M. Grisafe Architect was once again asked by the City of Long Beach’s Development Services Department for our help in making the approval process for architectural plans a more efficient one. As you may recall, we previously worked with the City of Long Beach when they requested our feedback on the approval process and working with the city’s various departments. We presented a case study to Long Beach officials that outlined our findings (read more about that here).
In the case study, we mentioned that as Long Beach architects, we regularly have to submit architectural plans to up to nine different departments within the city—a process that is both cumbersome and inefficient. We suggested a more streamlined system that would allow architects to submit one set of plans that could then be funneled to the appropriate departments for approval. Fortunately, the City of Long Beach had already begun the process of addressing this concern by developing an online system for checking and approving plans.
Now that the online system is operational, we were asked to be one of the first architecture firms in Long Beach to BETA test the new system and offer constructive feedback. In this testing phase, we submitted one set of residential plans and one set of commercial plans. The commercial project has since been fully approved—the first set of plans to be approved under the new system!
You can read more about M. Grisafe Architect’s role in testing the online approval process in our press release. In the press release, M. Grisafe Architect owner Mark Grisafe said, “We think the online system is a great step toward streamlining the process of getting plans approved by the city. Amy Bodek and the entire staff in the Development Services Department have been great to work with and very receptive of our feedback. We look forward to regularly using the online system for future plan approvals, as it should significantly simplify and speed up the process, as well as provide a paperless system that is much more friendly to the environment.”
The City of Long Beach is one of the first cities in the state of California to develop an online plan check system, highlighting the fact that Long Beach is a city that is constantly looking for new ways to improve operations for the benefit of those who live and work here. We certainly can appreciate that way of thinking, since we do the same thing here at M. Grisafe Architect. We are always looking to improve the way we do things as architects, whether it’s by embracing new technology or partnering with individuals that enhance what we do (interior designers, general contractors, engineers, etc.)
If you’re looking for an architect in Long Beach, we’d love to talk with you about your residential or commercial project. Contact us today!