Earlier this year, Beach Cities Health District unveiled an updated master plan for its "Healthy Living Campus" in Redondo Beach.

The 11-acre campus - bounded by Prospect Avenue, Flagler Lane, and Diamond Street - was originally built as a hospital in the mid-1950s.  According to the Daily Breeze, BCHD first announced its intent to redevelop the property in 2017, but rethought its plan after encountering pushback regarding potential impacts to traffic congestion and the design and scale of the proposed campus.

The revised master plan calls for the construction of:

  • a four-story building containing 420 assisted living units for seniors; 
  • a community wellness pavilion with meeting space, a demonstration kitchen, a rooftop deck, a cafe, and a learning center; 
  • an exercise center;
  • a child development center;
  • 5.8 acres of active green space for community use; and 
  • protected bike lanes along Flagler and Diamond Streets.

The project is regarded as a departure from traditional senior housing communities, which are described as "insular," and featuring limited outdoor space.  The proposed campus would eliminate surface parking in favor of green spaces - although a large garage would be built below ground - and the buildings would better connect to the surrounding community.

A community presentation from February indicates that the project, pending approvals, would be built out in three phases between 2022 and 2035.  The total cost of the master plan is estimated at $537 million.

The presentation indicates that BCHD would undertake the effort with a financial partner, as it is financially infeasible for the organization to build the campus by themselves, and selling the land outright would limit ongoing revenue.

BCHD cites increasing maintenance of several aging buildings as the primary motivation for seeking to redevelop the campus.  A 15-year financial outlook estimates that the organization's annual revenue will fall short of operating after the year 2021, and that gap would likely widen in the years that follow.  The five-year period between 2019 and 2024 is thus cited as an "opportunity window," to reimagine the property.

The BCHD campus began as a hospital in 1955, and operated as such through 1998, when the organization shifted to a preventative healthcare model - where patients are taught lifestyle choices to avoid needing medical care.

An open house to discuss the project is scheduled for 10 am on March 23 at the Beach Cities Health District.