Beach Cities Health District continues to move forward with plans for an 11-acre "Healthy Living Campus," in Redondo Beach, with the start of the project's environmental review period.

BCHD, a former hospital that transitioned to a preventative healthcare model in 1998, is seeking approvals to redevelop its existing - an 11-acre facility bounded by Prospect Avenue, Flagler Lane, and Diamond Street.  The full project, which would cost approximately $537 million, is to be developed in three phases over the course of 15 years.

Phase I

Work is expected to begin with the removal of existing parking and perimeter circulation road to make way for the construction of a new senior care facility consisting of 60 memory care units and 102 assisted living units.  Additionally, plans call for the construction of a two-level subterranean parking garage and the addition of new pedestrian and bicycle paths throughout and around the perimeter of the campus.  Phase I improvements are expected to break ground in Summer 2021 and complete construction by Summer 2024, depending on the pace of permitting and financial considerations.

Phase II

Phase II improvements would consist of a new Community Wellness Pavilion, located at the center of the campus, which would provide offices for BCHD staff, a demonstration kitchen, meeting rooms, a cafe, and space for medical offices and other uses.  Additionally, the senior care building is to be expanded with 99 additional assisted living units during this period, as would the subterranean parking garage.  Construction is expected to occur between Summer 2026 and Summer 2029.

Phase III

The third and final phase of the Healthy Living Campus calls for replacing an existing above-grade parking garage and medical building with a second expansion of the senior care facility, adding 159 assisted living units, offices, and an open-air atrium.  Replacement parking would be provided within a new above-grade garage.  Construction is expected to begin by Summer 2030 and conclude by Summer 2033.

At completion, BCHD's campus would consist of nearly 600,000 square feet of programmed space, with 420 senior care units and parking for up to 690 vehicles.  Buildings would stand up to four stories in height, interspersed with approximately 5.8 acres of green space.

Though most existing facilities would be razed to facilitate the proposed development, the Providence Medical Institute Building is to be retained.

BCHD has cited increased maintenance costs for its aging buildings - some of which date to the 1950s - as the key motivation behind the project.  The organization expects that annual revenue will fall short of operating expenses after the year 2021, and has stated that the five-year period between 2019 and 2024 provides a critical window to reimagine the campus.

The project is likely to be developed in partnership with another private entity.  BCHD has indicated that the organization cannot build the campus by themselves, and would lose ongoing revenue by selling the land outright.

Scoping meetings for the project's environmental impact report will occur from 6 to 8 pm at the following locations:

  • Monday, July 15, 2019 - Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center, 1935 Manhattan Beach Blvd, Redondo Beach 
  • Wednesday, July 17, 2019 - Joslyn Community Center, 1601 North Valley Drive, Manhattan Beach 
  • Monday, July 22, 2019 - Hermosa Beach City Council Chambers, 1315 Valley Drive, Hermosa Beach

The public comment period for the project runs through July 29, 2019.