City Yard Renovation Project Takes Major Step Forward After Years of Delays

The Hermosa Beach City Council unanimously approved hiring an owner's representative for the long-stalled city yard renovation project Tuesday night, marking a significant milestone in efforts to modernize the aging municipal facility at 555 6th Street.

The council authorized a contract with Cumming Management Group for up to $565,000 in pre-construction services over a four-year term ending January 13, 2030, bringing specialized expertise to guide the complex project through its initial phases of environmental assessment, design planning, and delivery method selection.

Matthew Feldhaus, a licensed California architect and certified construction manager with 25 years of experience delivering public agency projects, will serve as the dedicated project manager. Cumming Group demonstrated the strongest ability to provide experienced staff and has provided similar services for numerous public agencies including LA County Public Works, Orange County Public Works, the City of Murrieta, and the City of West Hollywood.

Significantly, Feldhaus brings direct expertise working on maintenance yard projects, including the Imperial Yard Relocation Study in South Gate for Los Angeles County Flood Control District, Pasadena Public Works Maintenance Yard Renovations, and most recently, the City of Anaheim's maintenance yard project. Cumming Group also maintains a local office in Hermosa Beach.

"It's really about functionality here," Feldhaus told the council when asked about the project's guiding principles. "We have to make sure that the people, the end users of this building on a day-to-day basis, can be the most efficient at their job."

Feldhaus emphasized the project isn't about creating "an award-winning architectural style" but rather ensuring the facility "needs to blend in with the rest of the area and it needs to be functional."

'Facility Far Exceeded Its Useful Life'

According to the staff report, "the existing facility has far exceeded its useful life and is in poor condition with a growing urgency for extensive repairs and renovation to ensure continued use and efficient service delivery."

Photos presented to the council showed deteriorating structures and cramped conditions that have left city staff struggling with basic maintenance and upkeep issues rather than focusing on public service delivery—a key driver behind the renovation push.

The owner's representative will be responsible for:

• Coordinating the advancement of the overall project and advocating for the city
• Assisting with developing a clear schedule and total project budget
• Advising on a project delivery method that benefits the city and reduces risk
• Organizing work to maintain public safety during construction
• Facilitating the vision of the city, stakeholders, and end users to build a modern, efficient, healthy, and streamlined facility

Funding Remains Major Challenge

The project faces significant financial hurdles. The city has funds budgeted for soft costs and initial planning, but far short of what full construction will require.

City Manager Steve Napolitano indicated that recent increases in parking meter and citation rates could provide a new revenue stream for bonding to fund construction. "We have a beginning right now with the increase in the citation, the parking meter rates," Napolitano said. "If we set those aside to bond, we'll be looking for additional revenue sources along the way as well."

When Councilmember Mike Detoy asked whether the city was "putting the cart before the horse" by hiring consultants before securing full funding, Public Works Director Joe Sanclemente explained the need to define actual costs before pursuing financing. Detoy has served on council since 2019, and was part of a council majority who voted to proceed with a cadre of consultants on the now mothballed City Hall project, which was estimated to have a total unfunded cost in excess of $100 million.

"We really need to get to the environmental assessment, figure out what cleanup is going to cost and really start to shape what is the program for this project," Sanclemente said. "We have to build that budget so we understand better about what kind of funding that we're going to need."

Current estimates suggest the project could cost anywhere from $10 million to $20 million or more, but these figures remain highly uncertain until detailed assessments are completed. The environmental assessments will be particularly crucial, as contamination cleanup costs could significantly impact the total budget. The City Yard site was originally the site of a municipal refuse incinerator going back to the 1950's.

Long-Awaited Progress

Mayor Rob Saemann expressed relief that the project is finally advancing after years of discussion.

"This is exciting, that this is actually going to get started," Saemann said. "The sooner we get started, the sooner we get finished. It's been a long time coming and it's here now."

Sanclemente noted that when he arrived at the city four and a half years ago, "there was an old inspection report that was sitting on a shelf and not going anywhere." The city has been working to address a backlog of deferred maintenance projects, with the city yard representing a critical need.

The owner's representative will act as an extension of city staff, advocating the best interests of the city and providing strategic oversight, technical guidance, and coordination support to ensure the project is delivered on time, within budget, and to the city's quality requirements.

For a city that has discussed renovating its aging yard facility for years, Monday's vote represented tangible progress—with a clear roadmap now in place leading to construction commencement in late 2027.