Once roof and HVAC work are done, city will turn building over to tenants
The Seal Beach City Council this week voted unanimously to authorize City Manager Jill Ingram to execute a contract to repair the roof at 15 First Street, the Seal Beach-owned restaurant.
The only work left for the city to do on the building is to repair the roof and replace the HVAC, according Public Works Director Steve Myrter.
Then the city will turn the property over to the tenants, owners of the planned Beach House restaurant.
“We are moving forward,” said District One Councilman Joe Kalmick after the meeting.
During the meeting, City Attorney Craig Steele said that once the city’s work on the building was completed, the tenants would have four months before they began paying rent.
As previously reported, the original lease calls for the city to begin receiving $6,700 a month after the city turns the building over to Bay City LLC, which includes businessman David Coe, real estate agent Rosie Ritchie and former O’Malley’s on Main owner Brian Kyle.
The 15 First Street project contract was part of a consent calendar item. Consent calendar items are voted on collectively, without discussion by the council, unless an item is removed from the calendar for individual consideration. District Four Councilwoman Schelly Sustarsic pulled the item from the calendar.
The contract with Garland/DBS, Inc., is for $73,919. The council also authorized the city manager to approve additional work requests up to $5,000.
In March 2018, the City Council approved a lease agreement between the city government and Bay City LLC to lease the restaurant building that used to house River’s End Cafe.
In late February 2019, City Attorney Steele said the city of Seal Beach should take another look at the lease agreement on the restaurant building.
In late April of 2019, the council met in closed session to discuss real estate negotiations between Seal Beach and Bay City LLC. During open council session, Steele said the council took no reportable action.
The city’s lease with the former River’s End Cafe expired in April 2017, after almost 22 years in the location. The restaurant was recently given a notice to leave the building. The last day of business for River’s End Cafe was Feb. 20, 2017.
At present, the Bay City, LLC proposal to put the new Beach House restaurant into the First Street building is awaiting the approval of a Coastal Development permit by the California Coastal Commission.
That same night:
• Next fiscal year, city staff plans to remove the wood bollards in Edison Park (in College Park West) and replace them with a new fence to keep cars off the turf, according to Recreation Manager Tim Kelsey. The proposal came up during Kelsey’s staff representation on Edison Park, which had been requested by Mayor/District Two Councilman Thomas Moore. The mayor lives in College Park West and represents both CPW and Leisure World on the council.
Kelsey also said city staff would like to put a shade over the picnic tables in the park. Kelsey said Southern California Edison was amenable to the plan. (The park is an easement on Edison property.)
• The council met in closed session to have a conference with the city manager concerning labor negotiations with the employee organizations: Executive Management, the Orange County Employees Association, Mid-management and Confidential Employees, the Seal Beach Marine Safety Management Association and the Supervisors and Professionals Association. During the public meeting, City Attorney Steele said the council took no reportable action.
