The iconic General Hospital building, which has stood unused and deteriorating on the Eastside for years, is now the focus of an ambitious redevelopment project aimed at transforming it into a vibrant health-oriented community.
Eighteen months after entering an exclusive agreement for negotiation, Centennial Partners, the chosen development team, has completed an initial conceptual plan that paves the way for a ten-year redevelopment initiative.
With $120 million authorized for remediation efforts, the team has started design work to upgrade the 93-year-old structure into a mixed-use center featuring medical offices, commercial spaces, and as many as 824 residential units.
Centennial Partners’ concept plan envisions not just a renovation but a visionary transformation of the 19-story hospital and its adjacent 41.9-acre campus into an integrated, mixed-use neighborhood. The plan prioritizes affordable, workforce, and market-rate housing, alongside retail shops, health services, and open green spaces, all designed to interact seamlessly with public transit.
Characterizing the project as “a national model for equitable urban development,” Centennial Partners has outlined a phased approach that allows for substantial flexibility in scale. Proposed scenarios range from 1,480 to 4,954 mixed-income residential units and commercial spaces between 2.1 million to 4.6 million square feet.
A detailed master plan and environmental report, based on this preliminary plan issued in February, are set to be finalized by spring.
A key item being presented to the Supervisors is a motion to allocate $3.3 million toward the development of this comprehensive plan. Supervisor Hilda Solis, a significant advocate for the project, is pushing for the inclusion of the historic hospital building on the National Register of Historic Places — a recognition it has not yet received despite its cultural significance.
If designated, this status would help preserve the building’s historic character while unlocking additional financing opportunities, including tax credits aimed at facilitating public and private investment, combined with low-income housing and climate tax credits.
Last June, the supervisors authorized a no-cost lease of the hospital property to Centennial Partners to undertake a two-year remediation process. This critical work will include seismic upgrades to the hospital building, the demolition of 18 dilapidated structures on the campus, and the decommissioning and replacement of outdated utilities, alongside comprehensive testing to identify soil and materials hazards requiring abatement.
Existing tenants occupying the lower four floors of the hospital, including a community wellness center, will need to be relocated during this process.
Funding for the project comes primarily from state housing grants and the federal American Rescue Plan, providing $106 million to Centennial Partners, which is led by Primestor Venture Partners, a Latino-owned firm known for its work on the Jordan Downs housing project. An additional $9 million has been allocated for contingencies, while $5 million is earmarked for county management operations.
Apart from the funding, the challenges facing the redevelopment of the General Hospital are significant. Issues such as seismic risk, contamination from hazardous materials, deteriorating infrastructure, aging buildings, parking limitations, disconnected streets, and compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act must be addressed.
A detailed engagement with environmental experts, access planners, historical preservation consultants, and arborists is planned to devise effective solutions at an early planning stage.
One of the critical barriers is the existing 40-foot drop that separates the hospital building from the expansive forecourt and the remainder of the campus to its west.
The revitalization strategy proposes that the forecourt will act as “the programmatic heart of the campus,” serving as the main entry to the renovated hospital while fostering community engagement.
A new circulation plan will introduce access points from surrounding streets on all sides, creating more inviting approaches to the forecourt. Furthermore, a new parking structure will be concealed beneath the forecourt, allowing community uses to thrive above it.
In addition, a cohesive development plan will be implemented to facilitate movement between the separated areas and enhance green space connectivity.
The campus will be organized into seven distinct areas for phased development, beginning with the transformation of the hospital building itself. The ground floor is designed to become an “interior street,” while the upper levels will be reconfigured to house residential units, ranging from 100 to 250 units to effectively leverage public funding sources.
Subsequent phases will involve the development of various open spaces, new office and retail structures, as well as additional residential buildings varying between 49 and 991 units.
Remedial work on the unoccupied floors of the hospital building is set to commence in December, with major renovations slated to follow in the spring, post the completion of the master plan and environmental impact reports.
The General Hospital holds a significant place in the hearts of many Eastside residents who have benefitted from its services over the decades.
Originally funded by a bond issue in 1923, this monumental building was completed in 1932 with a mission inscribed at its entrance: “To provide care for the acutely ill and suffering to whom the doctors of the attending staff give their services without charge in order that no citizen of the county shall be deprived of health or life for the lack of such care and service.”
The hospital continued to serve the city’s low-income populations for several decades until it faced overwhelming challenges beginning in the 1960s when it struggled to keep pace with advancements in medical technology.
Issues arose with fire safety and air quality compliance, leading the supervisors to initiate plans for a replacement facility in 1990.
The Northridge earthquake in January 1994 resulted in the permanent closure of a psychiatric unit and enforced stricter seismic standards, ultimately leading to the General Hospital’s closure on November 7, 2008, following the completion of the new County-USC Medical Center.
Despite its closure, the building has partially remained a community asset, with its Art Deco vestibule still accessible to the public, and the wellness center and various research teams utilizing spaces up to the fourth floor. However, much of its upper floors have succumbed to neglect, showcasing a blend of peeling paint, rusted pipes, and an overall forlorn state.
As efforts begin to restore the hospital into a vital community hub, stakes are high, and hope is restored for those aspiring to see the structure and surrounding grounds once again thrive.
image source from：latimes
