Long-Abandoned South Bay Mall Is Finally Coming Down: Reports

HAWTHORNE, CA — Demolition is underway at Hawthorne Plaza, the long-vacant South Bay shopping mall that has loomed over Hawthorne Boulevard for more than two decades.

Heavy machinery and crews were visible at the sprawling property Tuesday, days after a court-ordered deadline required the mall's owners to begin tearing down the site.

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The demolition marks a major turning point for the 35-acre property, which has been closed since 1999 and has been the subject of years of failed redevelopment efforts, legal action and complaints about trespassing, vandalism, illegal dumping and other safety concerns.

The City of Hawthorne announced July 31 that a court order required the property's owners to begin demolition no later than Aug. 14 following a July 30 hearing.

The owners contracted AMPCO Contracting Inc. to demolish the building at 12124 Hawthorne Blvd., according to the city. The teardown is planned in five phases, beginning at the southern end of the site and moving north.

The court also ordered the owners to submit all outstanding demolition permit applications for the site's two parking structures by Aug. 28.

"This court decision provides a clear, enforceable schedule for the remediation of the Hawthorne Mall property," City Manager Vontray Norris said in the city's announcement. "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."

Hawthorne Plaza opened in 1977 and once housed major retailers including J.C. Penney, The Broadway and Montgomery Ward. It struggled to compete with other South Bay shopping centers and eventually closed in 1999.

The abandoned mall later found another life as a filming location, appearing in productions including "Gone Girl" and "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift."

But away from the cameras, conditions at the property continued to deteriorate.

Hawthorne filed a nuisance abatement lawsuit in 2021 after years of problems at the site. A permanent injunction ultimately required the owners to redevelop or demolish the property by the end of August 2026, KTLA reported last year.

Plans approved in 2016 called for transforming the site into a mixed-use residential and retail development, but the project remained stalled and the city canceled those plans in 2018. The mall and surrounding property remain under the ownership of the Charles Company and Arman Gabaee, according to the Daily Breeze.

What ultimately replaces Hawthorne Plaza remains unclear.

As demolition moves forward, trucks will enter and exit the property exclusively via West 120th Street and loads must be covered and secured, according to the city's work plan. Mixed debris will be transported to California Waste Services in Gardena, while scrap metal will be taken to SA Recycling in Long Beach.

City officials said they will continue monitoring the property alongside the project's management team to ensure compliance with court requirements, the demolition schedule and safety protocols.