Demolition Begins at Hawthorne Plaza After Years of Nuisance Status and Legal Battles

Demolition work has commenced at the former Hawthorne Plaza mall in Hawthorne, California, a property that had been deemed a public nuisance. The teardown follows a court order issued last month, directing the owners, M&A Gabaee, to begin demolition in August 2026. Heavy machinery and construction crews were observed on site earlier this week, initiating a phased plan to raze the structure.

The mall, which closed in 1999 and was purchased by its current owners in 2001, had been slated for a mixed-use redevelopment. However, these plans were complicated by legal troubles involving The Charles Co., the parent company of the mall's owner. Arman Gabaee, co-founder of The Charles Co., pleaded guilty in December 2022 to bribery charges related to securing a $45 million lease for county offices at the Hawthorne site. The city of Hawthorne had pressured the owners last year, resulting in a court injunction requiring either redevelopment or demolition by the end of August 2026. The site's clearance marks a significant step for the long-stalled property.