Change is in the air with homes coming in on PCH

MEMBER COLUMN

by John Glass

LW contributor

Whoa—drive down Pacific Coast Highway south of Second Street these days and it’s hard not to do a double-take. Suddenly it’s alive with cranes towering over the landscape, bulldozers demolishing vacant businesses, and concrete pours as blueprints turn into reality. Right on the edge of Seal Beach, a massive wave of new apartments is rising, with over 1,300 homes on the horizon. These projects, technically in Long Beach, sit mere minutes from the Seal Beach small-town coastal vibe Huell Howser famously captured in his 2007 episode of “Visiting with Huell Howser”. Huell strolled the boardwalk in Seal Beach, chatting with locals who proudly called it “Mayberry by the Sea.” He agreed wholeheartedly: “Neighbors know each other, everyone says hi, it’s friendly and unhurried—a perfect slice of small-town America by the ocean, far away from big-city hustle.”

But now, three large-scale developments in adjacent Long Beach could bring noticeable change to that peaceful character. Buildings—up to six stories tall—will add significant housing density right at the gateway, increasing traffic on PCH and Second Street, which is already the busiest intersection along the PCH corridor, More than 100,000 vehicles travel the route daily. While the approvals came from Long Beach (far from this quiet, more residential part of Orange County), the impacts don’t stop at its city line. For a town that prides itself on its Mayberry charm, question lingers: how much big-city growth can coexist with that hometown serenity?

Major Residential Projects at PCH & Second Three standout mixed-use developments are moving forward or already green-lit, bringing more than 1,300 new apartments to the corridor. 6700 E. PCH Holland Partner Group The action is happening now: a six-story building is climbing skyward on the corner lot at PCH and Studebaker.

Inside, 281 apartments, 3,100 sq ft of street-level retail, and parking for 507 vehicles. Approved in 2023, this one should be move-in ready around 2027–2028 and will completely redefine that busy gateway intersection.

6615 E. PCH-Carmel Partners

Just across PCH, another six-story tower is on the way. This one brings 390 apartments, roughly 5,351 square feet of commercial space and parking for more than 500.

The current two-story office structures are set to be demolished. Green-lit by the Long Beach Planning Commission in 2023, the project is now underway.

6500 E. PCH-Onni Group

Two five-story buildings are planned for a site next door to the buzzing Second and PCH shopping center overlooking Alamitos Bay Marina. The six-acre project will bring 600 apartments, 4,000 square feet of retail and 1,100 parking spaces. Crews recently demolished of the former Whole Foods and Petco buildings, permanently altering a decades-old landscape that was familiar to drivers as traveling up and down PCH.