Frequently Asked Questions

Safety is BCHD’s primary concern. The former South Bay Hospital building does not meet current seismic standards, and retrofitting it is not financially feasible. Our Redondo Beach campus includes buildings from the 1950s and ’60s, and the next few years present an important window to address aging infrastructure, rising maintenance needs and seismic issues identified by experts. Moving forward with a new project provides a responsible way to address safety, strengthen the continuum of care through modern RCFE services, and create stable revenue to sustain BCHD’s free and low-cost community health programs. 

The Sunrise proposal includes: 

• A new Residential Care Facility for the Elderly (RCFE) with up to 217 memory care, assisted living, and independent living units 
• Publicly accessible green space and a walking loop 
• Wellness programming 
• A shared multipurpose community room  
• Ground lease revenue that will support BCHD’s free and low-cost health programs 

The existing BCHD–Silverado lease anticipated the possibility of future redevelopment. It includes a one-year, rent-free transition period that allows Silverado to remain onsite while working with residents and families to relocate before demolition of the 514 Building. Silverado also operates 11 other facilities within 60 miles, and additional memory care options exist in the region.

Silverado will have a minimum 365 days to transition residents to new locations. This period is provided through the rent-free clause included in the current lease agreement.

During the redevelopment partner search, BCHD initially entered negotiations with MarVentures/Continental, whose plan included a new Silverado facility. As negotiations progressed, that plan became complex. At the same time, Sunrise submitted a revised proposal with strong community benefits, including memory care. After evaluating both options, BCHD determined the Sunrise proposal best aligned with community priorities and long-term campus goals.

Because Sunrise provides its own assisted living and memory care services, its proposal did not incorporate a second operator. Sunrise submitted its own plan, while Silverado partnered separately with MarVentures/Continental.  

BCHD is committed to working closely with Silverado throughout the transition process. 

• BCHD recognizes this change may be challenging for residents, families and staff. 
• BCHD’s Community Services team and social workers will connect with Silverado to understand needs and provide support where appropriate. 
• Ensuring continuity of care and sensitivity to resident needs is a top priority. 
• Silverado families are encouraged to reach out to Emily Brosius, Director of Community Services at emily.brosius@bchd.org or 310-374-3426 ext. 8134 for assistance  

Sunrise submitted a revised proposal that: 

• Reduced building height and massing 
• Increased community benefits 
• Aligned with community feedback 
• Created a cohesive campus vision in harmony with existing BCHD facilities 

Sunrise also brings extensive experience in developing and operating senior living communities, including Sunrise Hermosa Beach and an upcoming new project in Manhattan Beach. 

Planned community benefits include: 

• Publicly accessible green space 
• A walking loop 
• Aquatics classes for Sunrise residents and CHF members 
• Wellness programming 
• Shared access to a multipurpose community room 
• Program partnerships with allcove Beach Cities 
• Ground lease revenue to support BCHD programs 

The proposal is currently outlined in a nonbinding Letter of Intent. Project details will be finalized as BCHD and Sunrise move toward executing a ground lease. 

The BCHD Board is expected to review and consider a land lease agreement with Sunrise at its May 27, 2026 Board meeting.

If the Board approves the ground lease: 

• BCHD will issue Silverado a one-year notice to vacate, as required by the current lease 
• The one-year, rent-free period begins at that time 
• Sunrise will begin preparing its Conditional Use Permit (CUP) application for submission to the City of Redondo Beach in Summer 2026 

Demolition of the 514 Building is anticipated in 2027, after Silverado has completed its transition period.

More community engagement opportunities will be available beginning in May 2026, focusing on green space, aquatics, community spaces, how the project fits with the rest of the BCHD Campus, and other amenities and details.

At its April 2025 meeting, the BCHD Board voted to direct staff to enter into a lease agreement that will move CHF to the 510 N. Prospect Avenue building, which has an expected lifespan through 2055.

This will keep the fitness center on the BCHD Campus, requires just one move of CHF (a prior plan included two moves), and keeps the facility near its current location, which has more than 3,000 members. The new CHF lease also makes the 510 N. Prospect Ave. building part of the Healthy Living Campus project, a positive outcome for neighbors on Diamond Street, who had concerns over the loss of green space and impending construction adjacent to their properties.

Plans call for the relocation to take place by early 2027.

The new lease will go until mid-2030, when BCHD takes ownership of the building.

A Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, or PACE, is a Medicare and Medicaid program that helps people meet their health care needs while aging gracefully in their home/community instead of moving into a nursing home or other care facility.

With PACE, a team of health care professionals works with patients and their families to assure properly coordinated care is provided. The healthcare teams typically work with a small number of older adults, so they really get to know their patients while providing medical care, medication management and adult health care services.

BCHD has partnered with allcove, a program developing an innovative network of integrated youth mental health centers across California. allcove centers are designed to destigmatize mental health issues for youth (ages 12 – 25) and provide a network of free/low-cost mental health centers. The Center offers mental and physical health resources, education, employment, peer and family support and substance use prevention programs.

Taking a regional approach, BCHD was able to apply and receive a $2 million grant from the State, bringing needed professional mental health resources to our youth. Our young people are facing a mental health crisis – 50% of all lifetime cases of mental illness start by age 14; 79% do not have access to care; and in the Beach Cities, 18% of our Beach Cities 11th graders reported seriously considering attempting suicide within the past 12 months.

allcove Beach Cities operations are funded through the state’s Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission, in partnership with Stanford University’s Center for Youth Mental Health & Wellbeing, to provide more access to mental health services for young people ages 12-25. It is located in the heart of Redondo Beach, both in its temporary locations and in the future Healthy Living Campus.

The proposed Healthy Living Campus project transforms our aging 11-acre medical campus (opened in 1960) in Redondo Beach into a modern intergenerational venue that will provide a blend of wellness and prevention for current and future generations.

In May 2017, BCHD began devising plans to update the campus, which stretches from Diamond Street to Beryl Street and Prospect Avenue to Flagler Lane. Since then, there have been four revisions based on input from more than 60 public meetings and more than 1,000 comments; from financial, seismic and architectural experts; and from public surveys, trade-off discussions and, ultimately, the Environmental Impact Report.  

BCHD is implementing components of its Campus plan. The BCHD Board recently approved a relocation of the Center for Health & Fitness (CHF) from 514 N. Prospect Avenue to 510 N. Prospect, which will keep the fitness center on the BCHD Campus. A well-recognized Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) operator is currently in negotiations to lease space in the 510 Prospect building. BCHD continues to raise funds for a permanent home for allcove Beach Cities, which would ideally be constructed at the corner of Beryl Street and Flagler Lane. allcove, however, may be moved to a different location depending on the success of that fundraising effort.

A Request for Expression of Interest (RFEOI) process is in the works to identify potential new plans for the old South Bay Hospital building and parking lot, which will be vacated in 2027.

BCHD has executed a Letter of Intent with Sunrise Senior Living to advance plans for redeveloping the former South Bay Hospital site in Redondo Beach. Sunrise’s proposal centers on residential care facilities for the elderly, offering memory care, assisted living and independent living, along with a range of community‑focused amenities, including publicly accessible green space, a walking loop, wellness programming, a multipurpose community room and more.

In addition to public strategic planning sessions, BCHD Board and Committee meetings, BCHD is currently refining its ongoing community outreach events about the Campus plans, providing residents additional opportunities to submit comments and provide feedback. (Updated June 2025)

Safety is BCHD’s primary concern, and since the cost of retrofitting the former hospital building is not financially feasible for the District, BCHD plans to demolish the building in 2027.

In 2018, Youssef & Associates concluded that demolition of the 514 N. Prospect Avenue building is prudent due to its vulnerability and poor performance of buildings that used non-ductile concrete construction in past earthquakes. While not required, seismic updates are recommended. The Redondo Beach General Plan suggests buildings with non-ductile concrete construction be “upgraded, relocated, or phased out.” The building also faces escalating maintenance costs, diminishing revenue used to fund programs and services.

As of now, seismic updates are not required, but are a prudent move given the performance of non-ductile concrete buildings in recent earthquakes. A seismic report of the building can be found here: Nabih Youssef Seismic Evaluation

The Redondo Beach General Plan suggests non-ductile concrete frame buildings, such as 514 Prospect, should ultimately be “upgraded, relocated or phased out.”

Related to this, on February 28, 2023, Los Angeles County supervisors took the first step toward approving mandatory earthquake retrofitting on certain older concrete buildings that include a defect discovered in the 1971 Sylmar earthquake that can lead to a catastrophic collapse. The measure targets “non-ductile” concrete buildings owned by the county and those located in unincorporated areas and calls upon officials to prepare new rules for such a mandate. The city of Los Angeles approved a similar retrofit requirement in 2015.

In Southern California, earthquakes are a fact of life – we must be prepared. Seismic experts determined the 65-year-old hospital building (514 N. Prospect Ave.) on the campus has seismic and structural issues common with structures built in the 1950s and ’60s. While a seismic upgrade is not required by law at this time, the BCHD Board of Directors opted to take a proactive approach to address these seismic issues in consideration of the building’s residents, employees and visitors.

Yes. As outlined in Section 32121(j) of the California Health and Safety Code, healthcare districts are empowered under state law to establish, maintain and operate healthcare facilities, including retirement programs, services and facilities. A conditional use permit already exists, allowing Silverado Memory Care to operate on the BCHD Campus, and all elements of the Healthy Living Campus will comply with local zoning regulations.

On the Healthy Living Campus, RCFE could consist of memory care and assisted living units.

Memory care currently exists on the BCHD campus, with Silverado operating 60 units (120 beds) of specialized care for people living with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.

Assisted Living, designed to be “home-like” with private or semi-private apartment-style rooms, provides a continuum of long-term care services, including housing, personal care services and health care for individuals who need assistance with normal daily activities (bathing, meals, etc.). Assisted living residents often receive help with meal preparation, laundry and medication management, and, in general, the care provided is at a lower acuity and residents have a higher level of independence than the patients in skilled nursing facilities.

RCFE is a critical need considering 61 million Baby Boomers (born from 1946 – 1964) will be at least 66 years old by 2030. According to the peer-reviewed journal Health Affairs, one of the most important public health discoveries in recent years is the degree to which one’s physical environment (home) influences health status and premature mortality. This is especially true for the more vulnerable senior population.

The main campus is zoned P-CF (Community Facility) and the vacant lot located on Flagler Lane is zoned C-2 (Commercial).

A conditional use permit (CUP) is already in place for the 514 Prospect Ave. building, addressing the 120 residents living at Silverado Memory Care. The proposed project – like other improvements made in the past – would require a CUP under existing code. Also, a CUP does not require a vote of the people.

By certifying the Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the District’s Healthy Living Campus Master Plan, the BCHD Board of Directors verified the document complies with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The vote was taken Sept. 8, 2021 and the Board was 5-0 in favor of certification following two and a half hours of presentations, board deliberations and public comments. More than 300 public comments and responses were included in the 1,778-page Final EIR.