Transit-Oriented Development headed to Compton, EIR now available

COMPTON – The city of Compton will capitalize off its capital improvements to its Metro rail stop by beginning planning activities to a transit-oriented development centered around the station.

Compton kicked off the environmental review period for the new Compton Station TOD Specific Plan, which would encompass more than 570 acres of land centered on the at-grade Metro stop located at Willowbrook Avenue and Compton Boulevard. The station, which abuts the Compton Civic Center, sees approximately 3,400 daily boardings, and is abutted by a number of large shopping centers and empty lots which could be candidates for redevelopment.

Urbanize LA

The Specific Plan focuses its rezoning effort on three key “Downtown” nodes within Compton. They include:

• The Civic Center, anchored by MLK Memorial Plaza, would be retained in its existing form. However, zoning could accommodate the construction of new buildings between 3 and 10 stories in height at selected sites, with maximum densities of up to 175 residential units per acre.
• The Commercial Core, consisting of the Compton Renaissance Center and Towne Center shopping center,s as well as MLK Transit Plaza and other areas abutting the A Line stop, would be rezoned to permit similar 3-to-10-story buildings with densities of up to 175 residential units per acre.
• Historic Core/Compton Boulevard East, stretching along Compton Boulevard from Alameda Street to Santa Fe Avenue, would be rezoned to allow buildings between 3 and 6 stories in height, with a maximum density of 100 units per acre.

Last year, KBK received approval to purchase two lots 501 and 601 E. Compton Boulevard, which was held by the city’s Successor Agency, to build a mixed-use development at the far east end of the specific plan area. The City recently announced KBK received a $21 million grant towards the project.

Related: City of Compton and KBK Enterprises, Inc. Awarded $21 Million Grant

This is not the first time that Compton has looked to capitalize on one of its transit hubs. In 2018, the city launched a specific plan for the 760 acres of land surrounding Artesia Station that envisioned the development of nearly 5,000 homes and more than 500,000 square feet of offices, retail, and cultural uses.

Urbanize LA

To keep up with the project and read the draft specific plan visit nextstopcompton.org.