Update
Christy Food Service, a Ruby’s Diner franchisee, has withdrawn the only proposal submitted so far to provide a new restaurant on the Seal Beach Pier, according to an advertisement in the Thursday, March 7, print edition of the Sun Newspaper.
“Our franchisee, Christy Food Service, had submitted a comprehensive proposal to re-open a Ruby’s Diner at the Seal Beach Pier,” said the ad.
“Their proposal was the only submittal. The city decided to extend the deadline for the RFP (request for proposals) on the actual due date for submittals. Our franchiee’s proposal was submitted on time, offered competitive rents, and provided the improvements needed on the pier,” the ad said.
“Because this delay will make it unlikely for anyone to open the restaurant in time for the summer season, Christy Food Service sadly is forced to recind their proposal. They will revisit their projections and proposal and hope to resubmit,” the ad said.
As previously reported in the Sun, Seal Beach Community Development Director Jim Basham said that if less than five proposals were received, the deadline for submittals would be extended. Only one had been received as of the original 4:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 22 deadline.
Basham told the Sun that the deadline would be extended on Monday, Feb. 25.
Meanwhile, Seal Beach has issued a revised request for proposals for the city-owned restaurant space at the end of the pier.
The new deadline for submitting proposals is 4:40 p.m., Friday, April 12.
The revised RFP will be available for review starting today, Thursday, March 7.
As previously reported, city officials decided to extend the deadline for proposals when Seal Beach received less than five responses by the original Friday, Feb. 22, deadline.
Last week, Community Development Director Jim Basham said he believed Seal Beach had received one or two responses.
This week, Basham said the property management company told him that Seal Beach had received only one proposal for a restaurant at the end of the pier.
Basham said the property manager indicated that four other restaurant operators had requested an extension of the proposal deadline.Basham said Art Haack submitted the proposal and that he believed Haack was proposing a franchise restaurant for the pier space.
Haack was general manager of the Ruby’s Diner that occupied the pier space until the restaurant chain cancelled its lease with Seal Beach.
Like the first request for proposals, the new version calls on the operator of a Seal Beach Pier restaurant to perform an unspecified community service project.
That requirement was listed as number three in the first version and appears as Requirement #4 in the revision.
The key difference in the revised version is that Requirement #1 now calls for improvements to the property.
“The applicant will specify the intended improvements to the property/building both in the interior and on the exterior,” said the revised RFP.
“The specific information shall include a detailed list and itemized budget for both interior and exterior improvements as well (as) improvements to the two out buildings consisting of the trash enclosure and the storage building,” said the revised RFP.
In the original request for proposals, the first requirement was for an analysis of the market for a restaurant at that location.
Proposals should be sent to Pacific West Asset Management Corporation at 3191 Airport Loop, Building D, Costa Mesa, CA 92626.
The same day the pier RFP becomes available, the city will also release a request for proposals to prepare a local coastal program.
A local coastal program, if approved by the California Coastal Commission, would transfer some of the state agency’s authority to Seal Beach and allow projects in the coastal zone to be approved more quickly. The deadline for proposals to prepare the Seal Beach local coastal program is Tuesday, March 19.
To make a comment on this story at the Sun Newspapers’ Web site, go to www.sunnews.org.
