apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

That's about as sterile and *un* home-like a place I've ever seen. You couldn't pay me to live there.

I live near The Galaxy....It's a bit of a depressing eyesore right now with the charred outsides and boarded up windows on that top unit that caught fire. When I was shopping for condos there was a unit that I looked at.....not that great inside but what an awesome view of L.A.!

I passed because it looks (and feels) like a council flat that moved here from Birmingham or East London. And my agent commented on the lack of sprinklers and said that I would be hit with a HUGE bill once they decided to get them installed (if ever).

There is also a sister building to The Galaxy in the new Arts District of Long Beach...it looks the same but only 5 or 6 stories.

I think the building in the front in the first pic looks much more interesting.

I've always loved this building! I always stare at it when i drive down Ocean- i imagine there must have been some swanky bachelor pads in there with that awesome view of LB harbor-

The one with the Spanish style tiles?

When I lived in the bay area almost 20 years ago, a building near where I lived had those tiles. In the Spring, birds would nest in them, and when the chicks hatched you'd hear the chirps of the chicks for hours. I loved it.

boomer - I have those spanish tiles where I live now (although the buildings they're over are near as picturesque) and yeah - I can hear those little cheeps as I write!

that was supposed to be "aren't" near...

At first glance, I thought the building had to have been newer than when it was built, but once I saw the rest of the pics, I can see how it can be of the mid-century style, albeit the very tale end of it though.

But looking at it yet again, with those blue tinted windows and panels below, I can definitely see that style being popular in the 50's-60's.

Rather cool building and I'd wonder how original the building still is on the inside.

That building is in our neighborhood. It does look cool, and I'm sure the views from the upper floors are amazing, but it really does not flow with the architecture in the rest of the neighborhood. (Lots of old Spanish stucco and Craftsman houses.) Now the neighborhood is a designated historic district, so buildings like that are no longer allowed.

My favorite Long Beach buildings are the International Towers and the Villa Riveria, which is currently being renovated.

"Unfortunately, it appears that sprinklers have still not been retro-fitted in the building."

Unfortunately for whom? So far the only one with a sprinkler vendetta is the estranged widow of the man who died. It should be noted that he had plenty of time to exit his condo (and in fact did), but then he CHOSE to return to the burning unit. I am sympathetic to her loss, but that should not equate to forcing thousands of condo owners to bear financial burdens of upwards of milliions of dollars.

I live in a historic long beach hi rise built in 1922. We have sprinklers in the basement storage areas, sprinklers in the common ventilation shafts, fire extinguishers on every floor, and annual fire drills. Should our building be forced to retrofit sprinklers on 13 floors of a historic building, the majority of our senior owners on limited incomes will lose their units.

There was letter this morning in the Press Telegram from an owner in the Galaxy Towers that stated the majority of owners do not want, nor can afford the massive retrofit.

I think the building is fab and love the mix of the old spanish style in front of the mid-century.

Jordan

I live just 2 blocks from this building. Not that my building is any better but .........both are aesthetically challenged. The Galaxy is, however, a undisputed mess. It is an example of the horrific zoning lapses in Long Beach. Let's not even talk about the sprinkler nightmare. Why would you build a high rise without a sprinkler system. My entire neighborhood is a lovely area punctuated by this unsightly exclaimation point.

I live in the Galaxy towers, and I know the design is not to everyones taste but it is a great place to live for sure. you do not share a common wall with anyone. The floors are reinforced concrete so you never hear anyone above or below. you have an unobstructed view from 3 sides.

It is a very pleasant home from the inside.