Long Beach Civic Center Master Plan

Long Beach Civic Center - Aerial
Long Beach Civic Center

The California port city sought SOM’s wide-ranging expertise, from master planning and architecture to streetscape design, to transform its outdated Civic Center into a welcoming, walkable, and vibrant destination.

Project Facts
  • Status Construction Complete
  • Completion Year 2021
  • Design Finish Year 2016
  • Size Site Area: 958,320 square feet Building Height: 163 feet Number of Stories: 11 Building Gross Area: 504,000 square feet
  • Awards 2021, Excellence in Structural Engineering Awards, Structural Engineers Association of Southern California
  • Sustainability Certifications LEED BD+C NC (New Construction) Gold
  • Collaborators
    Syska Hennessy Group, Inc. - Los Angeles Morrow-Meadows Corp Langan Engineering & Environmental Services, Inc. Critchfield Mechanical, Inc. Nabih Youssef Associates Bennitt Design Group Largo Concrete Cosco Fire Protection Murray Company Gustafson, Guthrie, Nichol Ltd. Benson Industries Inc. Johnson Controls, Inc. International Parking Design Inc. Curtainwall Design Consulting (Cdc) Clark Construction Group, LLC Plenary Group - Los Angeles Edgemoor Infrastructure & Real Estate KPFF Consulting Engineers Jensen Hughes Horton Lees Brogden Lighting Design (HLB) Newson Brown Acoustics Curtainwall Design Consulting (Cdc
Project Facts
  • Status Construction Complete
  • Completion Year 2021
  • Design Finish Year 2016
  • Size Site Area: 958,320 square feet Building Height: 163 feet Number of Stories: 11 Building Gross Area: 504,000 square feet
  • Awards 2021, Excellence in Structural Engineering Awards, Structural Engineers Association of Southern California
  • Sustainability Certifications LEED BD+C NC (New Construction) Gold
  • Collaborators
    Syska Hennessy Group, Inc. - Los Angeles Morrow-Meadows Corp Langan Engineering & Environmental Services, Inc. Critchfield Mechanical, Inc. Nabih Youssef Associates Bennitt Design Group Largo Concrete Cosco Fire Protection Murray Company Gustafson, Guthrie, Nichol Ltd. Benson Industries Inc. Johnson Controls, Inc. International Parking Design Inc. Curtainwall Design Consulting (Cdc) Clark Construction Group, LLC Plenary Group - Los Angeles Edgemoor Infrastructure & Real Estate KPFF Consulting Engineers Jensen Hughes Horton Lees Brogden Lighting Design (HLB) Newson Brown Acoustics Curtainwall Design Consulting (Cdc

The Long Beach Civic Center Master Plan revitalizes 22 acres of downtown Long Beach, creating a vibrant mixed-use district. The plan includes a new City Hall and Port Headquarters, the Billie Jean King Main Library, and the reactivation of historic Lincoln Park. It also establishes design guidelines for new residential units and commercial development, and integrates the city grid with the regional bike network, buses, and the Metro Blue Line. Made possible by a catalytic investment from Plenary Edgemoor Civic Partners, this massive undertaking was delivered through an innovative public-private partnership.

Long Beach Lincoln Park and Billie Jean King Main Library beyond. Dave Burk © SOM

Certified LEED Gold for New Development, the new Civic Center plan optimizes operations and maintenance, provides street parking, introduces plazas and promenades, and expands bike infrastructure to create a series of inviting and memorable places. Pedestrian pathways connect the site, creating a variety of experiences. Sustainable streetscape design seamlessly integrates the Civic Center landscape and infrastructure. The sidewalk configurations, along with the scale and density of tree planting, create not only a welcoming and walkable environment, but a differentiated sense of place—one that befits the city as a dynamic center for culture, recreation, education, and government.

Long Beach Civic Center City Hall and Port Headquarters
Long Beach Civic Center City Hall and Port Headquarters. © Benny Chan | Fotoworks

The new Lincoln Park is designed to support strategic programming that encourages greater use by a wider cross-section of the city population. A “cultural loop” connects a variety of artistic and historical experiences, while the integration of the new Main Library’s programs within the park enhances the renewed civic space.