Abandoned LA mall that spans 10 square blocks where ‘Fast and Furious’ was filmed is finally being demolished

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• It would additionally have 600 housing units, 500, 000 square feet of commercial space and a grocery store.
• It closed a short 20 years afterwards in 1999 when Gabaee purchased the property, according to the Daily Breeze.
• The massive property was additionally in blockbuster hits like "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift" and "Gone Girl."
• "This court decision provides a clear, enforceable schedule for the remediation of the Hawthorne Mall property, " city manager Vontray Norris remarked in a press release.

Meanwhile, a once-bustling mall in Los Angeles will rapidly be turned into rubble after lying vacant for concerning three decades.

Hawthorne Plaza – a 35-acre shopping center in Hawthorne – shut down back in the 1990s where it housed almost 135 stores including popular retailers like JCPenney, The Broadway and an AMC Movie Theatre.

Notably, the massive property was additionally in blockbuster hits like "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift" and "Gone Girl."

Since its closing, members of the community have documented vandalism, trespassing and other safety matters. City authorities are set to revive the area by making room for other businesses in a bid to revamp the community.

"This court decision provides a clear, enforceable schedule for the remediation of the Hawthorne Mall property, " city manager Vontray Norris remarked in a press release. "The City remains committed to utilizing all available legal avenues to pave the way for future development that will benefit residents and local businesses alike."

Machinery and crews were seen demolishing the building as the City of Hawthorne scored a court order requiring the Hawthorne Mall owners to start tear down no afterwards than August 14, 2026.

Notably, the site is owned by The Charles Co. And affiliate M&A Gabaee and covers over 10 square blocks in Hawthorne.

For years, the now-dilapidated site saw developers scheming to create a space both profitable and useful to the community. Back in 2016, renderings made public a mixed-used development that would be something of an outdoor mini-mall with an entire office complex, retail strips and upper-level homes.

Meanwhile, the Daily Breeze remarked the drawings demonstrated courtyards and parklets – a place for seating and bike racks – would have been peppered throughout. A rooftop was even included.

It would additionally have 600 housing units, 500, 000 square feet of commercial space and a grocery store. The community would additionally see a food hall, movie theater and a gym.

Nevertheless, the aims never came to fruition and the behemoth of a building continued to sit empty.

Hawthorne Plaza opened back in early 1977 where it faced plenty of years of struggle as it competed for foot traffic with other South Bay malls like South Bay Galleria and Del Amo Fashion Center.

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Taken together, the developments around abandoned LA mall that spans 10 square blocks where 'Fast and Furious' point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.