WORKSHOP SUMMARY &
FINDINGS
May 30, 2026 & May 31, 2026
WORKSHOP SUMMARY
PROJECT PULSE
COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOP #1 FINDINGS
OVERVIEW OF WORKSHOP
3 A first round of Community Design Workshops were held on May 30th and 31st at Joslyn Community Center. The
workshops were structured to capture Manhattan Beach
community’s vision for the two downtown sites: 400 MBB
and Lot 3.
Building on prior City engagements, the workshops explored each site’s programmatic uses and related experiences to advance the design process.
Event Marketing
The workshops were marketed across the Manhattan Beach
community through the City's social media accounts and widely read local publications, including the Easy Reader, OAP Newsletter, Manhappenings, and The Beach Reporter.
Postcards were distributed to residents, and the City promoted the events through community partners and the State of the City 2026 program. Combined, the outreach reached an estimated 10,000 people.
PROJECT PULSE
COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOP #1 FINDINGS
WORKSHOP FORMAT
4 In total there were two workshops occurring on different days and times to allow for broader community participation. The workshops were of a similar format with 5 stations. Participants could complete these stations in any order.
Station 1:
Welcome
Participants learned about the
project, past City engagements
and initial community input.
Participants could also share
about who they are and their
relation to the Manhattan
Beach community.
Station 2:
Architect for a Day
Hands-on designing exercise
where participants arranged
program tiles on site plans,
revealing preferred uses and
spatial relationships for 400
MBB and Lot 3.
Station 3:
Your Top Priorities
Participants engaged in a dot-
allocation exercise that
revealed community priorities
for two public sites through
tradeoffs.
Station 4:
Walking Tour from
the Future
Participants designed a walking
tour that reveals how they see
400 MBB and Lot 3 fitting into
their everyday downtown
experience.
Station 5:
Draw Your Downtown
Participants engaged in an
open-ended drawing exercise
on blank site prints where they
freely imagined a future for
both sites.
PROJECT PULSE
COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOP #1 FINDINGS
WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS
5 24
34 10
14 6
28 2 20%
29%
8%
12%
5%
24%
2% Longtime
Downtown
Resident
Downtown
Regular
Business Owner or
Employee
Family with
Kids
Active
Commuter
Resident
Other/ Occasional
Visitor
Held over Saturday and Sunday, the two workshops engaged a broad cross-section of Manhattan Beach stakeholders, spanning ages from youth to seniors. Participants could select multiple personas to reflect their roles, including residents, visitors, commuters, and business owners.
WORKSHOP FINDINGS
PROJECT PULSE
COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOP #1 FINDINGS
OVERALL FINDINGS
• The community’s vision centers on
open, social, and
outdoor
-
driven experiences
• Strong emphasis on
gathering spaces and
food
-
oriented commercial uses
•
Lot 3: Envisioned as a multi-level structure anchored
by green space, community uses and potentially limited
commercial activation, with views to the ocean
•
400 MBB: Preferred as a flexible, largely open site
with green space and surface parking, supporting
adaptable community and commercial uses
PROJECT PULSE
COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOP #1 FINDINGS
PREFERRED ACTIVITIES & USES
Station 3: Your Top Priorities
Community members were invited to vote on desired
activities and uses for the Lot 3 and 400 Manhattan Beach Boulevard sites.
• Top choices emphasize shared experiences
Rooftop decks, food halls, landscaped spaces, and outdoor dining ranked highest, reflecting strong demand for affordable, community-oriented gathering spaces.
• Outdoor amenities lead preferences
Green spaces and open-air features consistently received high support.
• Limited interest in niche uses
Specialized programs, such as boutique fitness studios, tutoring/education, youth arts hubs, and maker spaces, ranked lowest overall
TOP 12 USE TYPES FROM COMMUNITY VOTING
69 votes, 12%
46 votes, 8%
45 votes, 8%
37 votes, 7%
34 votes, 6%
28 votes, 5%
23 votes, 4%
23 votes, 4%
23 votes, 4%
22 votes, 4%
22 votes, 4%
19 votes, 3%
Rooftop Terrace or Deck
Landscaped Space
Food Hall or Market
Outdoor Dining Area
Small Car / New Parking Stalls
Cultural Events Plaza
Community Meeting Space
Restaurant / Bar
Cafe
Amphitheater
Bicycle Parking
Retail Store
8 PROJECT PULSE
COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOP #1 FINDINGS
9 OUTDOOR SPACES COMMERCIAL USES
Seating Grove
5 votes (1%)
Play Area
7 votes (1%)
Community/ Sensory
Garden
9 votes (2%)
Landscaped Space
46 votes (8%)
Outdoor Exercise
Corner
3 votes (1%)
Outdoor Dining Area
37 votes (7%)
Interactive Water
Feature
7 votes (1%)
Rooftop Terrace or
Deck
69 votes (12%)
Restaurant / Bar
23 votes (4%)
Café
23 votes (4%)
Retail Store
19 votes (3%)
Co-working Office
9 votes (2%)
Indoor Playground
11 votes (2%)
Tutoring / Kid’s
Education
1 vote (0%)
Food Hall or Market
45 votes (8%)
Boutique Fitness
Studio
0 votes (0%)
The page shows the number of votes cast by community members for each use type. Each community member received 10 dots to allocate across uses as desired. Percentages represent the share of total votes cast (554) and are rounded to the nearest whole number.
PREFERRED ACTIVITIES & USES (CONTINUED)
PROJECT PULSE
COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOP #1 FINDINGS
10 ARTS & CULTURE PARKING & MOBILITY
Community Art
Gallery
9 votes (2%)
Ampitheater
22 votes (4%)
Community Meeting
Spaces
23 votes (4%)
Film Screening Space
15 votes (3%)
Maker Space /
Creative Studio
6 votes (1%)
Cultural Events Plaza
28 votes (5%)
Public Art
Installation
15 votes (3%)
Youth Arts Hub
4 votes (1%)
EV Charging Stalls
6 votes (1%)
Bicycle Parking
22 votes (4%)
Merchant & Employee
Overflow
15 votes (3%)
E-bike and Micro-
Mobility Hubs
13 votes (2%)
Small Car / New
Parking Stalls
34 votes (6%)
Overnight Permit
Stalls
3 votes (1%)
Rideshare and
Delivery “Quick-
Zones”
15 votes (3%)
End of Trip Facilities
(lockers, surfboard
storage etc.)
10 votes (2%)
The page shows the number of votes cast by community members for each use type. Each community member received 10 dots to allocate across uses as desired. Percentages represent the share of total votes cast (554) and are rounded to the nearest whole number.
PREFERRED ACTIVITIES & USES (CONTINUED)
PROJECT PULSE
COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOP #1 FINDINGS
SITE DESIGN PREFERENCES
Station 2: Architect for a Day
To hone in further on preferences, community members were invited to act as “architects for a day,” developing designs for Lot 3 and 400 Manhattan Beach Boulevard using scaled program blocks. These exercises revealed distinct community preferences for each site. 11 PROJECT PULSE
COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOP #1 FINDINGS
2 (6%)
3 (9%)
4 (11%)
4 (11%)
5 (14%)
5 (14%)
7 (20%)
7 (20%)
8 (23%)
8 (23%)
8 (23%)
8 (23%)
9 (26%)
11 (31%)
12 (34%)
15 (43%)
16 (46%)
17 (49%)
17 (49%)
27 (77%)
Indoor Play
Sports Courts
Office
Exercise Corner
Co-working office
Interactive Water Feature
Retail - large
Art Gallery
Retail - medium
Craft Studio
Outdoor Stage
Kiosks
Playground
Retail - small
F&B - large
Community Hall
Parking structure aboveground
F&B - small
Outdoor Seating
Garden
Community designs for Lot 3 consistently prioritize a
people
-
oriented destination centered on green space, social
uses, and community-oriented programming.
12 TOP USE TYPES FEATURED IN THE COMMUNITY’S DESIGNS FOR LOT 3 Note: Counts reflects the number of times each use type was selected across all community designs. Percentages shown in parentheses represents the proportion of total designs in which the use type appears. • Green space is a consistent feature across most designs, highlighting its importance to the overall vision.
• Outdoor dining and small-scale food uses are widely included, suggesting food plays a key role in activating the site.
• About half of the designs include aboveground parking, reflecting mixed preferences within the community.
• Community halls appear in 43% of designs, indicating steady interest in dedicated gathering space.
PARKING LOT 3
PROJECT PULSE
COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOP #1 FINDINGS
13 MIXTURE OF USE TYPES IN DESIGNS
15 (43%)
6 (17%)
4 (11%)
2 (6%)
4 (11%)
4 (11%)
Designs with mostly community
uses and limited commercial
uses
Designs with an even mix of
community and commercial uses
Designs with an even mix of
community and parking uses
Designs with mostly commercial
uses
Designs with mostly parking usesDesigns with an even mix of commercial and parking uses
(Note: not a City Council-
recommended combination)
43%
Most community design schemes for Lot 3 allocate
half, if not more, of the site to community-
oriented uses (e.g., gardens, outdoor seating, and
community halls), often complemented by
supporting commercial activity.
17% 11%
6% 11% 11%
Most
community,
limited
commercial
Even mix of community and
commercial
Even mix of
community and
parking
Mostly
commercial
Even mix of
commercial and
parking
Mostly parking
PARKING LOT 3
PROJECT PULSE
COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOP #1 FINDINGS
PARKING LOT 3
14 SPATIAL RELATIONSHIPS
Most community members favored a 2- to
3-story stacked building design above grade,
likely to maximize the footprint of Lot 3.
Some designs incorporated stepped terraces
to capture ocean views, while others
adopted a more courtyard-oriented layout
reminiscent of Metlox. Mostly open designs (e.g. garden, sports courts) Stacked building design Stepped terraces
14% 31%
17%
23%
5 (14%)
17 (49%)
6 (17%)
7 (20%)
Mostly open
designs
Stacked building
designs
Stepped terraces "Courtyard"
“Courtyard” model (similar to Metlox)20%
PROJECT PULSE
COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOP #1 FINDINGS
PARKING LOT 3
Station 2: Architect for a Day Submissions
15 PROJECT PULSE
COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOP #1 FINDINGS
16 TOP USE TYPES FEATURED IN THE COMMUNITY’S DESIGNS FOR 400 MBB 0 (0%)
2 (6%)
4 (11%)
5 (14%)
5 (14%)
6 (17%)
8 (23%)
8 (23%)
8 (23%)
9 (26%)
10 (29%)
10 (29%)
10 (29%)
11 (31%)
12 (34%)
16 (46%)
22 (63%)
23 (66%)
31 (89%)
Retail - large
Indoor Play
Community Hall
Retail - medium
Exercise Corner
Office
Co-working office
Art Gallery
Interactive Water Feature
Craft Studio
F&B - large
Outdoor Stage
Playground
Retail - small
F&B - small
Kiosks
Outdoor Seating
Surface Parking
Garden
Note: Counts reflects the number of times each use type was selected across all community designs. Percentages shown in parentheses represents the proportion of total designs in which the use type appears. 400 MANHATTAN BEACH BOULEVARD
Designs for 400 MBB tend to favor
a more open and flexible site
rather than a built
-
up one , with strong alignment around green
space, parking, and informal outdoor uses.
• Green space are nearly universally included in designs. • Surface parking is a core component in 66% of designs. • Outdoor seating and kiosks are widely incorporated, reinforcing a preference for informal gathering spaces.
• Smaller-scale retail and food uses are favored over larger formats, aligning with the fine-grained, walkable character of Downtown Manhattan Beach.
PROJECT PULSE
COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOP #1 FINDINGS
400 MANHATTAN BEACH BOULEVARD
17 MIXTURE OF USE TYPES IN DESIGNS
Designs with mostly
community uses and
limited commercial
uses
Designs with an
even mix of
community and
commercial uses
Designs with an
even mix of
community and
parking uses
Designs with mostly
commercial uses
Designs with mostly
parking uses
Designs with an even
mix of commercial
and parking uses
26%
A large share of community design schemes for 400
MBB emphasize open designs with community
spaces (e.g., gardens) or surface parking, reflecting
a preference for a more flexible site. Only 3%
proposed fully built-out commercial development.
20% 9% 3%
14% 17%Designs with an even
mix of community,
parking and commercial
uses
17%
9 (26%)
7 (20%)
3 (9%)
1 (3%)
5 (14%)
6 (17%)
4 (11%)
Most
community,
limited
commercial
Even mix of
community and
commercial
Even mix of
community and
parking
Mostly
commercial
Even mix of
commercial and
parking
Even mix of
community,
parking and
commercial
Mostly parking
PROJECT PULSE
COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOP #1 FINDINGS
400 MANHATTAN BEACH BOULEVARD
18 SPATIAL RELATIONSHIPS
Nearly all participants emphasized the importance
of
preserving some portion of the site as
open space , with the area closest to Manhattan
Beach Boulevard most prioritized for
development.
Some community members preferred low-intensity
development that would allow flexibility if nearby
sites become available.
Mostly open designs
(e.g. garden, surface
parking)
Designs with
development near
Manhattan Beach
Boulevard
Designs with
development further
from Manhattan
Beach Boulevard
Designs that left the
middle of the site
open
31% 31% 14% 23%
11 (31%) 11 (31%)
5 (14%)
8 (23%)
Mostly open designs Designs with
development near
Manhattan Beach
Boulevard
Designs with
development
further from
Manhattan Beach
Boulevard
Designs that left the
middle of the site
open
PROJECT PULSE
COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOP #1 FINDINGS
19 400 MANHATTAN BEACH BOULEVARD
PEDESTRIANIZING A SECTION OF MORNINGSIDE DRIVE
Most community members supported the idea of
pedestrianizing a section of Morningside Drive.
Advantages
• Creates a flexible gathering space that can function as a plaza and accommodate temporary events.
• Provides additional seating and waiting areas for adjacent restaurants.
• Establishes a cul-de-sac–like environment on Morningside Drive that may improve child safety.
Disadvantages
• Reduces access to 11th Place, which is currently used by delivery trucks as a service lane.
• Inconveniences nearby residents who rely on Morningside Drive for home access.
PROJECT PULSE
COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOP #1 FINDINGS
400 MANHATTAN BEACH BOULEVARD
Station 2: Architect for a Day Submissions
20 PROJECT PULSE
COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOP #1 FINDINGS
DRAW YOUR DOWNTOWN & WALKING TOUR OF THE FUTURE
The community was invited to freely imagine and draw their vision of the 400 MBB and Lot 3 sites, and consider how the two sites could fit into a walking tour of the future.
21 Community members most commonly integrated both sites into a “DTMB Stroll” – walking or biking routes that include downtown dining and shopping, family-friendly play areas, leading to the Strand or beach recreation. Additional ideas raised in these exercises included:
400 MBB
•
Tourism: Welcome Center,
wayfinding for Downtown Manhattan
Beach
•
Arts & Culture: Museum of Beach
Volleyball, City Museum
•
Outdoor commercial Artisanal
markets, food truck park
•
Parking & Mobility: Bike parking
with centralized valet, golf cart depot,
parking dashboards for the beach and
city
•
Green space: Pocket parks
Lot 3
•
Community: Rentable events hall,
sunset rooftop deck, library outpost,
aquarium outpost, aquatic center
•
Parking & Mobility: Residents-only
parking