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Council approves DDA with conditions for downtown food‑hall; developer pledges local incubator
Summary
Council approved a disposition and development agreement with Hentify/Hempify (Boulevard Market) for 4410 Gage Ave after public comment about gentrification and parking; council added an amendment requiring a minimum of four and up to seven vendor spaces and approved the DDA by roll call.
The City Council approved a disposition and development agreement (DDA) for a proposed Boulevard Market food‑hall at 4410 Gage Avenue after a lengthy presentation by the developer and public comment that ranged from support to concerns about gentrification and parking.
Barney Santos, representing Hentify/Hempify Holdings (the developer), described a community‑oriented food hall model with incubator programming for small local vendors, multiple food concepts, indoor and outdoor seating for roughly 100–150 patrons and a timeline that anticipates four months of feasibility work, six months of predevelopment and about 12 months of construction once entitlements are complete. “We’re long‑term developers. We’re operators, and our goal is to stay here long term,” Santos said, describing a plan to keep prices accessible and prioritize local entrepreneurs through shared kitchens and an incubation program modeled on his Montebello Boulevard Market.
Members of the public praised the developer’s community ties and entrepreneurship model, while other speakers raised concerns that the development could accelerate displacement and urged stronger commitments to local hiring, priority for local vendors and protections against parking spillover from nearby businesses.
Council discussion centered on ensuring the DDA contract reflected the project described in the presentation. A councilmember proposed amendments to the contract’s scope of interim use so the project would provide vendor spaces on the site’s existing 2,800‑square‑foot building and adjacent grass area. The amendment required a minimum of four vendor spaces and allowed up to seven, and the council voted to include those changes before approving the DDA.
Roll call on the motion showed unanimous council approval for the amended DDA.
Next steps: staff will finalize the DDA documents and proceed through feasibility, permitting and entitlement steps described by the developer; staff and council indicated they will monitor tenant mix, local vendor inclusion and interim uses while the project advances through approvals.
