LONG BEACH/IRVINE, Calif. – In response to the recent demand for increased multifamily inventory in Los Angeles County, construction has recently completed on a $71.2 million mixed-use project known as The Current in Downtown Long Beach. Completed by C.W. Driver Companies, a leader in general contracting and construction management in California since 1919, the 18-story residential tower features 223 market-rate apartments, including penthouse units and luxury amenities. The base of the building is low-rise in scale to match Downtown Long Beach’s street aesthetic, integrating 6,150 square feet of retail on the ground level. Located directly across from the beach at 707 E. Ocean Blvd., The Current offers unobstructed ocean views and walkability to local entertainment venues and restaurants.
“This project marks the first new high-rise constructed in Long Beach since before the recession,” said Karl Kreutziger, president of C.W. Driver Companies. “The Current comes at a time when demands for market-rate multifamily housing are high in this region. The luxury amenities, combined with the ideal location, make it a project unlike any other in the area.”
C.W. Driver’s preconstruction team was instrumental in the design process and proposed several options to increase building efficiency while reducing costs and maintaining the overall design intent of the project. Additionally, while changes in Long Beach planning ordinances regarding the use of stucco resulted in a potential $5 million increase in cost for the owner, Current Living LP, C.W. Driver’s team was able to creatively execute a building skin study to find alternative materials. By reducing the glazing 27 percent and using precast concrete materials, the C.W. Driver team — in collaboration with Rockefeller Partners Architects and BAR Architects — was able to redesign the skin of the building, reducing additional costs by $2.4 million while also reducing the construction schedule by three weeks.
“We pride ourselves in being able to identify cost and space saving opportunities where possible without sacrificing the needs of our clients or the desires of key demographics,” said Dave Amundson, senior project manager. “Our project teams excel in delivering unique projects within limited timeframes and tight budgets, while finding creative solutions to the challenges that arise along the way.”
The Current is designed to achieve LEED® Silver Certification standards and features high-end amenities such as a rooftop pool and deck, fitness facility, spacious interior layouts and modern finishes. The complex includes units ranging from studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom and penthouse floorplans.
C.W. Driver received a Voluntary Protection Program Construction Safety Award from the State of California’s Department of Industrial Relations Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) for safety excellence during the construction of The Current — marking the first time a multifamily project of this type has earned this recognition throughout the state. The Cal/OSHA VPP Recognition in Safety Excellence award recognizes C.W. Driver’s diligence in creating a project site effective in reducing the risk of serious injury or illness to all workers on site.
In addition to Amundson, C.W. Driver’s project team included Fred De Falco, senior superintendent; Tom Merryman, Martin Licona and John Gomez, superintendents; Sebastien Allard, project manager; Scott Foley, assistant superintendent; Bryan Curry, assistant project manager; Greg Patrick, field safety manager; Celestina Salud, senior project engineer; and Tom Zaczyk, director of project planning.
The Current was designed by El Segundo-based Rockefeller Partners Architects and San Francisco-based BAR Architects. Design-build subcontractors included Clark Pacific, Atlas Mechanical, Don Brandel Plumbing, Rosendin Electric and Wester States Fire Protection.