INFORMATION
Overview
Downtown is a point of convergence for people from a variety of backgrounds and incomes and who are there for different reasons. Long time residents of Downtown tend to be moderate income, yet new housing options have brought an infusion of middle and upper income residents. The jobs located in Downtown vary across industries and pay scales. On top of that, millions of visitors from across the region and county come to Long Beach for special events like the Grand Prix and hundreds of other events each year. This demographic diversity is a unique strength for Downtown Long Beach because it means that Downtown businesses are supported by multiple user groups.
Residents
- 2008 Downtown Population: 31,404
- Downtown Population Growth (1990 – 2008): 32%
- Downtown Housing Units: 14,911
- Housing Unit Growth (1990 – 2000): 7%
- Housing Unit Growth (2000 – 2008): 17%
- Since 2002, 2,192 new housing units have been delivered in the Downtown, most of which attract buyers with annual incomes exceeding $75,000.
- Of the 2,192 new residential units built since 2002, there is a 50 / 50 split between rental units and for-sale housing
- 2009 Average Annual Income for Downtown Residents: $47,115
- 2009 Household Size Composition: 45% Single, 28% Households no children, 27% Households with Children
- Average Downtown Household Size: 2.41
- Rental Unit Occupancy: 94%
- For-Sale Unit Absorption (2000 – 2008): 91%
- Age Distribution:
• Under 18: 27%
• 18-24: 11%
• 25-34: 14%
• 35-44: 16%
• 45-64: 23%
• 65+: 9% - 10% of Downtown Residents also work in Downtown
- Downtown residents are more than twice as likely to walk or bike to work than residents city-wide
- New apartments lease for $2.00 - $2.50 per square foot
- New for-sale residential sells on average between $450 - $550 per square foot (2008)
Employment
With nearly 4.2 M square feet of commercial office space, Downtown Long Beach is the place of work for more than 43,000 people each workday.
Industry Groups:
- 25% - Industrial;
- 24% - Retail, Hospitality, and Leisure;
- 17% - Office;
- 16% - Administration and Other Services;
- 16% - Eds and Meds;
- 2% - Public Sector
28% of Downtown Long Beach workers earn a household income of over $100,000 per year
45% of Downtown Long Beach workers earn a household income of over $75,000 per year
Class A space leases for $2.35 - $2.85 per square foot
At 49%, Food and Beverage is the largest category of sales in Downtown Long Beach, followed by General Retail (38%), Business to Business (8%), Transportation (4%), and Construction (1%).
Sales tax revenue collected from Downtown retail sales increased by an average of 11.8% year-over-year from 2003 through 2007.
The major nodes of retail activity are North Pine (34%), Pine Avenue (28%), and the East Village (19%).
There is an aggregate indoor seating occupancy of about 5,900 for the 22 establishments within the entertainment district.
Visitors / Conventioneers
5.5 M people per year visit Downtown Long Beach for conventions, attractions, festivals, and events.
In 2008, 490k attended conventions at the Convention Center (up from 440K in 2005).
There are 3,079 hotel rooms in Downtown Long Beach.
Mid-level and upscale hotels account for 93% of all of Downtown’s hotel inventory.
Pine Avenue is the home to many of the signature events that occur in Downtown Long Beach and attract audiences that range from 1,000 – 10,000.
Other Interesting Statistics and Facts
According to Good Magazine, Downtown Long Beach is considered the #8 most walkable city in the United States. The ease of pedestrian accessibility is widely considered a competitive advantage and defining characteristic of great American cities.
Downtown Long Beach is home to some of Southern California’s most distinctive architecture and is consistently used as the backdrop for both movie and television filming.
Downtown Long Beach is considered a dining and entertainment Mecca for the South Bay, as 162 bars, restaurants, and cafes complement a myriad of entertainment uses such as the Laugh Factory, the Aquarium of the Pacific, and Rainbow Harbor.
Downtown Long Beach is geographically centered between two of the Country’s top 10 retail markets (Los Angeles and Orange County).
Downtown Long Beach is served by multiple forms of public transit, including fixed rail transit that connects directly to Downtown Los Angeles.
Downtown Long Beach is not only one of the few Downtowns in California that are located alongside the Oceanfront, but also one of only a handful in America.
Along the exterior wall of the drum-shaped Long Beach Arena in Downtown is "Planet Ocean", one of environmental artist Wyland's Whaling Walls which was dedicated on July 9, 1992. At 116,000 square feet, it is the world's largest mural (according to the Guinness Book of Records). The mural depicts migratory gray whales and other aquatic life that can be found in the waters off Long Beach.
In large part, Downtown Long Beach is the hidden gem of Southern California. It is only a matter of time until the rest of America discovers what so many Long Beach natives hold dear: a genuine, diverse community that rests its laurels on hard work and a commitment to ensuring a wonderful quality of life for all its residents.
