

Downtown Long Beach may not be on fire the way Downtown LA is, but there's still some action poppin' down there: a 17-story mixed-user called The Current breaks ground on Friday reports Longbeachize, with 223 luxury units, 6,750 square feet of retail, and a 25,000-square-foot plaza that will include more restaurants and shops. The $70-million project, formerly called the Shoreline Gateway, was designed by San Francisco-based BAR Architects and the look, including the fin that sticks out of the tower, is supposedly inspired by California modernists like Cliff May. The project should wrap in about two years, about the same time a 35-story sister tower breaks ground right next door. The entire project is supposed to serve as a gateway to Downtown LB and "a catalyst for the area," according to a statement from developer AndersonPacific.

· $70M, 17-Story Current Tower Breaks Ground Friday in Long Beach [Longeachize]