Parks Cleans Up Ridley-Thomas' Marlton Square Mess!

At the instruction of Councilmember Bernard C. Parks, the Community Redevelopment Agency-Los Angeles(CRA-LA) will now use about $26 million in funding managed by the City of L.A. to purchase the remaining commercial parcels of Marlton Square, a long-awaited shopping center development project that has stalled because of the troubles of developer, Chris Hammond. Hammond was handpicked by Parks' opponent in the race for the County Board of Supervisors Second District Seat, Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas.

The money became available when Hammond defaulted on his agreement with the city. And, after the City Council approved Parks' action Friday, he can move forward with the project, which will be in much better condition to draw a new developer.

"Today we are done with the missteps of the past regarding the commercial parcels," Councilmember Parks said. "We are looking forward reviving this project and making it a state-of-the-art shopping center." 

Originally, Johnson Development-- A development company owned by Los Angeles Lakers basketball great Earvin "Magic" Johnson-- was slated to develop the land, located at the intersection of Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard and Marlton Avenue. But, after Ridley-Thomas, Parks' predecessor on the City Council, had a falling out with Johnson, Ridley-Thomas pushed Johnson out and awarded the deal to Hammond at a  
$10 million increase to the city. Johnson's three-year involvement and investment in the project was all for not. Since then, the project has languished-- becoming an eyesore for the community.

Johnson officially endorsed Parks at the dilapitated Marlton Square site saying, "Unfortunately, Parks' predecessor, Mark Ridley-Thomas gave this project to a developer who couldn't deliever. Hopefully, with Parks' leadership a brighter future for the project lies ahead."

Though the city has acknowledged that Hammond has been removed from the commercial portion of the project, he still has some standing with the residential development portion. Hammond is currently involved in litigation surrounding fraud and conflict-of-interest allegations.