The Daily Dig
Linc Housing has broken ground on Armory Arts Collective, a 64-unit affordable senior housing development in Long Beach's East Village Arts District.
The project is built around the adaptive reuse of the former Armory building, a 26,500 square foot Art Deco structure built in 1930 that sat vacant after being decommissioned in 2018. Five stories of new residential construction will rise alongside it.
All 64 homes are reserved for low-income seniors age 55 and older, earning between 30% and 70% of the area median income. The mix includes 56 one-bedrooms and eight two-bedrooms, one of which serves as a manager's unit. Half the homes will be fully wheelchair accessible, with several additional units accommodating residents with hearing or visual impairments.
The historic Armory building will be converted into resident amenities: a community room, arts and crafts studio, health and wellness space, and bicycle storage. A landscaped courtyard and outdoor deck round out the common areas. Linc is pursuing historic landmark designation for the original structure, and both buildings are targeting GreenPoint Rated certification.
Studio One Eleven is the project architect, with Howard CDM as consultant and Walton Construction as general contractor. Completion is targeted for winter 2027.
Project Snapshot:
Project: Armory Arts Collective
Developer/Owner: Linc Housing
General Contractor: Walton Construction, Inc.
Architect: Studio One Eleven
Consultant: Howard CDM
Location: East Village Arts District, Long Beach, California
Sector: Affordable Senior Housing / Adaptive Reuse
Scope: Adaptive reuse of historic 1930 Armory building + five stories of new residential construction
Existing Structure: 26,500 sqft, built 1930, decommissioned 2018
Total Homes: 64 (56 one-bedroom, 8 two-bedroom including manager's unit)
Resident Profile: Low-income seniors, age 55+, earning 30%-70% of area median income
Accessibility: 50% of units fully wheelchair accessible; additional units with hearing/visual accommodation features
Amenities: Community room, arts and crafts studio, health and wellness space, bicycle storage, landscaped courtyard, outdoor deck
Sustainability: GreenPoint Rated certification (both buildings)
Historic Designation: Landmark designation being pursued for original Armory structure
Status: Under construction
Estimated Completion: Winter 2027
Funding Sources: Long Beach Community Investment Company ($6.5M), City of Long Beach loan ($5.2M), CA Dept. of Housing and Community Development ($6.2M), Bank of America tax credit equity, Josephine S. Gumbiner Foundation grant, Wells Fargo Foundation grant
TheJobWalk Thoughts
Adaptive reuse on a project like this is a different animal than ground-up. The Armory's 1930s construction means the GC is working through historic preservation requirements while simultaneously coordinating a five-story new build on the same site. Those two scopes don't always play nicely with each other on schedule.
The winter 2027 target puts the schedule at roughly 18 to 24 months from groundbreaking. For a mixed adaptive reuse and new construction job of this complexity, that's a tight window. Subs doing MEP, accessibility, and envelope work on the historic portion should expect detailed submittals and close coordination with the preservation consultant.
For suppliers and BD teams, the GreenPoint Rated pursuit on both buildings signals a spec that leans toward sustainable materials and energy-efficient systems across the board. Get in front of Walton early.
