Sea Castle Rising Again

Mirror staff

   Originally a beach club, then a hotel, then an apartment building, the big aqua Sea Castle was a fixture on the Santa Monica beach for decades. 
Built in 1926, it survived time, changing tastes and, some people alleged, neglect. But, after being damaged in the 1994 Northridge earthquake, the massive and distinctive old landmark was red-tagged by the City and its tenants evicted. In 1996, the building was destroyed in a fire whose cause remains mysterious. 
   But now, five years later, a new Sea Castle is rising on the site of the original. On the Santa Monica beach, the new Sea Castle was designed by Killer, Flemmang, Purtill, Santa Monica architects, to echo the Art Deco style of the original. Its eight-story center tower is flanked by two four-story wings. 
   When completed in April, 2000,, It will have 178 apartments, a penthouse "skyroom" on top of the tower, an executive boardroom/e-business center, a fitness center and 24-hour valet parking. The apartments will be fitted with Italian porcelain floor tiles, Tatami-style carpeting, digital satellite TV. 
Province Group, LLC, is the managing member of SeaCastle Partners, the developer. Tim Ramm is the project manager. The general contractor is Morley Buildings/Beachmark Construction, a Santa Monica-based contractor. 
   Construction on the new Sea Castle topped off two weeks ago and the developers are now marketing corporate leases.