LB HERITAGE NAMES SEAPORT MARINA HOTEL TO ITS ENDANGERED LIST
By Dave Wielenga
The Seaport Marina Hotel, a midcentury expression of Southern California’s informal elegance that has become an eyesore under its latest owners, is among 10 Long Beach buildings on an Endangered Properties Watch List that will be spotlighted in May during National Preservation Month.
“The buildings of Long Beach are tangible reminders of the city’s long and significant history,” according to a press release from Long Beach Heritage, which is publicizing National Preservation Month. “Long Beach has been blessed with many beautiful homes and structures that tell a story of its past.”
Constructed in 1963 as the Hyatt Edgewater Hotel, its low-slung buildings on verdant grounds are the stuff of today’s retro-cool. But the hotel was plenty legit in its day. It’s where Elvis Presley might stay while giving a string of concerts at the Long Beach Arena. And it’s where a 12-year-old kid from St. Bernard’s Church in Bellflower might be taken by his parents to celebrate his confirmation with his first fine night out.
But the SeaPort Marina Hotel—the name was changed in 19960—is currently falling apart as its owners mark time while seeking permission to tear it down in favor of a massive multi-use complex—a 12-story hotel amid a shopping center and residences called Second+PCH.
The other nine Long Beach buildings on the Endangered Properties Watch List are Long Beach Civic Center; The Southern Pacific Train Depot; North Long Beach Farmers & Merchants Bank; Meeker-Baker Building; Press-Telegram building; Anaheim Art Deco (628) Hotel; Acres of Books (Art Exchange), American Hotel and Ray Vines Chrysler Showroom.
“A significant part of National Preservation Month is to inform the public of those architecturally significant structures in Long Beach that are on the Endangered Properties Watch List,” stated Mary Kay Nottage, Executive Director of Long Beach Heritage, in the press release. “That list is available on our website, with updates and specifics,”
10 Comments
I believe Long Beach developers are using Long Beach Heritage’s top ten endangered property website as their personal shopping list.
http://www.lbheritage.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=117:endangered-properties-watch-list&catid=18:lb-advocacy
I happen to agree with Mike. It is very nice to point out you have a Do Do bird living in our backyard. It is quite another thing to know its value.
Long Beach has a tendency to know it should protect endangered properties but prefers the new and then a rebuild when that doesn’t work out instead of doing an adaptive reuse. We have a property in North Long Beach called the Atlantic Theater. After almost 8 years of battling, the city looked at the building even after CEQA and said it would not be adequate for a Library. Well the people wanted it for a community facility and tearing down the furniture store next to it would provide the 15,000 square feet necessary for a repository. Instead some time in the future we will get to see a bulldozer tear the heart out of North Long Beach and its most significant structure.
I wish that the Long Beach Heritage had added this property years ago. Would that have helped–maybe. Maybe not.
Ever since Taki-Sun, (the Lins) took over this property, it has gone downhill. We have all stayed at much older hotels, some quite famous, which have been maintained, upgraded when necessary and given TLC.
The Lins have none of these attributes. And, if the Second and PCH project goes through, the Lins will STILL be managing it as well as Peter’s Landing, (which they can also claim “slum landlord” title on).
One wonders why the city never acted on the neglet and health complaints regarding Seaport Marina Hotel . But then perhaps it was not in their best interests to do so. The city, through their MSC, (Multi-Services Center) place the homeless there–many with real problems–their stays, (up to three months), paid for by vouchers, and rooms reserved….so who
cares how it looks? Unfortunately, cities tend to use the cheapest
accommodations they can find for this.
Could SEAPORT MARINA HOTEL be saved? Doubtful, as it is in such total disrepair inside. The only portion of the hotel that might lend itself to a new luxury low-rise hotel is the lobby and the original staircase. You would then save the architectural detail on the entrance. With lovely new rooms, surrounded again as it once was by beautiful landscaping, upscale restaurants, boutique shops inside the hotel and resort facilites for the traveler, it would be a true winner!
Absolutely correct Theresa. I always thinks of ships and hotels as being female. A shame, it isn’t the hotel’s fault, poor thing! If you go into the body of this article and look at the list of endangered properties on the Long Beach Heritage website, there is a picture of how the Edgewater Hyatt used to look (SEAPORT MARINA HOTEL) it is taken from Marina Drive, and depicts what we know now as the back of the hotel—very nice–better than the front, and perhaps it was the front then? Dave should post that.
The Second and PCH project is horrible. I have sent my comments regarding the muddy EIR into Planning, as due in today.
Seal Beach City Council has stated their opposition to the Second & PCH EIR and is urging its residents to attend the Planning Commission study sessions.
http://www.ocregister.com/news/beach-300673-long-project.html
I took my first job in the car business at Ray Vines Chrysler in 1967,many happy memories .4jfc@sbcglobal.net
This property was built as “Jim Stockman’s Edgwater Inn and Marina Hotel” in 1962. At that time, Long Beach was attempting to organize a Worlds Fair, to be built on harbor fill now known as Pier J. Jim Stockman built this hotel cheaply and for really only temporary use for the worlds fair. When the fair failed to materialize, the hotel failed to make money and was sold shortly thereafter to Hyatt House Hotels. It was known then as Edgewater Hyatt House. In 1976, the name was changed to Long Beach Hyatt Hotel. It was cheaply built and has always been sort of an eyesore. Why it should be preserved is beyond me.
It’s nice to know that other’s see historical value in the old Ray Vines dealership building. I’m sure my Grandfather would have gotten a kick out of that. He passed away about fifteen years ago. I wish I’d been around to see it during its heyday.
My Dad, Ray Vines, was very proud of the design and the success of the dealership. He and many other”car men”started out as used car dealers on American Avenue (Long Beach Blvd) after WW ll. The City of Long Beach and Farmers & Merchants Bank were very supportive of the Dealers back then.
I remember the hotel when it was a “Happen” place. I also worked for Ray Vines in the sixties, and practically grew up in his home as a child. Ray’s son, Ed and I attended school together and are still best of friends today.