If you live in Belmont Heights or Alamitos Heights, you've watched Colorado and Eliot Streets stay torn up for what probably feels like forever. Good news: the Colorado Lagoon Open Channel Project — the long-running effort to reconnect Colorado Lagoon to Marine Stadium through Marina Vista Park — just hit a major milestone, and I want to walk you through exactly where things stand.
What Happened This Week
Crews completed asphalt paving along Colorado Street on September 18, with the final course extending into portions of Eliot Street. Once cat-tracking and striping are finished (expected the following week, weather permitting), the streets will begin reopening in phases.
Colorado Street is expected to reopen first, by the end of this month — which also restores ingress and egress access for Fire Station 14. Eliot Street will take a bit longer: it's not reopening until repairs are completed on the concrete bike path at 3rd Street and Paoli (damaged from temporary emergency vehicle routing), and until the remaining field offices, trailers, and equipment are demobilized.
Landscaping & Trail Work
Beyond the streets, crews are finishing landscape work through the end of the month, including safety picket fencing along the Colorado Street bridge and new decomposed granite (DG) trails, which are being installed and compacted now.
The open channel area itself still needs soil leaching and preparation before any upland planting can happen. Once soil conditions are met, expect to see sod, native plants, trees, and hydroseeding go in — that work is scheduled to begin in October.
Marina Vista Park Is Already Open
Marina Vista Park reopened to the public back on July 31. You'll still see construction fencing around parts of the site — that's intentional, to give the new plantings room to establish, not a sign of ongoing construction in that specific area.
Why This Matters If You Own (or Want to Own) Nearby
I track projects like this closely, and here's the honest read: infrastructure investment like this is a slow-burn value driver. A restored park, improved walkability, safer streets, and better water quality in the lagoon don't move your home's value next week — but they absolutely show up in buyer demand and comps over the next couple of years, especially in a neighborhood as tight-knit as Belmont Heights or Alamitos Heights.
If you're curious what this kind of neighborhood investment could mean for your own home's value, I'm happy to run the numbers — you can get a free home valuation here.
FAQ
When will Colorado Street fully reopen?
Barring weather delays, by the end of this month (September 2026).
When will Eliot Street reopen?
After the 3rd Street/Paoli bike path repairs are complete and construction trailers are removed — no firm date yet, but it's tied to Colorado's reopening.
Is Marina Vista Park open now?
Yes, it reopened July 31, 2026. Some construction fencing remains in place while new landscaping matures.
When will landscaping and planting be finished?
Landscape finishing continues through the end of September; upland planting, sod, and hydroseeding are expected to begin in October, pending soil preparation.
Curious how neighborhood improvements like this affect home values in Belmont Heights? Check out The Most Walkable Neighborhoods in Long Beach next.
Get in Touch
Have questions about buying or selling near Marina Vista Park, Belmont Heights, or Alamitos Heights? I'd love to help.
Costanza Genoese Zerbi & Associates | eXp Realty of Greater Los Angeles | DRE #01941438
(562) 221-4527 | [email protected] | costanzagz.com