Backers See New Hope for Troubled Hawthorne Plan

Hawthorne Councilman Steve Andersen may come to the rescue of the city’s embattled $170-million redevelopment project along the San Diego Freeway--but not for about 60 days.

By mid-May, Andersen said in an interview Thursday, he will have purged himself of a conflict of interest that has been preventing him from voting on the high-rise office and hotel project. Andersen, a lawyer, had represented a development company that once was involved in the project.

Andersen could provide the fourth council vote needed to condemn property for the project. He said he would wait before announcing whether he would support the project.

Seen as Good News

“I have not made up my mind how I am going to vote. I have not been part of the deal. I want to make an informed decision. I want to make sure this is a truly workable deal,” he said.

Even without a commitment from Andersen, the project’s backers on the council said his announcement is good news, while Ginnie Lambert, the sole opponent of the project on the council, adopted a wait-and-see attitude.

Andersen’s future participation appears to be the only hope for the project. On Monday, Lambert said she would refuse to vote for condemnation--which in effect would kill the project--to keep traffic congestion out of Holly Glen, an affluent neighborhood near the project that is a political base for her.

With Andersen abstaining and Lambert voting no, the council would not have been able to use condemnation to force reluctant landholders to sell.

The city has worked on redeveloping the site--a triangular, 20-acre tract bounded by Aviation Boulevard, Rosecrans Avenue and the freeway--since December, 1984. Officials estimate that the project would generate 2,100 jobs, add up to $800,000 each year in sales and bed taxes to city coffers and enhance the image of largely working-class Hawthorne. The city has already spent an estimated $800,000 on the project.

Plans include a 10-story hotel, possibly operated by the Marriott chain; a smaller hotel; six office towers ranging from 3 to 13 stories, with a total of 700,000 square feet of floor space; three parking structures; at least three restaurants, and some retail businesses.

Andersen’s announcement was greeted with relief--mixed with anxiety--by the three council supporters of the project.

“God almighty, it is about time. That is good news,” said Councilman Dave York, adding that he and Andersen see “eye to eye” on development issues “more often than not.”

Mayor Betty Ainsworth, however, said she hates the suspense: “Well, is he going to support it or not? Is he or isn’t he? I think he could secretly tell some of us,” she said. After a moment, she added, “I’m kidding, of course.”

Councilman Chuck Bookhammer said he believes Andersen will favor the project. “The fact that he is checking would lead the prudent person to think he is in favor of the project,” he said. If Andersen were opposed, he could do nothing and let Lambert take the blame for killing it, Bookhammer said.

Lambert, in a brief interview, said: “I will wait the 60 days and see what happens.”

Suing Lawndale

The conflict of interest that has prompted Andersen to abstain from voting on the project involved Andersen’s relationship with Andrex Development Co. of Los Angeles, the firm the city first selected to develop the project. Andrex, which abandoned the project, owns land in the project area and is suing Hawthorne.

Andersen said his firm had not done any business with Andrex for more than a year and has had no contact with the development firm since mid-May, 1987.

“To avoid any appearance of impropriety, I have continued to abstain,” he said. “However, my opinion is that in about 60 days or a little less, there is no question that I can participate. And I will, if the issue is still alive.”

He said state law requires an official to abstain an “appropriate” time from taking actions where the official has had a conflict of interest. Andersen said he believes one year is sufficient in his case but will seek legal advice.

Andersen said he had refrained from voting, “hoping everybody could reach agreement one way or the other without any participation by me. Hopefully, if we have 4-1, we can work things around to where it is 5-0. My hope is that everyone can just freeze for 60 days. It might be good for everyone concerned if everyone just calmed down.”

Unprintable Terms

After Lambert’s announcement Monday threatening the project, council members and officials retired from the council meeting to their private offices, where York threw papers on the floor in anger and the usually imperturbable city manager, Kenneth Jue, described Lambert loudly in unprintable terms, according to officials who asked not to be named.

Mark Phillips, project manager for the current developer, Watt Investment Properties Inc., said Andersen’s announcement was good news.

“It is possible to wait 60 days,” he said.