Forest City and QIC scale back South Bay Galleria project amid neighborhood backlash

The revised development caps residential units at 300

Renderings (Gensler)
Renderings (Gensler)

Forest City and QIC are trimming their expansion plan for the struggling 30-acre South Bay Galleria shopping mall in Redondo Beach, Urbanize reported.

An earlier version of the mixed-use development plan called for a maximum of 434 apartments set on an eight-story structure on Kingsdale Avenue. A seven-story structure on Hawthorne Boulevard would have provided 216 of the units.

But now, the owners are proposing “Alternative 4-1” as a result of community backlash.

The updated version will have reduced building heights, no residential units on Kingsdale Avenue, a neighborhood park and office space. A maximum of 300 residential units would be located along Hawthorne Boulevard.

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Initial plans for a 150-key hotel and increased parking remained unchanged. The existing mall will also remain intact.

Gensler, AHBE, KGM, RSM Design, Tait and Togawa Smith Martin are designing the project. Construction is expected to break ground in 2020 and finish in 2023.

The project revision comes amid a push from the local government in Redondo Beach to halt mixed-use development, as well as a recent retail redevelopment boom. The once-temporary development moratorium put in place by City Council was extended to 10 months on Sept. 20. Previously approved projects like the South Bay Galleria were not affected.

Cleveland-based Forest City developed Chinatown’s Blossom Plaza project. Australia-based investor QIC has an office in El Segundo. [Urbanize] – Natalie Hoberman