cars, Second transformed into a more car-oriented community, which was reflected in the addition of numerous driveways and smaller structures with parking lots. Through adaptive reuse, many of the original structures have been uniquely converted, such as a 1920s movie theater into a present day athletic club. Today, it is assumed newer buildings are generally lower because of stricter parking requirements.

THEN

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Bank of Italy, Nieto Ave [1920]

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Egyptian Drug Store, Nieto Ave [1927]

Belmont Theater, Argonne Ave [1928]

Rite Aid

Belmont Athletic Club

NOW

Bank of America

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SECOND STREET BELMONT SHORE +250 BUSINESSES

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CONTINUOUS BIKE SHARROWS

BUS LINES

15 R INTE

SEC TION S

2

1

+

ESTABLISHED RETAIL

MILE OF

STOREFRONTS

DESTINATION

SINCE

1920

10

+

EVENTS ANNUALLY

27,600 PER DAY

HISTORY + CHARACTER

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2 RETAIL ANALYSIS

SECOND STREET STUDY IN BELMONT SHORE

PRECEDENT RETAIL CONFIGURATIONS The following figure field diagrams represent various retail configurations organized into three categories. The first series (Second Street, Main Street, Third Street and Pacific Coast Highway) illustrates prewar, mixed-use, pedestrian friendly main streets, the second (Lakewood Mall) emphasizes singleuse, post-war automobile dominated retail and the third (Victoria Gardens, Americana at Brand and Irvine Spectrum) illustrates a trend of shopping centers built ground up that encourage contained, pedestrian friendly spaces.

Throughout southern California several prewar, traditional main streets were developed early in the last century. Many

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Built Green Space Water Feature E. Retail Corridor/Area 1S TS

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*All maps are shown at the same scale.

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of these developments were stitched into a clear street grid to encourage connectivity for walkability and transportation.

Over time, as development continued, these corridors became integral arteries within their surrounding communities. One of the first was Second Street, where retail development began to occur around 1910. Second Street is a half-mile long—twice the distance of a typical, village-scaled “Main Street.” While densely lined with retail on the north and south sides of the street, it is surrounded by finer grains of housing including primarily single-family homes, as well as a diverse mix of cottage, duplex, triplex and quadplex typologies.

Second Street [Belmont Shore] : .5 miles

Main Street [Seal Beach] : .35 miles

Similar in length, height and character is Main Street in Seal Beach. Developed in 1915, it is surrounded by mostly single-family homes, which help to provide a village-like scale. Acting as the main retail corridor for the community, it offers local dining and shopping opportunities.

Today, one of the most well-known corridors in Los Angeles is Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade. In the 1880’s, the area emerged as a business district, laying the groundwork for what is now a dense, urban mixed-use district. However, what characterizes Third Street today is the entirety of its length is defined by pedestrian-only access-- a unique feature dating back to 1965. As a result, Third Street provides an upscale mix of retail, dining and entertainment options while creating a bustling network of stores that encourage activity and pedestrian presence.

THIRD STREET PROMENADE

Third Street Promenade [Santa Monica] : .37 miles

Pacific Coast Highway is to Corona del Mar as Second and Main Streets are to Belmont Shore and Seal Beach. While it dates back to 1926, its development hastened after the war. Spanning almost a mile in length (double the length of Second Street), its businesses are less dense than one might find on other traditional southern California main street corridors.

PA CI F

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IG H

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IGH COAST H PACIFIC

WAY

Pacific Coast Highway [Corona del Mar] : .75 miles

RETAIL ANALYSIS

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Instead of the integration of retail into existing communities, the Lakewood Center mimics the idea of a “Main Street” and epitomizes the idea of post-World War II suburbia. Built in 1951, the mall is considered one of the first suburban shopping malls in the United States. Most malls have a pedestrian spine a 1/4 mile long, however Lakewood is longer in both north/south and east/west directions. The development began and helped to define an era of post-war, auto-dominated retail developments.

Originally an open mall, it was later transformed into an enclosed shopping space, creating a single-story, confined shopping experience featuring both big box retail and smaller stores. Unlike modern day, open-air outdoor malls, there is no street grid connecting stores. Instead, the mall is surrounded by a sea of parking lots to the north, south, east and west.

Developments such as this are responsible for the decline of traditional main streets as a community resource for shopping and dining.

With two thirds of the country’s malls losing relevance due to the loss of key retail anchors, the idea of the modern day mall is evolving. A shift in development perspective has forced ‘malls’ to include multi-programmed spaces defined by retail, office, housing and food and beverage destinations.

Increasingly, these new, ground-up retail developments are acknowledging traditional main streets by creating clearly defined, pedestrian-scaled blocks that integrate mixed-use structures with positive open space. While they are still auto-dominated retail destinations surrounded by suburban sprawl, these shopping centers encourage walkability, community gathering and pedestrian activity upon arrival.

0

Lakewood Center [Lakewood] : .3 miles (east to west ends) & .35 Miles (north to south ends)

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50

100

Opened in 2004, Victoria Gardens exemplifies the integration of such urbanism into green field settings. One hundred and forty seven acres in size, the project consists of retail, residential and office spaces as well as a ‘town square’ and a civic cultural arts center. Structures do not exceed two stories in height and sidewalks and walkways are lined with planting and trees, providing a comfortably scaled pedestrian experience.

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Similarly, Americana at Brand provides a mixed-use experience and encourages walkability along a curved, continuous path. Completed in 2008, the development features a central plaza including a large water feature, around which a trolley runs. However, the development provides a different scale than Victoria Gardens.

Its mixed-use buildings feature premiere retail at the ground and second levels above which sits three to four stories of housing.

The Irvine Spectrum, while segregated by use, illustrates an open-air space encouraging walkability within the self-contained developments. Originally constructed in 1996, the multi-phase development was completed in 2006 and consists of retail and food and beverage establishments. Through a series of winding paths, it strays away from a traditional block grid and incorporates multiple pedestrian plazas—one of which features a 108’ Ferris wheel.

All of these configurations are considered economically successful retail centers that draw shoppers from throughout the region and beyond. While different in program, layout and spatial qualities, each provides a distinct shopping experience and marks a gathering of people for a variety of retail use.

Victoria Gardens [Rancho Cucamonga] : .35 miles (east to west ends) & .25 Miles (north to south ends)

Americana at Brand [Glendale] : .25 mile shopping loop

Irvine Spectrum [Irvine] : .2 Miles (east to west ends) & .5 Miles (north to south ends)

RETAIL ANALYSIS

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SECOND STREET BUSINESSES

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[images not to scale]

RETAIL ANALYSIS

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[images not to scale]

RETAIL ANALYSIS

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SECOND STREET FIGURE GROUND MAP TH

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[There are no parks on 2nd Street, instead, the sidewalks and median become the district’s open space. The short block lengths average 172’-192’, similar in scale to the 200’ block network in Portland, which is considered to be one of the most walkable cities. Second Street is unusual due to its 1/2 mile distance as opposed to most being only a 1/4 mile long.]

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0

75

150

300

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SCALE 1:300

SHOP CHARACTER

Village-scaled density [exceeds no more than two stories].

Calm traffic speeds and signalized/synchronized intersections.

Mixed-use office over retail at Nieto Ave and the first two-story building on Second.

RETAIL ANALYSIS

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NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER Streets were originally named after wealthy farming communities to draw farmers from Pomona, Santa Ana, Corona, La Verne, Claremont and Glendora to reside in beach cottages during the summer.

Historically, the neighborhood featured primarily prewar cottages and Spanish style homes. However, when zoning was increased in the 50s and 60s, duplexes, quadplexes and multifamily homes were added to increase density throughout the neighborhood.

Some streets have a narrow parkway for street trees while others do not.

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ARTS CHARACTER Long Beach has a deeply rooted creative culture and Belmont Shore is no exception. Its artistic charm is evident across the entirety of the street.

With an increase in pedestrian and bike activity, its public art installations, deco signage, whimsical bike racks, sidewalk art, painted utility boxes and more have become an integral part of the urban environment.

RETAIL ANALYSIS

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RETAIL ANALYSIS | GROUND FLOOR & 2ND FLOOR [2015]

LA VERNE

GLENDORA

POMONA

SANTA ANA

CLAREMONT

BAY SHORE

LA VERNE

GLENDORA

POMONA

SANTA ANA

CLAREMONT

BAY SHORE

AVE.

COVINA COVINA

CORONA

THE TOLEDO NIETO

PARK

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LI

ST. JOSEPH

DR

GRANADA

.

ON ST

ARGONNE

GROUND FLOOR | 372,147 SF

E. 2ND STREET

CORONA

E. DIVISION ST.

NIETO

ST. JOSEPH

PARK

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AVE.

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GRANADA

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ON ST

ARGONNE

SECOND FLOOR | 160,724 SF

E. 2ND STREET

RESIDENTIAL OFFICE Retail Office Residential Civic

RETAIL CIVIC

433,413 SF 82,536 SF ??? SF 28,321 SF

E. 1ST ST.

Length of Street = Approx. ½ Mile Width of Street (Curb to Curb) = 75 ft.

Distance Between Faces of Buildings = 100-105 ft.

E. DIVISION ST.

[Note the ground floor is mainly compromised of retail, but includes a couple civic and office spaces, as well. Upper floors have both office and housing, therefore rentable square footage for all.]

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GROUND FLOOR [372,147 SF] | JULY 2010 QUICK SERVE Coffee Shops Yogurt Shops Fast Food

QUICK SERVE [14%] SOFT GOODS [25%]

SERVICES Bank Laundry Auto Detail Phone Optometrists Post Office Insurance Real Estate Medical Photo SOFT GOODS Clothing Shoes Gifts SPECIALTY Watches Jewelry Sunglasses Cigars

NEIGHBORHOOD SERVING [50%]

DESTINATION [50%]

*Defined as serving the immediate community

*Defined as drawing customers beyond the neighborhood

SERVICES [14%]

RESTAURANTS & BARS [20%]

HAIR & NAIL [12%]

1. 59% of stores are dedicated to food and beverage or soft goods.

2. 34% of stores are dedicated to eating and dining purposes.

3. *21% of Destination stores and 31% of Neighborhood Serving stores are nonlocal chains.

OTHER [6%] FOOD & DRUG [3%] SPECIALTY [5%] RETAIL ANALYSIS

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GROUND FLOOR [372,147 SF] | JULY 2015 QUICK SERVE Coffee Shops Yogurt Shops Desserts Fast Food

QUICK SERVE [13%]

SOFT GOODS [20%]

SERVICES Bank Laundry Auto Detail Phone Optometrists Post Office Insurance Real Estate Medical Shoe Repair SOFT GOODS Clothing Shoes Gifts SPECIALTY Watches Jewelry Sunglasses Pet Flowers

NEIGHBORHOOD SERVING [50%]

DESTINATION [50%]

*Defined as serving the immediate community

*Defined as drawing customers beyond the neighborhood

SERVICES [18%]

RESTAURANTS & BARS [22%]

HAIR & NAIL [14%] 1. 55% of stores are dedicated to food and beverage or soft goods.

2. 35% of stores are dedicated to eating and dining purposes.

3. *19% of Destination stores and 24% of Neighborhood Serving stores are nonlocal chains.

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OTHER [3%] FOOD & DRUG [2%] SPECIALTY [7%]

*Over a period of five years, uses have remained largely the same as the balance between neighborhood serving business types, the largest decline occurred in soft goods with services having the largest increase.

SECOND FLOOR [160,724 SF] | JULY 2015 RETAIL Beauty Shops Banks Restaurant OFFICE Insurance [8%] Law / Accounting [22%] Medical [24%} Real Estate [22%] Other [24%]

RETAIL [28%]

CIVIC Library Fire Station RESIDENTIAL Apartments

CIVIC [3%] RESIDENTIAL [2-3%]

OFFICE [69%] *Residential spaces are most likely reflective of home offices. While not prevalent, a few upper units have been converted into live/work spaces, or even just work spaces, for business owners.

TOTAL BUILT SQ. FT. [532,871 SF]

RETAIL ANALYSIS

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LEGENDS [RESTAURANT + BAR] *The following three interviews illustrate how local businesses remain relevant in a continuously changing competitive retail marketplace. Each store or restaurant is a case study for a successful, engaged Second Street business and features owners committed to providing the community with the best service possible.

Opened in 1979 by NFL star Dennis Harrah, Legends has been a part of Second Street for almost 40 years. Today, it is co-owned by Eric Johnson and Matt Peterson, who bought Legends in 2012 and now manage roughly 60 employees.

The only sports bar on Second Street, Legends is an “event driven” business, drawing huge crowds during sporting events like the World Cup or NFL Sundays.

Staff feel the best part of being a business on Second is the terrific environment it provides. It offers a quintessential beach community atmosphere and its scale and size result in heavy foot traffic for the businesses. Both believe that on Second, “the catalyst for success is pedestrian traffic,” as evidenced by the restaurant’s architecture and environment. With outdoor seating and the entire first floor façade open to the street, Legends pulls visitors off the sidewalk and into the restaurant.

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Johnson identifies Legends’ diners as 60% local and 40% transient. Its central location on Second and proximity to California State University Long Beach provide constant clientele year-round. When not bustling with excitement from a game, the busiest hours are typically during happy hour and dinner, as well as Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings entertaining late night crowds until 1am or later.

One of the accompanying challenges of this is the partying and noise that follow. In

an environment like Second, Legends is conscious of the community and how to best ensure they are not bothered. To mitigate tension, both Johnson and Peterson reach out to residents, attend Belmont Shore Resident Association meetings, listen to concerns and put plans into action. If needed, they implement more security, earlier last calls and clean the sidewalks and streets near and around the restaurant.

As for the future of Second Street, Johnson and Peterson feel there is much unexplored potential. They recognize many retail stores’ “revolving door nature” hurts Second Street’s economy and believe temporary subsidized rents or incentives could help struggling businesses get back on their feet. For now, both believe in incremental change at a small scale. From streetscape improvements and parklets, to boosted community spirit and collaboration during events and holidays, in the future Johnson and Peterson hope for more community cohesion along Second.

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POLLY’S GOURMET COFFEE [QUICK SERVE] Mike Sheldrake—owner of Polly’s Gourmet Coffee and President of the Belmont Shore Business Association—has been a part of Polly’s story since 1976. Mr. Sheldrake ran the original business, Polly’s Pies, for 13 years before having what he refers to as an “entrepreneurial seizure” resulting in him purchasing Polly’s Pies and rebranding the business as Polly’s Gourmet Coffee. While at different points in time he opened Polly’s branches in Laguna Hills, Anaheim Hills and the Westminster Mall, in 1997 Mr. Sheldrake ultimately decided to focus on his Second Street location where business proved to be most successful.

With the opening of Starbucks on Second Street in 1994, Mr. Sheldrake worried his business was “going under.” He brought in a consultant to turn the business around and revamp Polly’s image and product. Upon learning to focus on selling a relationship between Polly’s and the community—not just coffee—Mr. Sheldrake positioned Polly’s as the “neighborhood coffee shop.” Opposite his expectations, Polly’s sales went up 45% the year after Starbucks joined the businesses on Second. The Starbucks near his business has subsequently closed. Today, Polly’s maintains about 14 employees.

Since ’94, Mr. Sheldrake has understood the importance of altering one’s business to meet industry needs. He is always thinking about ways to improve Polly’s in order to maintain a fresh, but classic identity. With the help of a cultural anthropologist, Mr. Sheldrake identified Polly’s five categories of customers: the Regulars, the Grab n’ Goes, the “New Eras” (those who need an outlet and the internet), the Coffee Beans and the Internet Customers (ex-pats of the area who treat Polly’s as their connection to Southern California). Since then, he has established how to communicate with each customer effectively.

His motto, “Retail is Detail,” reflects his process of learning and adapting— recognizing just how important it is to pay attention to the little things in his store.

For example, the Coffee Beans, whom he refers to as customers “buying a symbol of their lifestyle,” are his most profitable customers. He knows their likings and makes sure to identify custom roasts mixed to perfection.

Mr. Sheldrake believes each business is responsible for filling a specific niche on Second Street. For businesses that struggle with turnover, high rent rates or establishing steady clientele, he believes in the importance of awareness and problem solving so that one can fight to change their product for the better. His willingness and optimism explain why he sees his role as President of the Belmont Shore Business Association as “facilitator and communicator” with the goal of including everybody.

Mr. Sheldrake’s favorite aspect of owning a business on Second is the “sense of community.” He enjoys feeling a part of something and that the community is out in the open, easy to join. He believes it is not just about money, but also the accomplishment—something in which to invest his time and belief.

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RETAIL ANALYSIS

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BLUE WINDOWS [RETAIL] Located between La Verne and Glendora Avenues, Blue Windows’ owner, Heather Duncan, defines her business as a ”lifestyle store.” Duncan began working there in 1999 and bought the store in 2004, since then creating a destination gift store, which she feels covers, “all the bases.” Providing a unique variety of merchandise from clothing and jewelry to children’s toys and kitchen accessories, her store caters to a broad audience, both in age and interests.

Duncan’s key to success in owning a business like Blue Windows is dyadic— it requires both great buying and terrific customer service. She believes Blue Windows offers an array of unique products and a comforting shopping environment. Being that many of Second Street’s shoppers are there to enjoy the atmosphere and explore its varied shops, Duncan feels very strongly that she and her six employees never haggle a customer. It is important they provide an opportunity for each visitor to meander on his or her own before approaching them and initiating a conversation. She believes this approach is how a business forms great relationships with its customers who in turn are trusting and come again. She also credits Blue Window’s gift wrapping as a huge component of their success. When a customer can walk in, expect a reliable experience and leave with a perfectly wrapped gift, it creates a culture for which people want to return.

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The consistent clientele is a tremendous part of Blue Window’s success. Duncan believes about 60-70% of her customers are recurring shoppers. While most shoppers are from the Long Beach area, she does notice returning visitors who stop by when in the area. Blue Window’s target audience is early 20s-50s, however Duncan feels because of the prices the store caters to a more 30s-40s audience.

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While Duncan loves the bustling nature of Second Street, it’s for this exact reason Blue Windows provides a breadth of shopping hours seven days a week from mid-morning to late evening and employs six people year round. With the correct staffing, she makes the most of the busy holiday season and knows when to cater to the store’s slower months like September and January.

It is no wonder why Duncan feels the best parts of owning a business on Second Street are the people she encounters and relationships she builds as a result of its bustling culture. She realizes business isn’t going to fall on her lap—Blue Windows needs to offer more. “What makes a customer come back?” Duncan asks. From premiere gift wrapping to special monthly events, Blue Windows delivers a onestop-shop for gift seekers, an enjoyable shopping experience for those strolling by and for the regulars, a dependable and unique boutique.

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BELMONT SHORE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION All businesses in Belmont Shore are required to join the Belmont Shore Business Association—an organization that unifies, markets and promotes the over 250 diverse retailers, restaurants and businesses throughout the neighborhood. The BSBA focuses on leading community events and activities, as well as helping to market all businesses to the Long Beach community at large.

The BSBA is responsible for hosting over 10 events annually. Events vary in size and duration, drawing in local community members to people throughout southern California.

Celebrated for the last 26 years, the annual Car Show is one of the most well known events. For one day, Second Street is lined with over 600 antique cars, as well as vendors and many businesses. The car show typically hosts over 40,000 visitors annually and draws the most outside visitors to Belmont Shore.

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The Christmas Parade, a Belmont Shore hometown tradition, and has taken place for the last 33 years. Featuring a new theme and grand marshal annually, floats, community organizations and holiday decorations navigate Second Street for a festive evening. The parade hosts about 50,000 guests and is highly attended by community members throughout Long Beach.

RETAIL ANALYSIS

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Mr. Sheldrake, owner of Polly’s, sees each BSBA event as an opportunity to seize “someone bringing 70,000 people to your door.” For example, he leverages summer’s Stroll and Savor—an event promoting businesses on Second—as a means of targeting both the individuals who stroll by as well as his most devoted customers through unique offers and sales. As a result, Stroll and Savor becomes an event that appeals to all. It’s an opportunity for Polly’s customers to either try something new or take advantage of the exact product they buy weekly.

Similarly, Legends’ Johnson and Peterson believe BSBA events, as well as sporting events heavily attended by locals, are terrific opportunities for business.

By opening the restaurant to the street and marketing promotions to draw in the public, these busy, community oriented days tend to be quite profitable for their business. While it is often easier for food and beverage businesses to cater to the general public during such events, this doesn’t mean retail businesses are at a disadvantage.

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A newer event, Stroll & Savor, which takes place on several weekday nights throughout the summer, promotes restaurant industry businesses on Second.

Food tickets allow visitors to try a little bit of everything from the businesses of their choosing. Similarly, events like the Art Walk, are more locally driven.

Each BSBA event affects Second Street Businesses differently with certain events pertaining to particular businesses better than others. Events like Stroll & Savor are more geared for restaurants whereas the Christmas Parade is better for gift shops and retailers.

Although retail business might be slow due to parking difficulties or more pedestrian oriented activities, Duncan, owner of Blue Windows, thinks about each event in the long term. Despite events like Stroll and Savor mostly promote the restaurants on Second, she sees these as opportunities to get people out and about. Even though people may not buy anything, it opens the doors later to draw them back.

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3 URBAN LIFE STUDY

SECOND STREET STUDY IN BELMONT SHORE

BLOCK STUDY Of the 154 ground level businesses on Second Street, 35% (54 businesses) have some type of outdoor dining or seating. Outdoor areas include fenced in dining, facades opening to the sidewalk and loose seating and benches. Sidewalk dining is proportionally equal on both the north and south sides of the street.

3 BUSINESSES 1 WITH SIDEWALK DINING

235’-6”

187’-0”

187’-0”

PARK

ST. JOSEPH

8 BUSINESSES 2 WITH SIDEWALK DINING

ROYCROFT

3 BUSINESSES 2 WITH SIDEWALK DINING

A a

represents a business with sidewalk dining

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b

192’-0”

187’-0”

187’-0”

5 BUSINESSES 3 WITH SIDEWALK DINING

8 BUSINESSES 5 WITH SIDEWALK DINING

8 BUSINESSES 2 WITH SIDEWALK DINING

7 BUSINESSES 5 WITH SIDEWALK DINING

8 BUSINESSES 1 WITH SIDEWALK DINING

1 BUSINESSES 0 WITH SIDEWALK DINING

192’-0”

192’-0”

192’-0”

d

GRANADA

B

ARGONNE

c

192’-0”

192’-0”

192’-0”

7 BUSINESSES 1 WITH SIDEWALK DINING

8 BUSINESSES 3 WITH SIDEWALK DINING

5 BUSINESSES 2 WITH SIDEWALK DINING

URBAN LIFE STUDY

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BLOCK STUDY

8 BUSINESSES 2 WITH SIDEWALK DINING

6 BUSINESSES 3 WITH SIDEWALK DINING

192’-0”

172’-0”

172’-0”

167’-0”

LA VERNE

COVINA

NEITO

GLENDORA

10 BUSINESSES 0 WITH SIDEWALK DINING

CORONA

8 BUSINESSES 4 WITH SIDEWALK DINING

C e

192’-0” 1 BUSINESSES 0 WITH SIDEWALK DINING represents a business with sidewalk dining

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172’-0” 5 BUSINESSES 3 WITH SIDEWALK DINING

172’-0”

167’-0”

5 BUSINESSES 3 WITH SIDEWALK DINING

6 BUSINESSES 0 WITH SIDEWALK DINING

7 BUSINESSES 4 WITH SIDEWALK DINING

4 BUSINESSES 1 WITH SIDEWALK DINING

167’-0”

172’-0”

172’-0”

SANTA ANA

POMONA

1 BUSINESSES 0 WITH SIDEWALK DINING

91’-0”

CLAREMONT

5 BUSINESSES 2 WITH SIDEWALK DINING

D f

167’-0”

172’-0”

172’-0”

172’-0”

7 BUSINESSES 3 WITH SIDEWALK DINING

6 BUSINESSES 0 WITH SIDEWALK DINING

3 BUSINESSES 1 WITH SIDEWALK DINING

1 BUSINESSES 1 WITH SIDEWALK DINING

URBAN LIFE STUDY

41

BLOCK STUDY ST. JOSEPH - ARGONNE AVE.

PARK - ST. JOSEPH AVE.

A [SOUTH]

1 1

2

3

B [NORTH]

4

Saint & Second [storefront width: 47’] *45’ of sidewalk dining

2

Pussy & Pooch [storefront width: 15’]

3 4

Yogurtland [storefront width: 21’-6”] *3 tables for outdoor dining MINC Fine Jewelry [storefront width: 15’-6”]

5

Fillmore & 5th [storefront width: 16’]

6

Second Street Optique [storefront width: 14’-6”]

7

elison rd. [storefront width: 21’]

8

Watch & Clock Center [storefront width: 19’-6”]

5

6

7

9 9

38’-0” between entries 22’-0” between entries 21’-6” between entries 11’-6” between entries 17’-6” between entries 15’-0” between entries 27’-0” between entries

SIDEWALK WIDTH: 13’-0” AVERAGE DISTANCE BETWEEN STOREFRONT ENTRIES: 19’-0” TOTAL LENGTH OF SIDEWALK DINING: 45’-0” + 3 DINING TABLES 42

8

10

11

12

Nick’s on 2nd [storefront width: 47’] *80’ of sidewalk dining

10 Yen’s Sushi & Sake Bar [storefront width: 47’] *21’-6” of sidewalk dining 11 La Creperie [storefront width: 47’] *23’-0” of sidewalk dining 12 Doma [storefront width: 47’] 13 at&t [storefront width: 47’] 14 Jamba Juice [storefront width: 47’] *17’-4” of sidewalk dining 15 The Coffee Bean [storefront width: 47’] *8’-3” of sidewalk dining

13

14

18’-0” between entries 27’-0” between entries 28’-6” between entries 21’-0” between entries 20’-6” between entries 25’-0” between entries

SIDEWALK WIDTH: 13’-7” AVERAGE DISTANCE BETWEEN STOREFRONT ENTRIES: 20’-0” TOTAL LENGTH OF SIDEWALK DINING: 150’-0”

15

LA VERNE - GLENDORA AVE.

GLENDORA - POMONA AVE.

C [SOUTH]

16

17

18

D [SOUTH]

19

20

21

16 Norge Cleaners [storefront width: 47’] 17 Tilly’s [storefront width: 47’] 18 Powell’s Sweet Shoppe [storefront width: 47’] 19 La Bella [storefront width: 47’] 20 Blue Windows [storefront width: 47’] 21 Angelo’s Deli [storefront width: 47’]

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

22 Shore Business Center [storefront width: 47’] 35’-0” between entries 34’-0” between entries 22’-0” between entries 19’-6” between entries 26’-0” between entries

23 Taco Surf [storefront width: 47’] *17’ of sidewalk dining 24 George’s Greek Cafe [storefront width: 47’] *12’-6” of sidewalk dining 25 Fern’s Garden [storefront width: 47’] 26 The Beach [storefront width: 47’] 27 *vacancy [storefront width: 47’] 28 Dogz Bar and Grill [storefront width: 47’] *32’-3” of sidewalk dining

SIDEWALK WIDTH: 14’-7” AVERAGE DISTANCE BETWEEN STOREFRONT ENTRIES: 13’-3” TOTAL LENGTH OF SIDEWALK DINING: N/A

26’-0” between entries 21’-0” between entries 27’-0” between entries 13’-5” between entries 21’-0” between entries 15’-0” between entries

SIDEWALK WIDTH: 13’-10” AVERAGE DISTANCE BETWEEN STOREFRONT ENTRIES: 17’-6” TOTAL LENGTH OF SIDEWALK DINING: 61’-9” URBAN LIFE STUDY

43

URBAN INTERACTION STUDY

Today, the average sidewalk width along Second Street is 13’-0” with some blocks’ sidewalks being almost 15’ in width. The widening was extremely successful in opening the street, increasing pedestrian activity and helping to promote community events. While Colonna believes there are still improvements to be made, like widening the sidewalks further, the changes he initiated helped in creating an urban Main Street. Today, pedestrians, cyclists and drivers can comfortably and cohesively navigate the urban fabric.

PROPERTY LINE

In the mid-80s, then BSBA president Frank Colonna was worried about Second Street’s lack of pedestrian activity. After seeing how successfully many European cities’ utilized their sidewalks for dining, Colonna was determined to improve the sidewalks and urban environment of Belmont Shore. He believed more dining would bring more eyes to the street and increase sales. To fund his idea, Colonna proposed wrapping parking meter revenue with a bond—a cutting edge idea. The structure helped the community raise the $3 million needed, and combined with homeowner and business approval, the project became a reality.

& 5TH [a] FILLMORE recessed entry, no awning

The widened sidewalks run along single and two story facades varying in architecture and character. As seen in the six sections here, few facades were designed the same. Entries, outdoor dining, awnings, lighting, fencing and facades vary in style, scale, proportion and materiality. A key characteristic is the amount of outdoor dining opportunities offered. Due to Belmont Shore’s cool, coastal climate, many businesses take advantage of the terrific yearround weather. Of the 154 ground floor businesses along Second, 35% provide some sort of outdoor seating for patrons. While some blocks provide zero outdoor dining opportunities, other blocks total length of linear dining is over half the length of the block. For example, the north side of Second Street from St. Joseph to Argonne (Block Study D, p. 42) is 192’ in length. Of the 192’, about 105’ are fronted with fenced-in dining. In addition, the dining wraps around the corner of Nick’s on Second, providing an extra 45’ of dining along St. Joseph. Rarely do blocks in urban settings—particularly blocks as small as those on Second—allow for 150’ of linear, outdoor dining.

While some dining is fenced-in along the sidewalk, other businesses’ facades open to the exterior allowing interior dining to be a part of the outdoor environment. Other restaurants have deeply recessed glazing to create fully shaded dining areas. Shading is a key part of each businesses’ outdoor dining or entry due to the intense southern California sun. Many businesses’ entries are recessed, while others are shaded by awnings—several of which are retractable—to allow for year-round flexibility.

44

PROPERTY LINE

13’-0”

4’-4”

& SECOND [b] SAINT controlled, covered outdoor dining at corner with second story of outdoor dining above 13’-0”

PROPERTY LINE

PROPERTY LINE

4’-0”

7’-9”

ON SECOND [d] NICK’S controlled outdoor seating, steel awning

GREEK CAFE [e] GEORGE’S controlled outdoor seating, retracting glass facade, cloth awning 14’-7”

PROPERTY LINE

PROPERTY LINE

13’-7”

HUT [c] SUNGLASS fully glazed, recessed facade, cloth awning 13’-0”

WINDOWS [f] BLUE fully glazed, bulkhead, cloth awning 14’-7”

URBAN LIFE STUDY

45

4 THE COMMUNITY

SECOND STREET STUDY IN BELMONT SHORE

BELMONT SHORE DENSITY BLOCK STUDY [2011]

Units = 52 Acreage = 2.58 Units/acre = 20.2

3 1

2

Units = 47 Acreage = 2.24 Units/acre = 21

Adjacent residential densities are at approximately 20 units/acre with lower densities and higher disposable income beyond.

48

Units = 64 Acreage = 3.5 Units/acre = 18.3

BELMONT SHORE WALKING STUDY [5 + 10 MIN.]

10 min.

5 min.

10 min.

5 min.

5 min.

10 min.

5 MIN. WALK

10 MIN. WALK

THE COMMUNITY

49

BELMONT SHORE + SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS’ CHARACTER BELMONT SHORE Belmont Shore is comprised of 15 residential streets oriented along Second—the main retail and business corridor. The narrow neighborhood streets originally featured mostly pre-war cottages and Spanish style homes and duplexes, however multifamily homes were added in the 50s and 60s when zoning was increased. Due to the narrow, one-way streets and densely arranged homes, the neighborhood maintains a small-scale, intimate feel.

BELMONT HEIGHTS

BELMONT PARK BELMONT SHORE NAPLES

Second Street is accessible from four distinct neighborhoods.

50

BELMONT HEIGHTS Northwest of Belmont Shore, the neighborhood of Belmont Heights is comprised of mostly single family residences with occasional pre-war duplex and triplex multifamily homes, typically on lots greater than 6,800 sf. Residences date back to as early as 1905, with the predominant architectural style being the Craftsman bungalow and Spanish Revival. While less concentrated with retail than Belmont Shore’s Second Street, the most active business district is to the west on Broadway. On the east side of the district between Park and Nieto Avenues, Belmont Heights Estates consists of larger single family residences.

NAPLES Completely bordered by Alamitos Bay, the three island neighborhood of Naples is divided by a series of canals centering around a fountain and public square. The neighborhood is comprised of mostly large, pre-war, single family residences—located on small lots less than 3,000 sf—as well as a few multi-family residences to the west. Second Street continues from Belmont Shore into Naples’ business district, which consists of smaller-scale businesses featuring restaurants, single-story strip malls and continuous two-story structures located only on the south side.

BELMONT PARK

Northeast of Toledo Avenue, Belmont Terrace features pre-war and post-war single family residences. Unlike Belmont Shore and Belmont Heights that maintain some type of business district, the neighborhood is purely residential. As a result, the neighborhood consists of curvilinear yield streets to promote slow traffic speeds.

THE COMMUNITY

51

TOTAL POPULATION + DENSITY [2016]

TOTAL POPULATION OF AREA [2016]:

BELMONT HEIGHTS

26,725

*City of Long Beach was 462,257 people in 2010.

BELMONT PARK BELMONT SHORE NAPLES

PROJECTED POPULATION GROWTH BY 2021:

3.3%

*Demographics are based on 2010 Census Data.

13,908

[9,223 people/ sq. mi.]

7,971

[13,957 people/ sq. mi.]

1,326

[6,617 people/ sq. mi.]

3,520

[7,320 people/ sq. mi.]

While Belmont Heights has the largest population of the four neighborhoods, Belmont Shore has the greatest population density—significantly higher than both the average density of the surrounding area and of Long Beach.

52

POPULATION DENSITY OF AREA [2016]:

9,279.4

PEOPLE/SQ. MI.

*City of Long Beach had 9.193 people/sq. mi. in 2010.

AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD INCOME [2016]

BELMONT HEIGHTS

AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD INCOME OF AREA [2016]:

$117,155

BELMONT PARK BELMONT SHORE NAPLES

AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD INCOME OF LONG BEACH [2016]:

$52,711

*Demographics are based on 2010 Census Data.

$105,872 per year

$102,521 per year

$110,323 per year

$149,903 per year

The neighborhoods surrounding Belmont Shore have an average household income of $117,155 annually with Naples being the highest. The area’s income is more than double that of Long Beach, which is notably lower at $52,711 annually.

THE COMMUNITY

53

TOTAL HOUSING UNITS + DENSITY [2016]

TOTAL HOUSING UNITS IN AREA [2016]:

BELMONT HEIGHTS

14,884

BELMONT PARK BELMONT SHORE NAPLES

HOUSING UNIT DENSITY IN AREA [2016]:

8.02

HOUSING UNITS/ACRE

*City of Long Beach had 5.35 units/acre in 2010 including streets, parks and parking lots.

*Demographics are based on 2010 Census Data.

7,479

[7.75 units/acre]

4,931

[13.49 units/acre]

614

[4.79 units/acre]

1,860

[6.04 units/acre]

A consequence of the population and density, Belmont Heights has the most housing units as a result of its area. However, the average density of the region is 8.02 housing units/acre—2.67 units more per acre than the City of Long Beach.

54

PROJECTED HOUSING UNIT DENSITY INCREASE BY 2021:

2.1%

OWNERSHIP + LEASING Today, the economic pressures of Belmont Shore are changing. West Los Angeles developers are buying up the land with the vision of Second Street being the next up and coming area of LA. The increase in interest has led to both a spike in rent and turnover. The question now is: who presently are the owners on Second Street, how much land do they own and how do their visions for the future of Second Street affect its businesses, residents and character?

RENT & VACANCIES

$ MOM & POP SHOPS

CHAINS

SYNDICATES

Many of the stores on Second Street have been family owned and operated for decades.

Frequently, these businesses are neighborhood serving like restaurants, salons, hardware and watch repair shops. Several own multiple properties, inherited from generations before. These owners tend to have deeply rooted community ties and act with the community’s best interest in mind. As a result, many charge just below market rate in order to maintain local, small businesses on Second.

Throughout the past two decades, chain retailers have become increasingly prominent along Second. Many of these stores allow locals to dine, shop and stroll within the convenience of their own neighborhood. Stores like Gap, Papyrus and Starbucks bring in both visitors and revenue. Their financial backing prevents high rent from forcing them to leave or turnover that small-business owners often face.

Of recent, several syndicate ownerships have bought out large pieces of property along Second at record prices. The purchases have driven rents to reach an all time high and as a result, initiated a transitional period for Second Street as businesses across the board are forced to compete with a quickly moving, high priced industry.

The role of this ownership group in the future remains unknown, but maximizing profit appears to be top priority.

Rents along Second Street are increasing at a steady rate.

With restaurant rents being most expensive, particularly those serving alcohol, new rent highs often set new market rate standards for the area. In 2014, a restaurant was rumored to settle for $5 per square foot. At the time, the rent seemed absurd, but today, in 2016, $5 has become the normal. While historically cheaper, local property owners believe retail rent is not far behind restaurants.

Continuously increasing rents show a strong demand for property on Second. As a result, vacancy is quite rare. With varying owners increasingly interested in buying properties, new buyers barely have time to act. Often, properties cannot even make it to the market before a buyer swoops in to purchase.

!

While the strong demand for land shows a promising economic future for Second Street, such sales for local owners can also be worrying. On one hand, it is an affirmation of how much one’s land is worth, but also challenging in that it makes future investments—particularly for non-syndicate owners—even more expensive or unattainable.

THE COMMUNITY

55

5 PARKING + TRANSPORTATION SECOND STREET STUDY IN BELMONT SHORE

EVOLUTION OF TRANSPORTATION

transition from trolley to automobile focused transformation from a street to a complete street

58

TYPES OF PARKING

Customer OffStreet Parking

Bank Customer & Pay Station Off-Street Parking

Metered Side Street Parking

Metered 2nd Street Parking Metered Off-Street Parking

ON-STREET 2nd Street Meter Side Street Meter TOTAL: [.64 stalls/1000 sf]

154 185 339

OFF-STREET Meter/Pay Station Customer Tenant/Employee TOTAL: [1.15 stalls/1000 sf]

*100% of parking revenue goes to the BID to improve and maintain Second Street. *Totals do not include approx. 20 motorcycle parking spaces.

217 294 102 613

TOTAL PARKING [1.79 stalls/1000 sf]

952

*As shown above, many off-street lots on Second, owned by banks for customers and employees’ use, convert to metered or pay station lots for public use during non-business hours. This is a municipal requirement to leverage parking. *The numbers shown for off-street meter/pay station parking represent stalls solely metered and city operated, not shared with businesses.

WHY DOES PARKING WORK AS WELL AS IT DOES? When people park they typically go to several stores by foot creating a park once scenario.

Otherwise, others come by foot, bike or transit.

PARKING + TRANSIT

59

PARKING VARIETY

Short Term On-Street Parking

Metered Motorcycle Parking 60

Bike Parking

PARKING CHALLENGE

?

Continually sought-after for it’s coastal location, beautiful homes and economic success, Belmont Shore is a neighborhood of increasing popularity.

From residents, to businesses and visitors alike, parking along and around Second Street is always in high demand.

The area’s bustling activity forces business owners and the community to seek new opportunities that maximize available parking and make best use of private and public space. From converting bank parking lots to public parking during non-business hours (required by the Long Beach Municipal Code) to brainstorming new ways to repark and restripe existing stalls, the community continuously aims to improve the state of parking on Second Street as a result of shifting or new needs.

One of the biggest parking challenges Second Street faces is a discrepancy in interests between residents and businesses.

Businesses on Second want to provide sufficient parking, balancing the need to offer convenient parking for customers and safe parking for employees.

Currently, Second Street offers around 300 customer stalls and 100 tenant and employee stalls. However, with more than 250 businesses spread across a half-mile corridor, securing a convenient parking spot often poses a challenge.

The parking demand is also amplified by the residents of Belmont Shore—a densely populated with single family homes, duplexes and multi-unit buildings. Being that Belmont Shore is about 50% more dense than other neighborhoods in Long Beach, its residents, customers and visitors are frequently competing for the same parking spots.

The challenge that remains is how to best accommodate the community that supports Second Street.

From strengthening public transportation, to improving bicycle infrastructure, to restructuring and implementing new parking, the community is constantly working together to find new solutions.

One program, the Belmont Shore Employee Shore Pass, is an example of a way to alleviate parking congestion by providing all employees with a free means of getting to and from work. It is anticipated that 30-40% of employees utilize this pass. Features like free parking during the holiday season also help to mitigate the high volume of shoppers present.

As Belmont Shore continues to grow, the community’s ability to cohesively resolve parking and transportation challenges is key.

PARKING + TRANSIT

61

VEHICULAR TRAFFIC AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ON SECOND STREET VEHICULAR TRAFFIC The City of Long Beach’s 2014 Citywide Traffic Flow report indicated 27,600 vehicles traverse Second Street per day at roughly 25 mph. Comparatively, traffic along Ocean Boulevard varied from 7,500-8,400 cars per day at 30 mph and 15,000 cars per day along Livingston Drive at 35 mph. All intersecting streets in Belmont Shore experienced anywhere from 0-5,000 cars daily.

EMPLOYEE BUS PASS SYSTEM To mitigate vehicular traffic and parking difficulties, as well as encourage sustainable, easy access to Belmont Shore, the Belmont Shore Business Association implements an employee rider pass program for all business’ employees. Modeled off of the same system used by California State University Long Beach—which about 10,000 students now use daily—the program has been in effect since 2012 and allows employees to take public transportation to and from work free of charge.

Being that Second experiences higher traffic levels than its surrounding streets, it is important that signals effectively aid traffic flow. To accommodate the different loads of vehicular traffic, signal timing is based on four phases: the AM peak, mid-day, the PM peak and free mode. The peaks are bidirectional with Belmont Shore’s AM peak being 6am-9am and the PM peak being 3pm-6pm. Cycles are set at 75 seconds, providing Second Street with the majority of green time. The cycle length affords enough time for each movement of traffic to receive a green indication as well as all of the pedestrian, yellow and red clearance times. However, the fifteen intersections along Second Street are designed so that if a vehicle is traveling at the speed limit, each light should turn green consecutively.

Therefore, in theory, a driver should be able to travel from Bayshore to Livingston without stopping at a red light.

The system is funded by Proposition A, therefore preventing businesses from incurring any operating costs. Long Beach Transit is then paid based on the quantity of boardings, with each ride costing a discounted rate of about 50 cents.

UNIQUE RIDERS A “unique rider” is an individual employee of a business on Second Street who utilizes the Belmont Shore Business Association Employee Bus Pass System.

The data below represents the quantity of employees who utilized the system on a monthly basis from October-December of 2015. October 2015 totaled 524 THE TO LEDOfor the program. Of the 1,500 employees who work on Second employees—a high Street (1,300 full time and +/-250 for ownership), typically 450-500 employees use the buss pass system per month—roughly 30-40%.

BOARDINGS Boardings are representative of the total amount of rides taken by employees per month, separate of the quantity of unique rides. To be expected, an increase in the quantity of unique riders proportionally affects the overall boardings total.

524 [15,970 TOTAL BOARDINGS] 503 [14,805 TOTAL BOARDINGS] 462 [13,542 TOTAL BOARDINGS]

OCTOBER NOVEMBER

SECOND STREET

bus stop location

62

BAY SHORE AV

CLAREMONT

SANTA ANA

POMONA

GLENDORA

LA VERNE

COVINA

CORONA

NIETO

GRANADA

PARK

G

N

VI

LI

DR

ARGONNE

.

ON ST

ST. JOSEPH

E.

DECEMBER

BIKING ON SECOND STREET In June 2009, bike sharrows were implemented along Second Street as part of an experiment with the Federal Highway Administration. Since then, they’ve proven to be tremendously successful along Second by improving the opportunity for cyclists and drivers to safely, and comfortably, share the road.

PINE AVE. AND BROADWAY

According to the Department of Public Works, the two biggest issues related to safety are inattentiveness and speeding while driving. With the implementation of bike sharrows, heavy presence of crosswalks, bold signage and sheer density, drivers along Second Street are forced to be actively engaged while driving.

271

The speed limit on Second Street is 25mph—often a challenging speed at which to travel due to the density of cars present. Meanwhile, a typical cyclists travels at about 15-20mph. Subsequently, cyclists and drivers travel at about the same speed, which helps them to avoid conflict, while making Second one of the safer and most comfortable streets to bike in Long Beach.

One of the bike challenges in urban and suburban settings is the presence of bikes on sidewalks. In a residential setting an average of 50% of cyclists use the sidewalk compared to 20-25% in an urban setting. However, since sharrows were implemented on Second, only 2% of cyclists use the sidewalk—the lowest of any sidewalk in Long Beach.

21

158

2ND STREET AND BAYSHORE AVE.

129

THE TOLEDO

107

98

BAY SHORE AV

CLAREMONT

SANTA ANA

POMONA

GLENDORA

LA VERNE

COVINA

CORONA

NIETO

GRANADA

PARK

G

N

VI

LI

DR

ARGONNE

.

ON ST

ST. JOSEPH

E.

76 77 From 2008-2014, the Department of Public Works lead a study mapping bike 70 68 usage across Long Beach at four different intersections. As seen in the data, the presence of bikes has continued to increase in Belmont Shore—specifically where 43 Second Street meets Bayshore—with anywhere from 34-48 bikers per hour in the 28 morning, evening or on the weekends.

9 In March 2016, the City implemented a new bike share program. Once fully implemented, the program will offer 50 stations and 500 bikes. Presently, two [DATA COLLECTED THROUGH ANNUAL SURVEYS FROM 2008-2014] bike shares are located along Second on the corners of Park and Bayshore.

A.M. P.M. WEEKEND *DATA MEASURES NUMBER OF BIKERS PRESENT IN TWO HOUR PERIOD ONE MORNING, EVENING AND Additionally, the Department of Public Works is in the planning stages of improving WEEKEND MORNING EACH OCTOBER PER YEAR. *Data collected by L.A. Times bike lanes to meet current standards, including the possible implementation of parking protected bike lanes from the County line into Belmont Shore.

SECOND STREET

bike share location

PARKING + TRANSIT

63

COLLISIONS DATA ANALYSIS SECOND STREET COLLISION DATA [2008-2013] The following data represents the total collisions that occurred along Second Street from 2008 to 2013. Collisions are categorized as automobile, pedestrian, bike or motorcycle related.

2008

2009

2010

TOTAL COLLISIONS [2008-2013]

2011

2012

TOTAL COLLISIONS BY TYPE [2008-2013]

2013

BIKE USAGE BEFORE AND AFTER SHARROW INSTALLATION THREE MONTH USAGE

[June 2009-September 2009]

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

[13%] [6.5%] [24%] [19.5%] [26%] [11%]

Automobile [26%] Pedestrian [19.5%] Bike [48%] Motorcycle [6.5%]

BEFORE: 1252 AFTER:1614

+ 29%

*Counts collected over a three-day period.

TWELVE MONTH USAGE [June 2009-June 2010]

BEFORE: 1320 AFTER:2428

+ 89%

*Counts collected over a three-day period (Fri-Sun).

The data source, the Transportation Injury Mapping System (TIMS), relies on data from the Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS). It is important to note that TIMS excludes property-damage-only collisions, whereas data obtained from a source like the Long Beach Police Department includes collisions resulting in both injury and property damage. The data shown here focuses directly on collisions resulting in injury.

64

INCREASE

INCREASE

*It is important to note that while total bike collisions increased since the implementation of bike sharrows in 2009, if the number of bicyclists using the street increased, then the overall collision rate has decreased proportionally.

Over a 12 month period, bike counts proved an 89% increase in net usage, therefore indicating bike collisions have decreased proportionally.

COLLISION DETAILS [2008-2013] WEEK OR WEEKEND?

50% OF COLLISIONS

MORNING OR EVENING?

14% 25% 14% 25% 23%

50% OF COLLISIONS

OCCUR DURING THE WEEK [MON-THURS]

OCCUR ON THE WEEKEND [FRI-SUN]

COLLISION EXTENT

INTERSECTION OR ALONG SECOND STREET?

9PM - 9AM 9AM - 12PM 12PM - 3PM 3PM - 6PM 6PM - 9PM

91%

OF COLLISIONS RESULTED IN VISIBLE INJURY OR COMPLAINT OF PAIN

SWITRS data indicated half of all collisions occurred during the week and half on weekends, proving collisions are neither a result of commuter nor visitor traffic.

Collisions were reported throughout different hours in the day, however close to 50% occurred between 3pm-9pm. The increase in collisions during the evening could potentially be related to the larger volumes of people who visit Second Street to eat dinner or grab a drink.

9%

40%

60%

OF COLLISIONS RESULTED IN SEVERE INJURY THE TOLEDO

Thankfully, the majority of collisions resulted in minor injuries, with only 9% resulting in severe injury and 0% resulting in death—most likely a result of the calm traffic speeds, plethora of crosswalks and village-scale.

4

SECOND1STREET 2

*Of the 18 collisions at intersections, 13 occurred towards the main corridors on either end of Second Street (Livingston Drive and Bayshore Avenue) or along Granada, the only two-way intersecting street. While unknown, collisions that

2

CLAREMONT

SANTA ANA

POMONA

GLENDORA

LA VERNE

COVINA

CORONA

NIETO

GRANADA

PARK

3

1

BAY SHORE AV

1

G

N

VI

LI

DR

ARGONNE

.

ON ST

ST. JOSEPH

E.

COLLISION LOCATIONS [2008-2013] Of the 46 collisions that occurred on Second Street, 40% occurred at intersections. The following map charts the intersections where the accidents occurred.

4

occurred at the corners of Covina or Glendora could be related to visibility issues due to two-story, full-height structures at the corners.

PARKING + TRANSIT E. DIVISION ST.

65

BUSINESSES’ OPINION ON PARKING + TRANSPORTATION With a wide variety of businesses along Second, both employees and customers seek parking or a reliable method of transportation all day, seven days a week. As a result, businesses are tasked with providing employee parking or transportation, as well as helping to ensure customers are provided convenient parking to meet their shopping needs.

All employees who work on Second Street have access to the Shore Pass

LEGENDS [RESTAURANT + BAR]

BLUE WINDOWS [LIFESTYLE STORE]

POLLY’S [COFFEE SHOP]

CUSTOMERS

Both Johnson and Peterson feel their customers express little issue with parking on Second, particularly considering the two-hour limit.

Blue Windows’ clientele is strongly rooted in recurring Belmont Shore residents. Duncan finds no issue with the parking on Second and its effect on her business.

Polly’s customers have the unique luxury of an adjacent surface parking. The lot, which is monitored to prevent non-customers from parking, provides customers with around 20 parking stalls

EMPLOYEES

Of Legends 60 or so employees, around 12-14 use the Shore Pass system. Both owners feel strongly about the program’s importance and the service it provides to their employees as almost 25% of their staff utilizes the program.

Being a smaller business, one of Blue Windows’ six employees uses the Shore Pass system.

Most of Polly’s employees either bike or take the bus to work. Of their 14 employees, nine use the Shore Pass system.

12-14

1

9

[OF 60 EMPLOYEES]

[OF 6 EMPLOYEES]

[OF 14 EMPLOYEES]

SOLUTIONS

66

system, which provides each with unlimited access to the Long Beach Transit system. Conveniently, there are two bus lines that run along Second Street in Belmont Shore including eight stops. While the program might not address all needs, employees make great use of the program. As for customers, during main business hours individuals can pay to park for a maximum of two hours or find free parking on side streets. After hours, paying is no longer required and parking lots, like those of financial institutions, convert to public parking for all.

Peterson suggests parking issues could be mitigated by restriping the neighborhood streets to prevent poor parking and provide more commercial spaces. Additionally, to free up residents’ garages, he proposed a community trash pick-up day where neighbors clean out their garages and volunteers collect all unwanted items.

Therefore, residents would be able to utilize their garages for parking— a common issue throughout Belmont Shore.

Duncan believes parking on Second is a matter of “finding the right spot” as well as the willingness to park a few blocks away and walk. She is thankful the idea of a parking structure was vetoed as it would have negatively altered the appearance of Second when entering over the bridge. Instead, she believes parking density could be reduced by converting vacant lots throughout Belmont Shore into surface parking.

Sheldrake realizes a solution to the parking issue is virtually impossible as someone will always be opposed to the newest plan. He believes that for any new parking solution to work, someone will have to give something up.

RESIDENTS’ OPINION ON PARKING + TRANSPORTATION In 2015 the Belmont Shore Residents’ Association issued a survey to better address community concerns pertaining to life in Belmont Shore. A strong emphasis was placed on identifying where parking fell in relation to other areas of concern, as well as the best fit solutions for addressing the current parking situation. *The survey was available solely to members of the BSRA and does not reflect the opinions of the community at large. The survey did not indicate the age, gender, etc. of participants.

28% of the 58 respondents ranked Belmont Shore parking issues as the most important community concern.

28%

The survey asked respondents how Belmont Shore residential parking could be improved by selecting all options to be considered. The most chosen improvement was for businesses to work on developing further solutions for employee parking away from residences, followed second by the implementation of a residential permit parking system.

Business-focus on solutions for employee parking away from residences Residential permit parking Shuttle from alternative parking lots to 2nd Street Strict city enforcement of business parking conditions and requirements Painted parallel parking stripes to mark spaces on residential streets Require and enforce at the time of sale, all garages to be usable for parking A moratorium on restaurants and bars Other Build parking structures Build additional surface parking lots

[67%] [64%] [57%] [52%] [50%] [45%] [38%] [24%] [17%] [14%]

*The survey results reflect answers from voluntary community members who are part of the Belmont Shore Residents Association, not the community at large.

PARKING + TRANSIT

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6 TODAY + FUTURE

SECOND STREET STUDY IN BELMONT SHORE

WHY IS SECOND STREET SUCCESSFUL?

WHAT ARE ITS CHALLENGES?

Second Street’s success can be attributed to a variety of distinct characteristics. The district scale, short blocks and wide sidewalks offer a pleasant, pedestrian friendly shopping experience. As visitors explore, they’re met with a wonderful mix of tenants offering a balanced retail environment including national, local, destination and neighborhood serving businesses. Additionally, being a park once district, walkability is further eased as pedestrians are encouraged to park one time and visit a multiple of businesses by foot.

It is due to the success of businesses on Second Street that land prices and rents continue to rise. While Second used to be known for having more reasonable rents, of recent, rates have been more comparable to retail districts in West Los Angeles—often posing a challenge for mom and pop businesses. Additionally, with the rising demand for restaurants, retaining a healthy mix of tenants, including neighborhood serving uses such as hardware or shoe repair stores, could prove challenging. A large component of this rise could be attributed to the fact that serving alcohol assists businesses in being lucrative and allows higher rents to owners.

Second Street also acts as an artery for the neighborhood and its commuters. Its drivers are met with calm traffic speeds and cyclists are provided a bike friendly environment. Synchronized lights, medians and narrow traffic lanes allow those by foot, bike or car to travel safely in unison.

The district’s appeal helps to create both local, citywide and regional draw. The adjacent density of Belmont Shore, as well as the nearby neighborhoods of Belmont Heights, Belmont Park and Naples, provide a beneficial disposable income. The result is an engaged community who partakes in Second Street’s many events and wants to enjoy all that it has to offer. The proximity to Cal State Long Beach, scheduled events and coastal amenities attract a broad customer base supporting a “Main Street” twice as long as the typical.

The unique social, physical and economic characteristics of Second Street allow it to function differently, and as a result, successfully, in a way many other retail districts cannot.

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While not an immediate challenge, with time, it will be important that Second Street preserves its varied architecture and wellmaintained character. For instance, if the ratio of office tenants to retailers continues to rise—particularly on second floor spaces— such lessees may diminish storefront vitality and street character.

Due to the quantity of businesses and neighborhood density throughout Belmont Shore, Second Street’s challenge of parking may never dissipate. Much of the challenge is attributed to a difference in demand between residents and retail customers, however their difference in interests will continue to remain unchanged. While shared parking has helped to mitigate the parking demand to an extent, more will most likely be needed to satisfy both user groups.

WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF SECOND STREET? Retail is presently undergoing a transformation. With the rise of discount retailing and online shopping, traditional department stores and enclosed malls will continue to decline. However, Second Street’s physical structure seems to accommodate change well. What Second Street offers is more than retail specific. Its character, scale and comfort offer locals and visitors an experience other shopping destinations lack—a sense of community.

Faced with changing economic pressures, Second Street is experiencing a transitional period of its own. As rents increase, along with minimum wage, the direction tenanting is heading is difficult to predict. However, Second Street’s location within a seaside town, strong neighboring demographics, draw from university students and increased emphasis on food and beverage will bode well for the near future. Its unique physical make up supports an authentic sense of place attractive to the largest demographic, millenials.

With the ever increasing presence of technology—like driverless cars capable of parking at home or drones suited to deliver products, like food and beverages, directly to homes—even issues of parking and traffic may diminish over time. Even though a proposal was rejected, the concept of mechanized parking as a means of accommodating density, while also maintaining a low impact footprint, seems less foreign an idea than it did only years ago.

Today, retail is evolving into smaller shops that are high tech and high touch. Whether society is being driven by virtual and visceral shopping demands or a desire to be immersed in quality food and beverage environments, Second Street must adjust to these cultural shifts and continue to provide a shopping experience uniquely its own.

TODAY + FUTURE

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IMAGE CREDITS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

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http://metroprimaryresources.info/blue-line-at-20-looking-back-at-early-service-between-los-angeles-and-long-beach-1902-1961/283/ http://encore.lbpl.org/iii/cpro/DigitalItemViewPage.external?sp=1002927 http://www.belmontshore.org/history-2/ http://hslb.org/product/postcard-belmont-theatre/ http://encore.lbpl.org/iii/encore/record/C__Rx1005034__Ssecond%20street__P5%2C131__O-date__U__X0?lang=eng&suite=pearl https://www.facebook.com/ILoveBelmontShore/photos/ http://encore.lbpl.org/iii/encore/record/C__Rx1001258__Ssecond%20street__P0%2C23__O-date__U__X0?lang=eng&suite=pearl http://encore.lbpl.org/iii/encore/record/C__Rx1004906__Ssecond%20street__P5%2C127__O-date__U__X0?lang=eng&suite=pearl http://encore.lbpl.org/iii/encore/record/C__Rx1004336__Sbelmont%20shore__P5%2C130__O-date__X0?lang=eng&suite=pearl http://www.belmontshore.org/history-2/ http://www.legendssportsbar.com/gallery/world-cup-soccer-2014/ http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/pollys-gourmet-coffee-long-beach?select=l1lrHRMXtcRQlkihm2yNGw http://bluewindows.net/ http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/blue-windows-long-beach?select=EWxzEsp6Va45hqBDBOTHQQ http://www.everythinglongbeach.com/bay-city-rodders-accepting-entries-for-belmont-shore-car-show/ http://www.vintageshopper.com/belmont-shore-car-show-photo-gallery/ http://www.belmontshore.org/131207_0302/ | Jim Woods https://lbpost.com/news/2000004969-lbpd-presents-belmont-shore-christmas-parade-tips-street-closures http://www.belmontshore.org/stroll-savor/#jp-carousel-282 http://www.belmontshore.org/stroll-savor/#jp-carousel-276 https://laecovillage.wordpress.com/2010/06/04/lovely-long-beach-bike-lanes/

Fall 2016