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.