​3/23/26

BCHD Signs LOI with Sunrise - 

​

BCHD BoD Meeting: Wednesday, March 25 at 6:30 p.m.​​​

 

The Beach Cities Health District (BCHD) has shifted from negotiating with private developer MarVentures/Continental to Sunrise, within the last month, the CEO signing a 60-day Letter of Intent (LOI) as of March 19, 2026. This moves the project toward a 99-year land lease on 4.5 acres of public land, with a final Board vote expected at its May Board Meeting.

​

Some Concerns

• No Detail -  Only a sketchy "conceptual" site plan, with no specifics on heights, massing or setbacks provided. Heights of 60 feet are significantly taller than the current structure, and the elevated site

• Environmental Impact: BCHD is bypassing a full Environmental Impact Report (EIR) in favor of a "brief addendum" to their 2021 EIR for a fundamentally different project. The majority of the new project is Independent Living units, associated with increased traffic, along Assisted Living/Memory Care. 

• Aggressive Timeline: This "fast-track" with 60 days to sign a 99-year ground lease  limits public disclosure and transparency regarding the Century-long ground lease and privatization of public land.

 

BoD Meeting – Wednesday, March 25 @ 6:30 p.m.

See Agenda Item XB for additional documents.

 

How to submit comments:

• In Person: 514 N. Prospect Ave, Lower Level (Beach Cities Room).

• Via Zoom: Join Meeting (Password: beach).

• Written Comments: Email communications@bchd.org, cityclerk@redondo.org, and cityclerk@torranceca.gov.

• E-Comments: Submit by 5:30 p.m. Wednesday here: https://bchd.granicusideas.com/meetings/278-board-of-directors/agenda_items/69bdd5117d79656c920042a7-xb-dot-informational-and-discussion-item-execution

 

Key items from the Staff Memo:

• Letter of Intent (LOI) with Sunrise was executed by the CEO on March 19, 2026. expiring in 60 days.

• They are currently preparing a "brief addendum to the EIR”. Note: Differences between original HLC project studied in 2021 and current proposal include a majority of the units are Independent Living units, in addition to assisted living and memory care. 

• The Board will formally move toward privatizing their public land and review/approve a 99-year land lease agreement with Sunrise at their May 27 Board Meeting.

• Only a sketchy “conceptual” site plan has been provided. There are no specific details on building heights, setbacks, or massing. BCHD previously allowed 60-foot height— significantly taller than any building currently on-site (except for a small tower on the old hospital building.)

 

Why the rush to fast-track public land over for private development for a century without detailed plans, completed studies or real transparency to the public?

​

To Comment:

• In Person: Beach Cities Health District Beach Cities Room - Lower Level 514 N. Prospect Ave. 

• Via Zoom: https://bchd-org.zoom.us/j/84697069799?pwd=61jQeZwGt9OrBrpUHZb5xl7yjiDLvi.1 Password: beach 

• Send Written Comments to: communications@bchd.org, cityclerk@redondo.org, cityclerk@torranceca.gov

• E-Comments by Wed. at 5:30 p.m. https://bchd.granicusideas.com/meetings/278-board-of-directors/agenda_items/69bdd5117d79656c920042a7-xb-dot-informational-and-discussion-item-execution

 

Stay tuned for upcoming actions.

​

______________________

 

11/20/25

BCHD chooses MarVentures - the private developer who proposed the largest and highest density project of the three "finalists" out of their hasty and non-transparent "Request for Expression of Interest" process. The Board approved CEO Tom Bakaly to again move forward and negotiate terms of a very long-term lease (likely 99 years), effectively privatizing public land. They have once again gone underground and will supposedly provide the Board with an update at their January BoD meeting.

______________________

BCHD BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

WED., NOV. 19 at 6:30 PM

Agenda here

 

Per the staff memo:

“Advisory Working Group Recommendation … unanimously concluded that MarVentures best aligns with BCHD’s mission and evaluation criteria and should be ranked first.”

​

MarVentures proposed the largest, highest density project of the three "finalists" with the highest structures at the perimeter of the elevated site.

 

​

ATTEND on Wed., Nov. 19 at 6:30 p.m.

• IN PERSON at 514 N. Prospect (Conference room in basement)

• VIRTUALLY - Zoom link: https://bchd-org.zoom.us/j/89152655009? pwd=n0UKjqH0ggB0sShLuKm9cm5FplWMEL.1  Password: beach 

• BY PHONE: Dial In: (669) 444 - 9171 Webinar ID: 891 5265 5009

​

​​​

BCHD is pushing an extremely aggressive timeline with little to NO detail on potential new large private development projects 4.5 acres of public land. After months of operating out of the public purview, they are taking their Request for “Expression of Interest” top 3 responses and plan to rank and enter into long-term lease negotiations with the chosen developer in a very short time. This is based on very limited information with no designs, concepts and only vague dimensions available to the public.

 

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

​​​

• BCHD conducted an RFEOI process and allowed no public disclosure on responses for over 3 months. 

• NO designs or concepts were provided to the public.

• A BCHD committee down-selected the RFEOI responses to three “finalists” 

• Going from a Request for"Expression of Interest" to greenlighting a massive development project WITHOUT a competitive standard proposal process for a project of this magnitude is irresponsible, and high risk.

• They are avoiding complete review of impacts to residents by contracting with a private developer before any design or detailed construction plan is complete.

• Their Environmental Impact Report (EIR) from their previous project does not cover a new and fundamentally different project. They must be required to submit with a new EIR that properly studies impacts.

• The new potential projects have a very different mix of units, including Independent Living and large-scale medical office buildings (MOBs) that would negatively impact surrounding neighborhoods and schools, including construction noise, traffic, air quality, truck trips during construction impacting ongoing traffic patterns on already congested street.

• Timeline is aggressive for contracting with little opportunity for public input or more information.

• The elevated site is surrounded by residents in close proximity on all sides.

​

What they are NOT showing: 

   MarVentures Site Plan proposed Site Plan in their August 7, 2025 RFEOI response shows all structures on the perimeter of the site, with the highest structures overlooking the surrounding neighborhoods.

 

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

​

​

​

​

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

​​​​

 

 ___________________

 

​

10-20-25

BCHD PROJECT UPDATE:

After months of public silence regarding its Request for Expression of Interest (RFEOI) responses, BCHD appears to be RUSHING into a new development project. BCHD has finally released information, after internally narrowing the prospective project to three proposals. The top-level details will be presented for discussion at a Board of Directors Study Session on Wednesday, October 22, at 5:30 p.m.

 

BCHD's staff report shows an extremely aggressive timeline with Board presentation and discussion on Oct. 22 and a Board vote to rank scheduled for their November 19 Board Meeting. This accelerated process severely limits public disclosure and input. The private development on public land involves approximately 4.5 acres, including the former South Bay Hospital Building (Building 514) and the main parking lot.

 

The summary matrix of the proposals is in the staff report here and below. The three proposed developments would all result in major environmental damages to the surrounding areas during construction (period ranging 4 to 6 years) and beyond, including documented damage to hearing from construction noise, airborne construction dust and toxins, and increased traffic and congestion.

​