Construction workers have commenced their work to build a new housing complex for homeless veterans and low-income seniors in the St. Mary’s neighborhood north of downtown Long Beach.

The full Beacon Apartments complex is planned to consist of 160 apartment units at 1201-1235 Long Beach Blvd. Construction work began this week, said Brian D’Andrea, senior vice president of developer Century Housing.

“We’re beginning to mobilize,” he said.

Beacon Apartments has two major components, D’Andrea said. Its first phase, called Beacon Place, is designed for homeless veterans receiving aid through the federal government’s Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing, or VASH, program. Plans call for Beacon Place to feature 29 units for veterans. D’Andrea expects the project to be ready for veterans to move in by spring 2019.

The second phase of Beacon Apartments, called Beacon Point, is not yet under construction. Beacon Point’s designs call for 121 apartment units to be reserved for low-income seniors. Century Housing is still working to put together a financing package for Beacon Point.

Beacon Point is one of several in-progress developments Mayor Robert Garcia included in his recent “Building a Better Long Beach” event that took place June 6 at Beverly O’Neill Theater. Besides previously known projects, Garcia and Cal State Long Beach President Jane Close Conoley also revealed plans to build a 22-story tower for students and faculty in downtown Long Beach.

The presentation included other projects that, like Beacon Apartments, are planned to include residential units to be offered at below-market rental rates:

• A proposed residential complex at 1795 Long Beach Blvd. is planned to include 101 affordable units and 2,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space, according to Garcia’s recent presentation.

• Another proposal for 1900-1940 Long Beach Blvd. has a design calling for 95 units to be set aside at affordable rates for residents with special needs.

• Another proposed affordable housing project, also in central Long Beach, is set to have 92 residential units in addition to space for retail and restaurant operators, as well as a health clinic. This one is planned to be built near Anaheim Street and Walnut Avenue.

• In downtown, Sares-Regis Group is developing a trio of apartments that includes The Pacific at 230 W. Third St. At that address, Sares-Regis wants to build a 163-unit project where 17 units are to be leased at below-market rates for people earning no more than 120 percent of area median income. That’s $64,300 in Los Angeles County.