Someone else owns the biggest property on Hawthorne Boulevard, and 2026 showed what that does to the city's options. On the 35-acre Hawthorne Plaza site, it took a lawsuit, a permanent injunction, and a court deadline to get machinery onto the property, and the court could order only a teardown. Nobody has announced what comes after. Across the rest of the city, on land Hawthorne controls, crews have already reopened a park, opened a new park building, started a second park rebuild and begun repaving streets in Moneta Gardens. For residents this fall, those smaller projects are the part of the year they can already use.
Twenty-Seven Years, Then a Deadline
Hawthorne Plaza opened in 1977 with J.C. Penney, The Broadway and Montgomery Ward as anchors. According to South Bay Tide, it closed in 1999 after shoppers moved to the South Bay Galleria and Del Amo Fashion Center. The current owners bought it in 2001 for $7 million. Over the years since, the empty mall turned up in films more often than in shopping plans. Bisnow notes it appeared in The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift and Gone Girl.
A redevelopment plan did exist. South Bay Tide reports that a $500 million mixed-use project was approved in 2016, then stalled, and the city canceled it in 2018. After that, the city used enforcement. It issued hundreds of administrative citations and, in December 2021, filed a nuisance abatement lawsuit listing more than 50 violations of state and local law.
The Daily Breeze reports that about a year before demolition began, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge gave the owner two choices for the site, redevelop or demolish, with a deadline of Aug. 31, 2026. A July 30 hearing made that order a permanent injunction and moved demolition up to begin no later than Aug. 14. On Tuesday, Aug. 18, heavy machinery rolled onto the site, as Patch and South Bay Tide both reported.
What the Work Plan Means for 120th Street
The city's July 31 announcement sets out how the work is supposed to run. AMPCO Contracting Inc. is handling demolition at 12124 Hawthorne Blvd. in five phases, labeled A through E, starting at the south end of the property and moving north. Dump trucks enter and leave only by West 120th Street, with their loads tarped and secured, and assigned haul routes send them to the freeways. Mixed debris goes to California Waste Services in Gardena, and scrap metal goes to Long Beach.
For anyone who lives or drives near the north edge of the site, that routing is the most practical detail in the whole case. Since the phases move south to north, the last stretch of demolition will sit closest to the street the trucks already use.
In the same announcement, City Manager Vontray Norris described the ruling this way:
"This court decision provides a clear, enforceable schedule for the remediation of the Hawthorne Mall property. The City remains committed to utilizing all available legal avenues to pave the way for future development that will benefit residents and local businesses alike."
The court also ordered the owners to file demolition permit applications for the site's two parking structures by Aug. 28. That deadline has passed. In the coverage available as of mid-October, we found no report confirming the filing, saying which phase crews have reached, or giving a completion date. The newest detailed progress reports date from late August.
The Year in Order
Put on one calendar, the mall's 2026 milestones line up with a string of smaller city projects:
- April 28. Groundbreaking at Eucalyptus Park.
- June 9. Ribbon cutting for Holly Park's new restroom building.
- July 29. Groundbreaking for the Moneta Garden Mobility Improvement Project.
- July 30. The court hearing that made the Plaza injunction permanent.
- Aug. 12. Ramona Park reopening ceremony.
- Aug. 18. Demolition equipment arrives at Hawthorne Plaza.
- Aug. 28. Court deadline for the parking structure permit applications.
Three of the city projects were underway or finished before the mall had a firm start date. Each one moved on the city's own schedule, from groundbreaking to construction and, at Holly Park and Ramona Park, to a ribbon cutting. The Plaza moved only when a judge set the date.
Ramona Park, Holly Park and the One Still Fenced
Ramona Park is the clearest result. According to the city's reopening page, the Community Services and Public Works departments celebrated the reopening on Aug. 12. The rebuilt park has new playground equipment, basketball and pickleball courts, renovated sidewalks and restrooms, and shaded picnic structures.
Holly Park got a smaller addition that matters for anyone who spends a full Saturday there. The new building opened June 9 and contains restrooms, water fountains, a snack bar, storage, and an office.
Eucalyptus Park is still under construction. The city's groundbreaking page lists a new playground, a sports field, fountains and barbecue grills, and says the improvements were expected to be ready in fall 2026. That page was last updated in May, and we found no reopening date as of mid-October. Treat fall as a target, not a confirmed opening.
The Moneta Garden street work is the one project people will notice from the car. It covers 139th Street and 135th Street between Prairie and Crenshaw, plus Cerise Avenue between 135th and Rosecrans. The work includes resurfacing, sidewalks, concrete, and traffic signals. As of the page's August update, the city projected completion before the end of the year.
Where the Next Few Weekends Go
The near-term calendar is short, and most of it takes place on city property. Two new food stops opened or were announced earlier this year:
- Halloween Spooktacular Carnival, Saturday, Oct. 24, 3 to 6 p.m., at Hawthorne City Hall, 4455 W. 126th St. Hawthorne Community Services lists it as free, with trunk-or-treat, games, jumpers, and a costume contest.
- Hawthorne Certified Farmers' Market, every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Betty Ainsworth Sports Center, 3851 W. El Segundo Blvd. The operator lists Nov. 29 and Dec. 27 among its 2026 closure dates.
- A new 24-hour McDonald's at 13324 S. Inglewood Ave., which held its city ribbon-cutting back on Aug. 30.
- Annie's Soul Delicious, a soul food takeout and delivery spot. What Now Los Angeles reported in March that it was expanding to 3109 W. Rosecrans Ave. We could not confirm an opening date, so check before you go.
The city's Community Services page still says more events will be announced. As of this writing, its November calendar lists City Hall as closed on Nov. 11 for Veterans Day, with no public ceremony posted.
What 35 Acres Could Still Become
The owners still hold the land after demolition. South Bay Tide reports that the Charles Company will keep ownership, that no replacement has been announced, and that the company did not respond to the Daily Breeze's requests for comment. The city's announcement names future development as the goal but does not describe a plan. Neither of the September City Council agendas we reviewed, for Sept. 8 and Sept. 22, included a Hawthorne Plaza item.
The court order spells out how the mall comes down, phase by phase, but says nothing about what goes up afterward. Until the owners file plans, the court schedule only gets the site to an empty lot.
If you live near the Plaza site or along the 120th Street truck route and want to talk through how the demolition and whatever follows could affect your home's value or your plans, Hartley For Homes is glad to share what we're watching. Let's connect and schedule a consultation.
This article is general information, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
