In an effort to stimulate economic growth in South Los Angeles, County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas is pushing for the redevelopment of government-owned land near the upcoming Crenshaw light-rail line.

According to a motion submitted by the 2nd District Supervisor, the Los Angeles County Probation Department intends to relocate the operations of its current Crenshaw Area Office at 3606 West Exposition Boulevard.  The dated one-story structure is situated next to to a future transfer station between the Expo and Crenshaw Lines, and thus occupies a critical juncture in the Metro Rail network.

Under plans detailed in the motion, the County intends to partner with Metro in redeveloping the one-and-a-half-acre property as a mixed-use complex with possible residential and commercial components.  The Probation Department's operations would be moved to another county-owned building near the University of Southern California.


The motion also includes a second property at 923 East Redondo Boulevard in Inglewood, currently home to the Los Angeles Country Department of Public Social Services (DPSS).  The 40,000-square-foot building, which has been deemed underutilized, is located within walking distance of the future Fairview Heights Station at Florence Avenue and West Boulevard.  As with the Probation Department Office, the motion recommends that the DPSS property be considered as a potential opportunity for a transit-oriented development.

According to the motion, the County would expect both facilities to be vacated by June 2017, approximately two years before the Crenshaw Line is expected to open.

In addition to Los Angeles County, other entities have also targeted the Crenshaw corridor for development opportunities in anticipation of rail service.  Under the direction of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, Metro has recently identified a property at the southeast corner of Crenshaw and Exposition Boulevards as a prime opportunity for a mixed-use development with affordable housing.  At the future Crenshaw/MLK Station, Capri Capital Partners plans to add over 2 million square feet of offices, apartments, retail and hotel rooms to the dated Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza shopping center.