Long Beach is looking to create a beachfront to rival Santa Monica’s, and residents will get a glimpse of the beginning of that process next month, when the city breaks ground on its first major concession stand project at Alamitos Beach.

The Long Beach City Council voted to approve moving forward with the project at its Tuesday, March 5, meeting. City staff said work will begin after the Grand Prix, which is scheduled for April 12 to 14.

The Alamitos Beach project is one of three — the other two will be at the Junipero and Granada beaches — that have been in the works for years. Public Works Project Manager Eric Lopez said all three should be open by next summer.

The Alamitos Beach plan consists of demolishing the existing 2,200 square-foot concession and restroom building and constructing a two-story, 4,240 square-foot building. The top story will be a rooftop deck, and there will also be a wraparound deck on the ground level.

The project, which will also include a playground, new public restrooms and a recreational rental building, will cost about $9 million and be paid for through the city’s Tidelands fund.

Rendering of the new Alamitos Beach concession stand. Construction is slated to begin in April 2019. (City of Long Beach)

Rendering of the new Alamitos Beach concession stand. Construction is slated to begin in April 2019. (City of Long Beach)

Rendering of the new Alamitos Beach concession stand. Construction is slated to begin in April 2019. (City of Long Beach)

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Rendering of the new Alamitos Beach concession stand. Construction is slated to begin in April 2019. (City of Long Beach)

Rendering of the new Alamitos Beach concession stand. Construction is slated to begin in April 2019. (City of Long Beach)



Rendering of the new Junipero Beach concession stand. (City of Long Beach)

Rendering of the new Granada Beach concession stand. (City of Long Beach)

Rendering of the new Granada Beach concession stand. (City of Long Beach)

Rendering of the new Granada Beach concession stand. (City of Long Beach)

“I am so excited about this project,” said Councilwoman Jeannine Pearce, who represents the city’s 2nd District, which includes Alamitos Beach.

Pearce said she knew discussions around how to make the beach more attractive began before she was even in office.

“We had a lot of ideas around concession stands,” she said, “and I did not at that time believe that we would get to a place with something this spectacular.”

The Alamitos Beach concession stand will be the largest of the three, with a smaller playground than the others. Pearce and her council colleagues stressed during Tuesday’s meeting that all three areas should have different vibes and different food offerings, so visitors will have a reason to explore each.

“We could have oysters at one, burgers at another, tacos at another,” Pearce said. “That way, you’ve got a different reason to kind of hop along our different beaches.”

Assistant City Manager Tom Modica said Long Beach is in the process of requesting proposals from vendors to run the concession stands, and one of the requirements for companies in the running is that there must be different offerings at each stand.

“We will not be accepting (bids) that all look the same and have the same offerings,” he said.

Mayor Robert Garcia said he supports the project, particularly since it will be completed well before the 2028 L.A. Olympics, when Long Beach will be able to flaunt its waterfront.

“If you think about the visitors that come for the Olympics, they will be able to connect from one end of the beach over at the pier, all the way over to downtown,” Garcia said. “You get some oysters, get a beer, ride your bike and enjoy yourself. So it’s fun for the whole family.”

When all is said and done, Modica said the beach concession stands will be among the most attractive in the L.A. area.

“We’ll really have some of the best concessions on the beach in our mind,” he said. “Way better than Santa Monica.”