Puerto del Sol is part of a larger, city-sponsored redevelopment area in central Long Beach called West Gateway. Although the area includes a variety of retail and housing types, Puerto del Sol is the only work-force housing built in West Gateway.

The design approach ensures a community-oriented building which also maintains privacy for the individual units. The massing steps back at the street and courtyard, reducing the scale of the building and allowing light to penetrate in to the courtyard. Pitched roofs, an emphatic paint scheme and variable window types provide further complexity and architectural interest.

The building includes townhouses and flats, equally divided among two, three, and four-bedroom units targeted for families with children. Amenities include a large community room adjacent to an inner courtyard with play area, a large laundry room also adjacent to the courtyard, and a computer/homework room. Townhouse units with entry stoops on the street enliven the public way, and residents enjoy a variety of small, medium and large usable outdoor spaces, private balconies and patios.