Urban Commons, a Los Angeles-based real estate investment and development company, has revealed its vision for the $250 million resurrection of the retired Queen Mary ship in Long Beach, Calif. The ‘Queen Mary Island’ mixed-use project was first announced in the summer of 2016, and now the developer is offering us a glimpse of what it plans to achieve at the 65-acre site.
The historic British-built ship, which sailed the North Atlantic Ocean from 1936 to 1967, will be the centerpiece of a world-class entertainment complex set to include roughly 700,000 square feet of retail space, a large outdoor amphitheater, a 200-key hotel and more. Urban Commons has enlisted the help of Gensler to bring its vision to life, aiming to create an atmosphere that will take visitors back to Queen Mary’s golden days. The new waterfront destination will “meld Great Britain heritage with the energetic pulse of the Southern California cityscape,” featuring abundant green spaces and pedestrian- and bike-friendly passageways, while preserving the shipyard-industrial aesthetic.
The developer has also partnered with London-based Urban Legacies to create the 150,000-square-foot ‘Urban Adventure’—debuting for the first time in North America, the multi-faceted concept will feature approximately 20 interactive activities, including California’s first indoor ice climbing wall, surfing, canyoning, skydiving and zip lining.
Urban Commons took over the 66-year master lease of the retired city-owned vessel roughly one year ago, and has launched an extensive renovation of the ship, which is currently in a dire condition, according to documents obtained by the Long Beach Press Telegram. The report quoted by the newspaper estimates the total cost of ship repairs could be as high as $289 million, and would take up to five years to complete. Urban Commons is collaborating with the City of Long Beach on the renovation effort.
