News

By Ashleigh Ruhl
Contributor   Sep 3, 2017

A couple of model homes, surrounded by a bustling construction zone, stand at the former 11-acre Will J. Reid Boy Scout Camp.

Ready for its public debut, the Riverdale housing development’s official grand opening is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 9, where the public will be invited into first few complete homes for the first time, according to Orange County-based Brandywine Homes and Integral Communities developers. It’s just a small glimpse of what’s to come, with a total of 131 homes set to be built within a new gated complex at 4747 Daisy Ave.

Riverdale housing development crews toil through this week’s warm weather. Model homes will be unveiled to the public for the first time on Saturday, Sept. 9. Gazette photo by Ashleigh Ruhl

“We already have seven families lined up to move in,” Riverdale saleswomen Melissa Reese and Yolanda Kinchen said, sharing stories about the different homeowners slated to occupy some of the first 10 single-family houses, which are expected to be move-in ready before the end of the year. The entire development will roll out in phases and could be complete within two years.

“We’ve had people from Long Beach, Norwalk, Torrance and the Inland Empire, a whole mix of people, including singles, couples and families, interested in these homes,” Reese said.
Dave Barisic, principal of sales and marketing for Brandywine, said the area is ideal for those looking for easy freeway access to Los Angeles and Orange counties. It’s also in close proximity to the thriving Bixby Knolls business district.

“There are virtually no new residential developments located in the South Bay,” Barisic said. “This exclusive gated neighborhood is designed to appeal to growing and established families with children, as well as empty nesters.”

The sales team pointed out various features of the Riverdale community, which includes two-story Spanish-style designs that range from 1,925 to 2,242 square feet, with three to five bedrooms each. Special features of the homes include high ceilings, central air, two-car garages, versatile loft spaces, covered patios, master suites with walk-in closets, oversized soaking tubs, shiny new appliances, energy-efficient elements and large kitchen areas.

Each unit will have a small patio out back, but no front lawn; the idea is that families will spend time outdoors at the private, gated pool and residents-only clubhouse, once those features are complete. A playground also is planned for the site.

Prices currently range from $615,990 to $669,990, depending on the square footage and floor plan. There’s also an HOA fee, starting at $182.50 per month.

The tan enclave rising from the ground is a big change compared to the Boy Scout camp that once provided youngsters there with a swimming hole and camp sites, but Reese said she knows the new development is of a high caliber that will help increase property values throughout the neighborhood.

Plans to transform the north Long Beach property have been a long time in the making, with the Greater Long Beach Area Council of Boy Scouts putting it on the market in 2010. After an unsuccessful attempt to sell to the State Land Trust to keep the site designated as open space, the property was sold to private developers. Long Beach’s civic leaders also noted then that it was not possible for the city to buy the property or claim it through eminent domain because the state dissolved redevelopment agencies.

An agreement between the developer and the city required the creation of a new park in the area as mitigation for the loss of open space. Brandywine’s plans include a 3.3-acre public space called The C. David Molina Park, featuring an athletic field, tot lot playground, walking path, picnic area, fitness circuit and on-site parking slated to be built near Riverdale at the intersection of Oregon Avenue and Del Amo Boulevard.

The park must be complete as a condition of a certificate of occupancy for the development’s 33rd home, according to the terms of the agreement.

Area infrastructure improvements also were part of the agreement, with roadwork planned on Daisy and Oregon avenues, and 48th Street, with a new traffic signal at the intersection of Oregon and Del Amo. Besides the main entrance at 4747 Daisy Ave., which was also the gate for the scout camp, there will be an emergency access point from Oregon Street.

The Riverdale development itself, as well as the improvements to the surrounding area, are all part of the quality “infill development” that Brandywine is known for, Reese said. She explained that the company is a recognized leader when it comes to infilling projects within established areas, striving to respect and compliment the heritage, values and architectural integrity of existing neighborhoods as well as the people who live there.

During the grand opening on Sept. 9, public tours of the model homes will be offered. Appointments for private tours can be booked by calling (866) 378-5125.

Ashleigh Ruhl is a contributor for The Grunion Gazette. She can be reached at ashleighruhl@gmail.com.