A large empty lot adjacent to the Los Angeles River could be redeveloped with for-sale housing, according to an initial study published last month by the City of Long Beach.

The RiverPark project, proposed by Newport Beach-based Integral Communities, would rise from a roughly 20-acre site on the river's east bank, spanning from Wardlow Road in the south to the I-405 Freeway in the north.  Plans call for the construction of 226 residential units - including 11 that would be set aside as affordable housing.

RiverPark would consist of a combination of single-family homes and attached townhomes, standing two stories toward the northern property line and three stories in height adjacent to Wardlow.  The proposed housing is described as being of three architectural styles - Spanish Colonial, Italianate, and Santa Barbara.  Plans call for a mix of two-, three-, and four-bedroom floor plans - ringing from 1,500 to 2,400 square feet in size.  Each would include a two-car garage.

Proposed site of RiverParkGoogle Street View

The northernmost five acres of the site - located past Baker Street - would be landscaped as an open space and recreation area, capable of hosting a soccer field or other sporting activities.  Additional open space amenities for use by residents would include a recreation area, a clubhouse, and a swimming pool.

According to the environmental study, construction is expected to occur over a 44-month period, starting in October 2022 and concluding in June 2026.  That timeline would include site grading as well as the installation of utility lines and internal streets.

The large empty lot poised for development is a legacy of the oil extraction industry which proliferated throughout Long Beach.  According to the environmental study, the proposed site of RiverPark was used to treat water from oil wells from the 1920s until 1998.  Infrastructure related to the water treatment facility was removed from the property in 2001, and soil remediation has continued in the 20 years since.

RiverWalk is the second Los Angeles River-adjacent development for Integral Communities in Long Beach.  The company previously partnered with Brandywine Homes on Riverdale, a similar for-sale housing development located one mile north adjacent to the Virginia Country Club.