Dateline Hawthorne – Torrance and Redondo Beach, long regarded as the magnet communities of the South Bay, may have to move over.
Ambitious Mayor Chris Brown has visions of making Hawthorne, a working class city, the hottest new destination in the South Bay.
The 32-year-old first term leader running for re-election in November, almost always presents as upbeat, regardless of the hour or day of the week.
When a visitor inquires “How are you?,” Mr. Brown smiles and says, “I am as good as it’s going to get.”
No sooner had he finished talking about reviving and rebuilding the Hawthorne Mall – closed for 17 years – by 2017, now Mr. Brown is excited about developing the other side of the street, directly across from the Hawthorne Mall.
At tonight’s City Council meeting, the mayor will present a plan for making the 10 acres of space blossom.
If the Council concurs, the city will be seeking requests for proposals from developers who would buy the prime territory, site of the Civic Center, and strike a development agreement and to create an aura of “shopping, dining and entertainment.”
The ultimate plan: To effectively surround visitors along Hawthorne Boulevard with irresistible attractions, whether they are driving north or south.
Mr. Brown has a multi-dimensional vision, with perhaps a hotel anchoring the property that would include a potential new City Hall, “business offices and a small amount of retail.”
“Besides making Hawthorne a destination,” says the mayor, “we are looking at tax revenues and of course jobs.”
