Integral Communities is seeking to develop a vacant, 20-acre site near the Los Angeles River into a master-planned community of 226 detached single-family homes and attached townhomes, according to a recently published initial study of the proposed residential project.
Located in the Wrigley Heights neighborhood of Long Beach, the aptly-named RiverPark community would border West Wardlow Road to the south, the Los Angeles River to the west, the San Diego Freeway to the north and Golden Avenue to the east.
Five acres would be reserved for active open space, including a walking trail, outdoor exercise equipment, a look-out point, butterfly garden, and a turf field that could be used for sports activities. There would also be a resident clubhouse, swimming pool and 59 guest parking spaces.
The homes would rise two to three stories, consisting of 74 detached single-family homes and 152 attached townhomes. Eleven of those townhomes would be set aside as affordable housing units. The neighborhood would be characterized by three distinct architectural styles: Spanish Colonial, Italianate and Santa Barbara. Ranging from 1,500 to 2,400 square feet, all residences would feature two to four bedrooms, an attached two-car garage and private outdoor space.
The development would take approximately 44 months to complete, starting with site clearing in October 2022 and ending with home construction between August 2023 and June 2026. From the mid-1920s to the late-1990s, the property was owned by Oil Operators Inc. and “contained facilities used to treat production water from oil wells located throughout Long Beach and Signal Hill,” explains the initial study.
Although the treated water was disposed of off-site, the project will have to undergo significant environmental testing and soil remediation efforts to ensure that it’s safe to build on. Bioremediation activities have been ongoing since 2002, overseen by the City of Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Hazardous Materials.
If approved, future RiverPark residents would live in proximity to the Wrigley Marketplace shopping center, Long Beach Medical Center, big-box stores along Atlantic Avenue, the Wrigley Greenbelt and Virginia Country Club. Plus, with easy access to Interstate 710 and the San Diego Freeway, residents would be able to reach downtown Long Beach or the Long Beach Airport in less than 15 minutes.
