Work begins for housing and retail in Gardena

The vacant building that was once home to the Gardena Valley YWCA has been razed for a mixed-use apartment complex.

The one-story structure at 1341 Gardena Boulevard, as well as its surface parking lot, has been cleared to dirt. According to a notice posted to the site, the City of Gardena has approved plans from Los Angeles-based real estate firm South Bay Developers for a new three-story, 22,700-square-foot building on the property.

A rendering posted to the firm's website depicts the new development as a contemporary low-rise building with a brick exterior on its two lower levels and a rooftop terrace above. Plans call for a total of 15 residential units as well as ground-floor retail space.

While its name might imply a certain geographic focus, South Bay Developers has a portfolio of projects across the Los Angeles region. Currently, the firm is in the midst of construction on two larger mixed-use buildings on 5th and 7th Streets in Downtown San Pedro.

The Gardena development sits just east of Normandie Avenue, where construction is now underway for 30 townhomes on a site located a few blocks north, and completion is nearing for a new SRO-style apartment building.

• Gardena (Urbanize LA)