Taco Bell Rushes to Set Example in City Hit by Riots

To show that government construction permits--like fast food--can be delivered quickly, Taco Bell Corp. on Tuesday launched a construction marathon to build a Compton outlet in just 48 hours to replace one destroyed during the recent riots.

Calling it “From Rubble to Re-Employment in Two Days,” Taco Bell executives and officials from the city of Compton sought to promote the beat-the-clock construction effort as a showcase of private and public sector cooperation.

The project, a well-meaning gimmick designed to draw attention to Compton’s efforts to rebuild, began at 10 a.m. Tuesday, as workers hammered together beams to frame the structure’s walls and roof. The construction team hopes to build in two days what usually takes two months.

The construction team plans to build the whole enchilada--not just a stucco shell for Taco Bell. The blueprints call for a 2,000-square-foot structure containing 65 seats and a 700-pound stainless steel food production line that will include ovens, water heaters, sinks, shelving, heated cabinets and sales computers.

Compton had accelerated its permit process, which spans weeks, and also agreed to provide a quick and timely building safety inspection at the building’s scheduled Thursday morning completion.

The company plans to open the outlet in the Gateway Plaza at the southeast corner of Rosecrans and Central avenues at 10 a.m. Thursday. A $500,000 outlet at that same site was destroyed during rioting April 30.

For its part, Taco Bell agreed to provide some business and job opportunities to minorities, who are pushing for a larger portion of the region’s reconstruction business. Five of the 10-member construction consortium are minority-owned contractors, and minorities account for 168 of the 255 workers on the job site.

The company also opened a booth at the Compton construction site to accept applications from job seekers and local firms who want to provide business services to the restaurant chain.

“We hope this project encourages other companies to provide opportunities to African-American contractors,” said Compton City Councilman Omar Bradley, who officially started the construction frenzy by ringing a small bell.

Before reaching the restaurant site, construction firms placed an order for 750 pounds of nails and fasteners, 250 sheets of plywood, 26,000 board feet of other lumber, two miles of wire, a quarter mile of pipe, 400 square feet of glass and 37 gallons of paint--including a gloss called “Taco Bell tan.”

Taco Bell, owned by Pepsico, Inc., decided to rebuild the Compton outlet in whirlwind fashion during meetings in early May. Compton provided approval for pre-construction permits--forms handled by various city departments--to company executives at one brief meeting.

Also, building inspectors have agreed to come to the construction site on short notice and at odd, late-night hours if necessary, city officials said.

Said Jose Cofino, vice president of operations for Southern California, Arizona and Nevada: “We’re doing away with the old, bureaucratic ways to get something done.”

The project is designed to generate attention and encourage owners of other recently destroyed Compton businesses to rebuild, said Compton City Manager Howard Caldwell. In all, 136 Compton-based enterprises were destroyed during the riots at a cost between $65 million and $100 million.

“We want to show those businesses that we can help them come back in a timely manner,” Caldwell said.