The belief system that powers condo sales in downtown Long Beach

They’re calling it Pine@Sixth, with that little character for the “at” sign, which raises the question: Which Pine at Sixth? There are four corners: the old Press-Telegram building—soon to be lofts; Rite-Aid (formerly Thrifty); and the units built to replace the old Long Beach Plaza.

Which means Pine@Sixth must be . . . the other corner, the southwest one, with banners branding the name, scaffolding hugging the faded, primary-colored exterior, and small neat holes in the outside walls where soon one former closet in every unit of this 22-year-old condo conversion will have its own washer and dryer. That’s a must-have in 2008; like so many other things we do, laundry is slowly being taken private.

“When people see the property, they’re going to assume it’s a rental property because of the way it looks,” said sales counselor Will Hainlen. “It’s a bit of a tough sell, but some people can see through it and see what it will be.” That’s why Hainlen and three associates from DOMA—which is headquartered in, and also handles sales for, the historic Walker Building two blocks south on Pine Avenue—threw a first-time home buyers seminar Saturday morning, when it was supposed to be raining.

The rain was late—and so were the three prospective buyers—but that didn’t dampen anyone’s feelings for Pine@Sixth, which was built in 1986 as an apartment complex. Even the lender, Geoffrey Rouss of Countrywide Home Loans (yes, that Countrywide), was bullish about the building.

Pine@Sixth is an auspicious intersection. This is where the patriarch in HBO’s hit series Six Feet Under was permanently dispatched in a car accident in the pilot episode. A unit in Pine@Sixth is also where then-Press-Telegram employees (myself included) re-interviewed for their jobs, after Dean Singleton’s MediaNews Group bought the P-T in an asset sale 11 years ago.

But the times, they said Saturday, are changing. These apartments should be transformed to spanking-new condos by mid-2008. The last apartment dweller in this three-story 158-unit complex should be termed out by early 2009. DOMA is betting that empty-nesters and college-fresh young adults will seize the urban experience of downtown Long Beach.

“I think a while back, [Long Beach] had a tough reputation, but it’s since been revitalized,” said DOMA sales counselor Rachel Barkley. “It’s like no other beach city that has high-rises downtown, right by the beach.”

It’s what you’d expect a sales counselor to say, but first-time home buyer Marilyn Paean, 23, of Anaheim, said much the same—before she even heard a sales pitch.

“I like the downtown area, I like the atmosphere,” said Payan, a career advisor for DeVry University in Long Beach. Those are words developers, entrepreneurs and city fathers have pined for since the 1950s. Finally: They’re here? “It’s kind of like a trendy atmosphere, closer to everything, and appealing to a younger crowd.”

Payan wanted to move closer to work. Devon Strong, 37, a downtown Long Beach renter, had watched home prices skyrocket for years, and wanted to capitalize on the currently unstable market. Cerritos residents Henry and Tina Chuston really, really wanted to see a two-bedroom unit; they were, Tina confirmed afterwards, expecting the arrival of a young Chuston later this year.

“Actually,” Henry Chuston said, “we’re just looking for a home.” And look they did: at an entry-level two-bedroom with Formica countertops and white-painted kitchen appliances facing out on Pacific Avenue and priced at $354,900; and at a top-level, top-floor one-bedroom with loft TV room, Pine Avenue balcony, and a jar of multicolored fusilli on the CaesarStone kitchen counter. (Their price: $399,900.)

Then? They left—to see another property. So did Payan. When I left Strong, he was in deep conversation with Rouss, the lender.

“Obviously, we’re not blind to what’s going on out there,” Barkley had told the group earlier, referring to the housing market’s woes. “But it’s a buyers’ market. The world is yours right now.”

How right she was.

PINEATSIXTH.COM | DOMAPROPERTIES.COM

Tags: condos, doma, downtown, Long Beach, pine@sixth, Shelter