SUPERVISOR HAHN AND GENTON COCKRUM PARTNERS BEGIN DEMOLITION OF VACANT PEDRO COURTHOUSE
A Mixed-Use Community Will Become a Centerpiece in Downtown San Pedro
Photo credit: Bryan Chan
SAN PEDRO, Calif. (February 9, 2022) – Today, Supervisor Janice Hahn and Genton Cockum Partners commenced demolition of the San Pedro Courthouse, which will pave the way for a new mixed-use community comprised of market-rate and affordable housing, joint-use open space, and expansive ground floor retail space. Demolition is expected to take up to 50 days with construction anticipated to begin in Q3 2022.
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors entered into an exclusive agreement with Genton Cockrum Partners for the redevelopment project in 2018. Following years of planning, Genton Cockrum Partners tapped MVE + Partners to design the eight-story building, which will include 300 apartment units spanning studio, one-, two- and three-bedrooms, as well as approximately 20,000 square feet of ground floor retail occupied primarily by a food hall with areas for communal seating, entertainment and community activities.
As part of its plan, Genton Cockrum Partners revealed that more than 20 percent of the units – 60 in total – will be offered at rents considered affordable to households earning no more than 80 percent of the Los Angeles area median income. In addition, the developers will use entirely union labor for construction of the project, working with the Los Angeles/Orange Counties Building and Construction Trades Council.
The courthouse property on 6th and Centre Street is owned by the County of Los Angeles and Supervisor Janice Hahn has led the charge for its redevelopment. With a focus on advancing development projects in San Pedro, and as a longtime supporter of labor, Supervisor Hahn is confident that the building will have a positive impact on the community at large. From constructing apartments that people can afford to revitalizing downtown San Pedro, the redevelopment is aligned with the community’s values in addition to being labor-financed and labor built.
“Today, we are said our last goodbyes to the old courthouse,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn. “Regardless of what your memories are with this building, it served our community well for as long as it could. Today we are officially closing the door on that chapter of this property and opening the door to the next. This project is an ideal one for downtown San Pedro. We are building apartments that people can afford, bringing more people to downtown, and building a space everyone can enjoy.
Photo credit: Bryan Chan
Genton Cockrum Partners has been dedicated to delivering a project that aligns with the authenticity of San Pedro. Working with the San Pedro Neighborhood Council, Chamber of Commerce and Business Improvement District, Genton Cockrum Partners revised initial design plans to incorporate street level commercial design and public open space elements intended to be more consistent with nearby historic buildings and contribute to the vitality of downtown San Pedro. The result is a building that celebrates old architecture while incorporating modern elements that reflect the vibrancy of the San Pedro community.
“This demolition marks years of collaboration and dedication to bringing thoughtful housing and activated public spaces to downtown San Pedro,” said William (“Bill”) Cockrum, senior managing partner and president of the development firm. “We are proud to be at the forefront of this project that will soon bring new housing, vibrant public spaces, and “foodie” retail offerings to downtown San Pedro. We are grateful for the tremendous support we’ve received from Supervisor Hahn, Councilmember Buscaino and other local officials, as well as the community and construction trades. We look forward to officially beginning excavation and construction later this year.”
With extensive experience in developing responsible, innovative, and lasting communities, Genton Cockrum Partners has worked on several properties in partnership with building and construction trades labor as well as financing from their pension funds.
“We look forward to working with Genton Cockrum Partners and the County of Los Angeles, and appreciate their commitment to building mixed-income housing, and building it with 100 percent union labor,” said Ted Chandler, senior managing director of the AFL-CIO Housing Investment Trust.
Located at 505 S. Centre Street, the property is adjacent to downtown San Pedro shops and restaurants and is within two blocks of the LA Waterfront, which is undergoing an extensive revitalization.
