John M. Valadez Mural Welcome to Long Beach Dedicated at Gallery421, the Newest Luxury Apartments

Online, August 11, 2011 (Newswire.com) - Contact:
Suzanne Maddalon
Vice President, Sales and Marketing
Lyon Communities
(949) 838-1263
[email protected]

JOHN M. VALADEZ MURAL WELCOME TO LONG BEACH DEDICATED AT GALLERY421, LONG BEACH'S NEWEST LUXURY APARTMENT COMMUNITY

• 60-foot tall mural situated at entrance to downtown Long Beach
• Inspired by historical research, showcases city's architecture and heritage
• An 'amazing snapshot of Long Beach's history and colorful heritage' says Mayor Bob Foster
• Valadez, Long Beach State grad, adds to impressive collection of public art including Junipero Serra State Office Building in downtown Los Angeles, Santa Ana Federal Court Building

LONG BEACH, Calif. - (August 11, 2011) - Standing before his latest major piece of public art, a 60-feet-by-18-feet mural showcasing the history and architecture of downtown Long Beach, artist John M. Valadez today unveiled "Welcome To Long Beach" at gallery421, on the corner of West Broadway and Magnolia Avenue.

"I'm delighted to help celebrate the unveiling of this incredible mural" said Mayor Bob Foster. "I know that this mural will welcome both visitors and residents with this amazing snapshot of Long Beach's history and colorful heritage."

The mural site faces traffic traveling east on Broadway, a 19-foot-tall beauty queen waves and smiles while a crowd adores her, an homage to the 1957 Miss Universe Pageant that was held in the old Civic Auditorium and the related procession parade that took place on Ocean Avenue. The top third of the mural includes a flock of pelicans that are painted on aluminum and pushed out from the wall approximately 6 to 18 inches from the mural surface. They are flying across the entire 18-foot width.

The panel facing south on Broadway is a scene from Rainbow Pier, the first pier people used in the early 1920s for fishing and strolling. Although the pier no longer exists, Valadez recreated it from historical photos, including bathers and spectators in 1920s era costumes.

Finally, in keeping with the fun of the mural, Valadez placed a large painted metal cut out inspired by the historic "Spruce Goose" airplane. It is set away from the mural surface and he envisions the airplane will work as a light beacon on the top surface of the mural at night.

"I was trained as a figurative realist artist, and wanted to paint people as they are on the street, while showing our link to our historical roots," said Valadez. "Downtown Long Beach has changed so much. When I was an art student at Cal State Long Beach, you simply did not come here. Today, the downtown has evolved nicely into a great district with lots of high energy, food, shopping and more that attracts many. And now they all have a new Welcome To Long Beach!"

The colorful two-panel mural has been installed on the exterior walls of gallery421, Lyon Communities' 291-unit luxury apartment community, which is also home to The Collaborative, a new cultural facility in downtown Long Beach. The Collaborative is a project of the Arts Council for Long Beach and the Museum of Latin American Art, which presents exhibitions that raise awareness of both emerging artists and new, innovative approaches to art. This project is funded by Lyon Communities, through the Long Beach Redevelopment Agency's Percent for Public Art Program.

"Lyon Communities is committed to creating best-in-class communities with unmatched amenities that provide residents with a distinctly different, upscale, lifestyle experience," said Frank T. Suryan, Jr. Chairman and CEO of Lyon Communities. "Welcome to Long Beach proudly adorns gallery421, welcoming everyone who enters downtown Long Beach. This beautiful showcase of our architecture and history demonstrates how the arts serve as an integral part of the fabric of this community."

Located on West Broadway, just north of Ocean Boulevard, gallery421 offers a business and conference center with Wi-Fi and teleconferencing, billiards room, card room and even a special first-in-the-market dog spa. Residents also enjoy an on-site art gallery called The Collaborative, a yoga and pilates studio, a private movie theatre, a game room, a state-of-the-art fitness center and an exterior TV wall.

The community is a short distance from Aquarium of the Pacific, Shoreline Village, the Pike at Rainbow Harbor and myriad other dining, shopping and entertainment destinations. Located near the end of the 710 Freeway, the community is convenient for renters who work in Long Beach, as well as those with jobs in Downtown Los Angeles and central Orange County.

The community boasts plentiful open spaces, private balconies, concierge services, Wi-Fi access is available in all outdoor areas, and on-site retail. Pets are welcome, elevator access is convenient, and all residents will enjoy private, underground parking with controlled entry access.
Each apartment features interior washers and dryers, granite countertops, designer flooring, European cabinetry, stainless steel appliances - including refrigerators, designer fixtures and hardware, spacious walk-in closets and more.

gallery421 offers one, one plus den and two bedroom apartments, and two bedroom townhomes ranging in size from 720 to 1,354 square feet.

gallery421, developed with Cornerstone Real Estate Advisers is Lyon's third upscale apartment community in Long Beach. The Lofts at Promenade, which opened last August, features a rooftop pool and expansive wide-open floor plans. And 1900 Ocean, a premier 18-story oceanfront high-rise, offers a beachfront pool and 24-hour doorman.

Lyon now owns and operates nearly 700 luxury apartment homes in Long Beach.

About John M. Valadez
John M. Valadez was born in Los Angeles and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from California State University, Long Beach in 1976. His work has been included in group exhibitions on Chicano art that have been shown in France, Belgium, Sweden and Mexico, as well as in many large cities of the United States. His work is represented in major public collections, including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the National Museum of American Art, Smithsonian, Washington, D.C., the Chicago Mexican Museum, the University of Texas and the Brooklyn Museum. He has completed murals at the border crossing station in Isleta, Texas, the Federal building in downtown El Paso, Texas, the Junipero Serra State Office Building in downtown Los Angeles and the Santa Ana Federal Court Building in Santa Ana. For more information: www.johnvaladezart.com.

About The Arts Council for Long Beach
The Arts Council for Long Beach fosters excellence in the creation and presentation of arts and cultural endeavors by supporting arts and cultural organizations and individual artists. The Arts Council provides access for families, children, and the community to a broad spectrum of creative expressions and cultural experiences by building strategic partnerships and programs that weave arts and culture into the fabric of our community. For more information on the Arts Council and its programs visit: www.artslb.org.

About Long Beach Redevelopment Agency
Since 1961, the mission of the Long Beach Redevelopment Agency (RDA) has been to enhance the quality of life by improving blighted areas of Long Beach, revitalizing neighborhoods, promoting economic development, creating jobs, providing affordable housing and encouraging citizen participation. The RDA partners with business and the community to revitalize our project areas. It is because of our partnerships with our citizen-led Project Area Committees, and small and large businesses working together, that the Long Beach RDA is one of the leading redevelopment agencies in the state. For more information: www.longbeachrda.org.

About Lyon Communities
Lyon Communities is a leading real estate development and investment company headquartered in Newport Beach, California. Established in 1988 by General William Lyon and Frank T. Suryan Jr., it is recognized as one of the largest and most respected privately held multi-family real estate companies in Southern California. The company has a market capitalization of $2.0 billion and over the years has acquired more than 21,000 units and managed the development and renovation of 12,500 units in California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia and Nevada. Lyon Communities takes pride in our ability to provide long-term, income-producing investments for our investors. Our communities offer residents a variety of housing and amenity choices with unparalleled customer service in some of the finest and most innovative rental living experiences in the country. For more information: www.lyoncommunities.com.

About The Museum of Latin American Art
The Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA) was founded in 1996 in Long Beach, California, and serves the greater Los Angeles area. MOLAA is the only museum in the United States exclusively dedicated to modern and contemporary Latin American art. Since its inception, MOLAA has doubled its size, added a 15,000 sq. ft. sculpture garden and expanded its permanent collection, ranging from works by Tamayo and Matta to Cruz-Diez, Los Carpinteros and Tunga. With its physical expansion complete, MOLAA presents a major exhibition schedule, educational outreach and serves as a platform for cross-cultural dialogue. For more information: www.molaa.com.