Gardena outlines large redevelopment projects, $72 million public-works program

Mayor Tasha Cerna used the city’s State of the City address to highlight a slate of redevelopment projects and infrastructure funding intended to finance street, sidewalk and facility work across Gardena.

“...this is what it was before and next is gonna be revitalized to 300 luxury unit apartments with 17 affordable units,” Mayor Tasha Cerna said of a site at Artesia and Western that she identified during the presentation. Cerna also pointed to work on a long-contaminated area the mayor called “the Sumps,” describing a redevelopment that will include a self-storage building and a parking area intended for public events.

Why it matters: the announcements signal the city’s near-term development priorities and the capital spending that will support them. Cerna said the city had secured a two-year capital improvement program (CIP) budget intended to finance many of the repairs and upgrades residents have been asked for.

City officials said the CIP totals $72,000,000 over two years and is funded by restricted capital sources rather than the general fund. “Public works department was able to secure a 2 year CIP budget of $72,000,000 to repair various parts of the city of Gardena,” Cerna said. The mayor and city manager described the funding as restricted money earmarked for infrastructure work rather than property-tax dollars.

Details and related projects covered in the speech included: - Artesia/Western redevelopment: described by Cerna as a planned 300-unit luxury apartment complex that will include 17 affordable units. The mayor said she had visited the developer’s other sites in Newport and Lomita and described the project as an upgrade for local housing stock. - The “Sumps” redevelopment: Cerna said the city has long wrestled with contaminants on the site and now plans a development that will include a self-storage building and parking that the city can use for events. - Redondo Beach Boulevard/Vermont property: Cerna said the site is outside Gardena city limits and under City of Los Angeles control, but that a large fulfillment operation would occupy the parcel and that the company “happily agreed” to be a community partner and to provide donations for Gardena projects. - Willow’s Wetlands: the mayor said the city received a $300,000 grant from Los Angeles County to fund a conceptual design of the Willow’s Wetlands Preserve. - Streets and railroad crossings: Cerna highlighted recent railroad crossing repairs at Western and 166th and said the same work would move to Normandy and 166th. She credited public-works staff with finishing a planned weekend job ahead of schedule and noted sidewalk repair work and a pavement condition index (PCI) of 81 for Gardena’s streets. - Aquatics and senior center: Cerna said Gardena’s new aquatics and senior center is due to open in summer 2025 and will include space for the city’s Alzheimer’s daycare program.

Officials framed the projects as part of a broader push to attract businesses, encourage façade improvements on Gardena Boulevard (supported by a $2,000,000 grant the mayor credited to a former state senator) and diversify city revenues. Cerna reiterated the city’s approach of using restricted capital funds for the CIP and said no property tax money was being used for the $72,000,000 package.

What’s next: the mayor said the aquatics and senior center will open this summer and that public-works pavement and railroad improvements would continue through the CIP schedule. Detailed project timelines, permitting milestones and contractor selections were not specified in the address and will be handled through the city’s regular department processes.