Downey : City to Help Developer of Shopping Center

The Downey City Council on Tuesday voted to help Hughes Investments and Watkins Commercial Properties develop a 172,000-square-foot shopping center on the southeast corner of Lakewood and Firestone boulevards. Hughes Investments is negotiating to buy the seven parcels on which the center would be built.

The city Redevelopment Agency is planning to buy two of the parcels, which would be resold to Hughes, possibly at a discount, said Ken Farfsing, assistant city manager. Officials of St. George’s Greek Orthodox Church hold an option on the two parcels and wanted to build a new church there, but are negotiating to sell the properties to the city.

The city will work for at least four months with Hughes, which owns Stonewood Shopping Center, to ensure that the developer can put together the project. Hughes will pay Downey $15,000 to offset the city’s expenses. Some of the companies currently operating on the seven-parcel site will be asked to participate in the proposed renovation, Farfsing said. The shopping center could include a supermarket, a sporting goods store and a multiple-screen theater, he said.