SEAL BEACH : City to Paint Lifeguard Facility Cape Cod Blue

The multicolored exterior of lifeguard headquarters will soon be replaced with a more sedate Cape Cod blue as the city looks to tone down the crazy quilt of colors on buildings around the pier area.

The outgoing color scheme was airbrushed onto the lifeguard headquarters about eight years ago for the filming of a scene for “Tequila and Bonetti,” a short-lived television detective show. It was the first time the building had been painted since its construction in 1983.

After the filming was over, a survey of nearby residents indicated they wanted to leave the garish colors intact.

But no longer.

“As the years have gone by, people have grown tired of it and are ready for a change,” said Andy Seymour, city director of parks and recreation. “It’s rather bizarre looking.”

The lifeguard headquarters and surrounding buildings will be painted a light blue-gray color with white trim. Councilwoman Marilyn Bruce Hastings says the Cape Cod motif will make beachfront buildings more attractive to residents and tourists.

“I think a lot of people will be relieved to have it painted,” said Hastings, who represents the surfside community on the council. “It distracts from really looking at the ocean and looking at the view. It will be nice to have a certain conformity in the pier area rather than a hodgepodge of colors.”

The city plans to eventually convert all lifeguard towers, parking attendant structures and the Ruby’s restaurant at the end of the pier to the new color scheme.