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A Note from BCHD CEO Tom Bakaly
As a public agency, Beach Cities Health District (BCHD) has conducted more than 60 meetings during the past five years, a statistically valid public opinion poll by an independent agency, and a concerted public outreach campaign that has generated more than 1,000 comments, many of which have contributed to shifts in our overall campus modification plan. These include reducing Residential Care for the Elderly units from 420 to 217; providing more open space; moving construction from the east side of our campus to accommodate nearby neighbors; lowering the tallest building to 82 feet high (the tallest building on the current campus is 77 feet); reducing construction time and mitigating numerous impacts in the EIR.
Despite this, some vocal opponents refuse to acknowledge that BCHD is listening to their concerns and still decline to meet with us.
As a public agency, BCHD continues to work with and reach out to the surrounding neighborhood and community leaders. This public engagement includes open houses and study circles, community meetings (Kiwanis, Rotary, PTAs, etc.) and events (Redondo Beach Super Bowl 10K, Fiesta Hermosa and the Tour de Pier.) Indeed, we continue to listen to all perspectives and welcome viewpoints from all parties. We are intent on revitalizing our 65-year-old seismically challenged campus, converting it into a modern, environmentally sustainable health facility that serves local youth, older adults and everybody in between. Yet, some parties prefer to spread misleading information instead of participating in the process.
We look forward to continuing to work with you and your staff on the BCHD campus project and look forward to further discussions. If you have any questions, please reach out to me or the BCHD team.
In health,
Tom Bakaly
CEO
Beach Cities Health District
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Beach Cities Health District’s Campus Revitalization
Beach Cities Health District (BCHD) has been working closely with the community since 2017 to reimagine our medical campus – home to our 60-year-old former hospital building located at 514 North Prospect Avenue in Redondo Beach. BCHD's new campus is designed for health - a community gathering space for well-being, connection and healthy living.
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FOR OUR YOUTH.
Introducing allcove Beach Cities - a youth mental health center designed with, by and for youth that will reduce stigma, embrace mental wellness, increase community connection and provide access to services.
Led by a team of Youth Advisory Group members, and supported by Stanford University's Center for Youth Mental Health & Wellbeing and a team of local experts.
Learn More
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FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
The new campus will be home to BCHD's 40+ programs and services, including Information & Referrals and care management.
The revitalization will replace acres of asphalt with approximately two soccer fields of open, programmable open space. The campus will also feature a demonstration garden for our LiveWell Kids trainings and a walking path for visitors.
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FOR OUR OLDER ADULTS
Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) and Residential Care for the Elderly (RCFE) will also anchor BCHD's new campus.
PACE is a Medicare/ Medicaid program for people 55 and older who require nursing home level care and provides medical and social services.
RCFE features assisted living and memory care units.
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Project Changes Based on Community Feedback
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After more than 60 meetings, open houses and study sessions drawing more than 1,000 comments since 2017, the campus has undergone significant changes based on feedback from residents and expert financial, seismic and architects. | |
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Fewer Units & Smaller Building Area
Residential Care for the Elderly units dropped from 420 to 217 and new on-campus building area dropped 18%.
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Less Construction Time
Active construction time is shortened from nine years to five years in two phases instead of three.
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Acres of Open Space
There will be approximately two soccer fields of open, green space to replace acres of asphalt.
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BCHD’s Healthy Living Campus Next Steps
The next step in the process is submitting a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) application to the City of Redondo Beach. The “pre-application” was submitted in February, 2022 and can be viewed online at bchdcampus.org.
What is a Conditional Use Permit (CUP)?
Conditional use permits (CUPs) are uses permitted on a permanent basis within a district as long as the governing body’s conditions are met. Permitted conditional use permits are expressly listed for each district in the zoning ordinance.
Additional next steps in the process include the selection of an operator for the Residential Care Facility for the Elderly (RCFE) and awarding a design-build construction contract, with a tentative start of construction in 2023.
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Beach Cities Health District Campus Q&A
The list below includes questions and answers about the project and BCHD.
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Q: Will the Healthy Living Campus project be “a privately owned residential facility for the elderly?”
A: No. The plan is a public-private partnership (P3) – a finance model that utilizes private investments in public projects to bolster taxpayers’ return on investment. The result: Taxpayers pay less for the programs and services they are receiving, while also benefitting from the improvement on the community asset. In this case, the project would include a youth wellness center focused on mental health, facilities for dozens of vital community health programs, more than two acres of green space, and senior living facilities.
This decades-long BCHD model will continue to provide free preventive health programs and services to Beach Cities residents through public/private partnerships. Therefore, any potential revenue generated by the Healthy Living Campus will be reinvested in the community through services like school health programs, senior care, health grants and more.
Using this model, in FY 2020-2021 Beach Cities residents received a $3.01-to-$1 return on their property tax investment in BCHD.
BCHD has a history of partnering and/or facilitating leases for health services, like Sunrise Assisted Living, Silverado Memory Care, Beach Cities Surgery Center, UCLA Health and South Bay Family Health Care -- a federally qualified health center.
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Q: What are the benefits of two acres of green space at BCHD's Healthy Living Campus?
A: There are many benefits to having green space on the campus, as we learned during our Study Circle with residents in August 2018 and comments from the community. Among the answers to the question "What type of activities would you expect to find on a healthy living campus?" were:
• Green, outdoor spaces
• Walking trails & outdoor fitness options
• Gardens for all ages and all cultures
• Health-related programs and services
These answers, from Beach Cities residents, led BCHD to plan more than two acres of active open, green space, replacing acres of asphalt. This open space, roughly the size of two soccer fields, will be used for outdoor fitness events and classes, gardens, activities for RCFE tenants, farmers markets and more.
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Coming Soon: allcove Beach Cities
The California Healthy Kids Survey for 2022 reports that 18% of Beach Cities’ 11th graders seriously considered attempting suicide within the past 12 months, a 3% increase over the previous year, underscoring the need for mental health resources for our youth.
Beach Cities Health District has been proactively seeking options through programs and partnerships to address mental health for our young people. This fall, we will open the allcove Beach Cities center at BCHD’s campus in Redondo Beach. Created to serve ages 12 – 25, it is part of an innovative network of integrated youth mental health centers designed with, by and for youth that reduce stigma, embrace mental wellness, increase community connection and provide access to services.
Led by a team of nine Youth Advisory Group members from the Beach Cities, and supported by Stanford University’s Center for Youth Mental Health & Wellbeing and a team of local experts, allcove Beach Cities will provide unique peer-to-peer collaboration and guidance in areas ranging from substance abuse and educational support to mental and physical wellness services.
By taking a regional approach, BCHD was able to apply and receive a $2 million grant from the State of California, bringing needed professional mental health resources to youth in the Beach Cities and South Bay. Congress has also provided another $1 million for allcove Beach Cities, thanks to the efforts of Representative Ted Lieu and his team.
Learn more at www.bchd.org/allcoveBeachCities
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Thank you to those who attended BCHD’s Healthy Living Campus Open Houses Regarding its Conditional Use Permit on March 7, 9 and 12.
March 7 Virtual Open House Video:
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