Cerritos

The City Council has approved construction of a 2.3-acre shopping and office complex on a triangular-shaped parcel at Gridley Road and 183rd Street across from the Los Cerritos Mall.

The vacant site, which faces Gridley and is on the east end of the city’s “restaurant row,” is being developed by Joseph Dabby, a Beverly Hills-based commercial developer. Dabby has proposed building two structures, totaling 45,510 square feet, on the site.

The larger of the two buildings will be two stories and will back up to the railroad tracks that run diagonally across the property, Cerritos spokeswoman Michele Ogle said. Professional offices will occupy the top floor, with small shops and boutiques on the first level. To provide adequate parking, an underground lot will be built. The second building, most likely a restaurant, will be constructed on Gridley.

The council voted unanimously to approve the project after agreeing to sell Dabby about half an acre of the site owned by the city. Construction on Dabby’s project could begin by mid-summer, with completion by early next year.

To increase use of Cerritos’ Olympic Swim Center, the City Council has opened the facility to non-residents who work in the city.

The new policy allows anyone operating a business or employed in Cerritos to swim in the 50-meter Olympic swimming pool during regular hours for the same fee charged residents. Children age 8 and under are charged 25 cents, those 9 to 17 pay 50 cents and adults are charged $1.

Reduced rates are available by purchasing a book of 30 coupons at the swim center at Cerritos Park East, 13234 East 166th St.

Non-residents must show a business card or some type of employee identification, such as a badge or permit, as proof they work in the city, Cerritos spokeswoman Michele Ogle said.

The pool is open to adults for lap swimming from 6 to 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday through Friday. Recreational swimming for all ages is offered from 6 to 10 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday and from noon to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Before the pool policy was amended by the council last month, non-residents could use the facility only as guests of a resident or under a corporate membership, which Cerritos-based businesses can buy for $100. The membership gives all employees of the firm unlimited use of the pool.

The city will provide curb-side pickup of such bulky household items as old mattresses, box springs and water heaters as part of its spring cleanup week Monday through May 17.

Cerritos Disposal Service will pick up such large items as sofas, appliances, rugs and chairs the same day as regular trash service.

To make garbage pickup easier that week, the city is asking residents to place both regular trash and bulky items on the curb by 6 a.m. Large tree limbs and wood must be cut into four-foot lengths and bundled.

In addition, plaster, stucco, concrete, loose building materials and dirt will be collected if they are placed in boxes, which should not weigh more than 75 pounds each.

Officials said some discards will not be picked up, including automobile parts, pianos, oil, grease, whole tree trunks and stumps.