Kaden Socrates
Staff Writer
Manhattan Beach has seen quite an increase in construction in recent years. This ever-growing upsurge in new developments has led to many inconveniences and complaints. According to Manhattan Beach residents, due to obstructed views, minimal parking, and continuous noise, the necessity of further developments in the city is beginning to come under question.
Within the last decade, over 1,100 homes have been built in Manhattan Beach, with over 40 constructed in the last three years, according to Point2Homes. Many corporations, large-scale city projects, and infrastructure repairs have also contributed to the growing number of active construction sites. Skechers, for example, spent over $150 million to expand its headquarters in three locations within Manhattan Beach, totaling over 330,000 square feet of office, design, and showroom space, according to Urbanize LA. School renovations, such as the $114 million Grandview Elementary remodel and other Manhattan Beach Unified School District (MBUSD) elementary remodels, have also contributed to Manhattan construction, per the MBUSD. Recent unprecedented weather conditions, such as the tropical storm that hit the South Bay in August, have initiated construction throughout the city to implement more effective draining solutions.
All of this construction has led to countless instances of residential complaints. Many people within the city, especially in the sand section, purchase their homes for the view and proximity to the beautiful Pacific Ocean. However, investing in an unobstructed view of the ocean is becoming less of a guarantee over time with the construction of thousands of homes within Manhattan Beach.
The noise does not stop at the machinery, however. During the entirety of summer 2023, the multimillion-dollar Grandview remodel caused some unexpected nightlong disturbances. Due to some issues with the fire alarm system when constructing the new facility, the fire alarm and the automated evacuation escape announcements would trigger continuously throughout the day, echoing throughout the neighborhood. The alarms could be heard numerous blocks away from the campus, according to Tree Section residents. Construction workers would often stop the alarm within a few minutes, unless the workers went home in the evenings.
Parking is one of the most prominent problems when it comes to the construction of new homes and infrastructure repairs within the area. Because of the close proximity of houses, parking without construction can already be a hassle, but when a whole block is closed for power lines to be put in the ground or new drainage systems for recent heavy rains, people are sometimes forced to park blocks away from their homes. These displaced cars take up spots of other homeowners, creating further limitations on parking spaces surrounding the construction area.
Although there are height limits when it comes to getting permits for new constructions, this still does not guarantee homeowners a right to a view they previously had. Homeowners have combated this by purchasing the ‘air space’ above neighboring homes that are below the height limit, guaranteeing their view, according to Vista Sotheby’s International Realty. This makes it so that if there is a new construction, the party building the new home must buy the air space to construct up to the height limit. Although this is a solution to one of the many problems with construction in Manhattan Beach, the process is not easy as it is expensive and relies solely on the willingness of neighboring property owners to sell their above-property air space.
Despite the fact that there are myriad examples of over-construction in Manhattan Beach, the situation is becoming increasingly unacceptable as time goes on. Construction must be limited by area, preventing the problems that have been frustrating Manhattan residents for years so they can finally enjoy the true beauty they came here for.
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