Huntington Beach circa 95 to now (Los Angeles, Newport Beach: oil, rain, town)

[kwong7]

I spent my teenaged years in Huntington Beach (harbor area) from 1993-2008, I left the area moved to Newport Beach after getting married. I was there for the riots, 10pm curfews, the suburban sprawl of 1998-2006, and the general gentrification towards Mediterranean facades in just about every strip mall. Cost of living has also jumped and I suppose that also correlates to City revenue in property, business, and sales tax collection. You could easily be a "beach bum" or live in the many hostels just off PCH in DT...all of which are gone and multi-million dollar SFR have replaced them.

Similar to other places, the experiences in the city are much better if you have more money.

[DinsdalePirahna]

I moved to HB for New York in the early 1990s. Main Street redevelopment was in the process. The Only Bars were Long Board, Perqs and Mazzoti's. New homes were still being built north of 21st street.

it felt like a college town without a college. really good party scene. No resort hotels on PCH, old pier was still standing.

The beginning of the end occurred when the first luxury hotel was built. Main Street use to be a locals scene, then all the flat brimmed trash started coming in.

Its pretty, but doesnt have a soul anymore.

I spend more time in Seal Beach than downtown HB

[Forever Blue]

I haven't gone in a WIDE timespan to know. Just starting in 2020, so 2.5 yrs ago when COVID started, I started going on drives quite a lot along PCH from HB to Long Beach, then back down to Laguna Beach, where I usually turn back around. I did go to the beach here & there in the 80s & up, but probably more people like the other poster said is what I seem to notice the most & the construction of the hotels & Pacific City along there.

[NoNansea]

Originally Posted by TimTheEnchanter

Seal Beach is great. It is possibly the last, unspoiled beach town in OC. I am not sure if it is proximity to Long Beach, or the Naval Weapons Station that keeps it quiet.

I live in Seal Beach. I think that because it’s not a party town it doesn’t attract that crowd. Other than a few restaurants & bars, most businesses close early - 5 or 6 pm early. It has that shut down feel by 9 pm at the latest. We are more of a daytime place but even that is restricted due to parking restrictions and availability. Also we have much more residential near the beach than commercial unlike Long Beach and Huntington Beach.

[New Englander]

Originally Posted by NoNansea

I live in Seal Beach. I think that because it’s not a party town it doesn’t attract that crowd. Other than a few restaurants & bars, most businesses close early - 5 or 6 pm early. It has that shut down feel by 9 pm at the latest. We are more of a daytime place but even that is restricted due to parking restrictions and availability. Also we have much more residential near the beach than commercial unlike Long Beach and Huntington Beach.

Seal Beach is a gem. Definitely one of the last few relaxed Beach cities.

[TheOverdog]

it felt like a college town without a college.

You can tell how much the current population has aged by this comment. Downtown now is mostly closed (except for the few bars) at like 10:00 even on the weekends.

[TurcoLoco]

Originally Posted by NoNansea

I live in Seal Beach. I think that because it’s not a party town it doesn’t attract that crowd. Other than a few restaurants & bars, most businesses close early - 5 or 6 pm early. It has that shut down feel by 9 pm at the latest. We are more of a daytime place but even that is restricted due to parking restrictions and availability. Also we have much more residential near the beach than commercial unlike Long Beach and Huntington Beach.

I think you nailed it. It probably doesn't have the same commercial appeal for developers. Or, perhaps, the wealthy and influential living in the area are too smart to let it happen to their beloved town.

The "Irvine style" soulless concrete new development seems to be happening in some other parts of OC.
On this forum, I have seen the prospective development videos for Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, etc. ...not good.

It seems anywhere from 3-10 years the entire county might become a clone of Irvine's concrete corner (Ref: any of the newer residential areas like Michelson & Jamboree area).

I am currently residing in Aliso Viejo. I actually lived in and around AV between 1999-2007 and I recall it being a lot less populated and active. Now, it is crowded, bedroom community made of mostly condos. It is like another version of Irvine. I mean it is a fairly new city so compared to Lake Forest of Laguna Hills, it didn't have a chance. Its development, from get-go, was developers thinking how they could get the biggest bang for their buck: tiny concrete condo complexes built using mediocre to cheap materials.

I lived in Lake Forest and I remember how the shopping plaza at the corner of El Toro Road and Rockfield looked. Yes, it needed a facelift as it was a bit rundown and empty but do I like its new concrete look with ugly colors? Nope!

This trend is likely to continue. Some ****** came up with this design because it was either "acceptable" and/or "affordable" and they seem to have used the design in most any recently developed area.
Cold concretization of OC.

I, absolutely, loathe the area now which is why I will be relocating asaic.

[dexter75]

Originally Posted by TimTheEnchanter

Seal Beach is great. It is possibly the last, unspoiled beach town in OC.

Dana Point as well. They have fought against big development there thankfully.

[kell490]

Grew up in the area though the 1970's and 80's left the state in 1994 when I was 25. Still have friends and a few family members there. The biggest change I noticed is every generation the wealth goes up, but last 10 years it's gone way up. Mostly the cost of homes 1M+ is what is drawing in the high income earners. I feel lucky that I grew up in the area near the beach something I could never afford today.

[njbiodude]

Originally Posted by New Englander

Seal Beach is a gem. Definitely one of the last few relaxed Beach cities.

Other than the fact that it’s filthy and you can see refineries at the Port of Los Angeles belching smoke, and oil rigs right from the beach. This is why it’s not going to become Newport Beach 2.0. The mouth of the San Gabriel river is one of the most polluted beaches in the state thanks to the port of LA, and can make you ill if you swim/surf after a rain.