The city of Inglewood is advancing a plan to acquire and demolish a low-rise retail center at Market Street and Florence Avenue to make room for a new transit hub serving the Inglewood Transit Connector, city advisers confirmed.
Project aims, timeline and affected businesses
Officials intend to take possession of the property on Oct. 1, with tenants having received an initial 90 days’ notice on July 1 and expected to be served an additional 30-day notice in September, according to Karly Katona, an adviser on the transit project. More than 20 small retail tenants occupy the strip, although several storefronts are already vacant.
- Operating businesses named in public reports include Red’s Flavor Table, House of Tacos and Inglewood Beauty Salon.
- Longtime businesses and proprietors say the takeover will force relocations and could upend livelihoods.
- The city has set aside funds for property acquisition and relocation assistance.
For many tenants, the redevelopment represents a stark trade-off between the city’s effort to serve event crowds near the stadium district and the stability of small, locally owned businesses that predate the area’s recent development boom.
“The city feels for the people that don’t want to relocate,”
said Mayor James Butts, reflecting city officials’ stated awareness of the disruption.
Costs, scope and transit goals
Inglewood officials have budgeted $125 million for property acquisition and business relocation assistance tied to this and related circulation improvements. The planned transit hub would cover nearly a full city block and include a parking structure and a bus loop designed to move attendees between the K Line light-rail station and the city’s stadium district, including SoFi Stadium and the Intuit Dome.
The hub is part of a broader shuttle network intended to channel event crowds from the Metro K Line to the stadium area. Two additional hubs are planned at La Brea Avenue & Hillcrest Boulevard and Hawthorne Boulevard & 111th Street, with a further route originating at Lennox Boulevard. City staff describe the project as a scaled-down successor to a previously proposed automated people-mover that was once pitched with Los Angeles Metro.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Acquisition date | Planned Oct. 1 |
| Notices | 90-day notice July 1; expected 30-day notice in Sept. |
| Budget | $125 million for acquisition and relocation |
Local reactions and human impact
Tenants and longtime proprietors voiced concern about displacement and financial uncertainty. Lavern Upton, who said she has run a salon in the center for 15 years, characterized the pending closure as threatening to “upend” her livelihood at a time when she was considering retirement.
City leaders say they are working to mitigate impacts and assist affected businesses in finding new locations. The relocation assistance and acquisition funds are intended to ease the transition, but details about specific relocation offers, timelines for moving, and how many businesses will secure alternate sites have not been released in detail.
What’s next for Inglewood residents
As Inglewood presses forward, renters and small-business owners in and near the stadium district will be watching for additional notices and for information about relocation support. The project highlights persistent tensions in rapidly changing parts of the city: balancing transportation investments designed to serve large event crowds with the needs of neighborhood-serving businesses.
City meetings and staff briefings are expected as the acquisition date approaches. Residents seeking more information should monitor city announcements and project advisories from the office coordinating the transit work.
This story will be updated as officials provide further details about relocation programs and any protections or options for the displaced tenants.
