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BY TAMMYE MCDUFF
The city entered into negotiations with Serrano Development Group to develop the former Greek Market building at 16411 Bellflower Boulevard back in October of 2018.
SDG recently presented to the Council their version of their “Laemmle Mixed Use Project” that will be adjacent to the new transit station on Bellflower Boulevard.
The entire front façade of the Greek market will stay intact; currently there are two buildings on site. The new plan is to keep the original front with a redesign to mimic three new buildings.
The site plan proposal would include 81 apartment units, a pedestrian paseo, an Art House Theater, and several retail spaces at Mayne Street and Bellflower Boulevard.
The pedestrian walkway would include lighting, hardscape and an open public area. Retail space would contain a bicycle repair shop to align with the transit station and two lobbies for easy access to the train station.
Apartment units will be upscale and will host several amenities for residents such as a gym, business center, dog wash, and pool to mention a few.
Another element that is still in the planning stages are small parks know as “parklets.”
This is an outdoor area with public seating and landscaping. The idea of these parklets is to maximize foot traffic from the theater and retail spaces. Parking space is purposely planned off site to encourage alternate ways of transportation.
Councilman Dan Koops commented “Council and I toured a concept in Glendale that is being proposed for Bellflower, and I wanted to convey how excited we are to have something like this on the Boulevard. SDG came to the City because of the train that is schedule to arrive here. There will be nothing like this in any surrounding city.”
SDG has completed an extensive array of due diligence that includes geotechnical and environmental evaluations. The next steps will be to finalize conceptual plans and renderings, sign development agreement and sale agreement; and prepare a planning submittal which should be proposed to Council the third quarter of 2019.
Upon agreement, SDG would spend the majority of 2020 going through entitlements and plan checks, with a projected construction start date of early 2021 with a completion date in the first quarter 2023.
