The Opportunity

This is an opportunity to transform approximately 340 acres of under-utilized land to better serve the Westchester and Playa del Rey communities, the people of Los Angeles, and LAX. Why now? Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) is preparing for current and future demand for use of the property. The updated LAX Northside Plan would complement community efforts to revitalize and support local businesses, provide more jobs, meet the needs of the airport and of local groups, and address the growing demand for open space for our communities.

View our

Open House
Photo Gallery

November 15th & 16th, 2011

Preliminary Ideas

This is a chance for LAWA and the community to collaborate on an updated plan to re-imagine the Northside parcels as a vibrant and sustainable center of employment, retail, restaurant, office, hotel, research and development, education, civic, airport support, recreation, and buffer uses. Working together, LAWA and the community can identify ways to sensitively accommodate a range of beneficial uses to serve the needs of Westchester, Playa del Rey and LAX.

LAWA launched an independent environmental review of the LAX Northside Plan Update in April 2012. Residents and businesses are encouraged to learn more about the proposals contained in the LAX Northside Plan from this website (laxnorthside.org) and to provide constructive input in the planning process.

How is this proposal different from the original 1980’s LAX Northside Plan?

Development at the Project site is currently governed by the LAX Plan and the LAX Specific Plan, which established the zoning regulations and development standards. The Specific Plan requires that development on the Project site comply with design and development standards originally written in the 1980's. These standards have not been approved by the FAA, do not reflect current best-practices in urban design and sustainability, and do not respond to current community and LAWA interests, or to market conditions. The Project site is approximately 340 acres of mostly vacant land. The proposed LAX Northside Plan Update would modify existing regulations to substantially reduce the total amount of development allowed by the 1980's plan, provide opportunities for open space, recreation and civic uses, create new design and sustainability guidelines reflecting current best-practices, and guide the transformation of this under-utilized property.

How does this process fit with other environmental studies at LAX?

The LAX Northside Plan Update is an independent environmental planning process which will consider and complement all other studies underway at the airport.

Why is it called the LAX Northside Plan Update?

The land was originally acquired by LAX more than 30 years ago for development between the airport and the adjacent community, and planning began in the 1980’s. The first proposal for the site was called the LAX Northside Plan, which was approved in 1984 for over 4.5 million square feet of commercial development. The current effort to modernize the proposal is known as the LAX Northside Plan Update.

Preliminary Ideas

Total area in Northside Plan

340 acres

North of Westchester Parkway

Mixed-Use (Retail, Restaurant, Hotel, Office)
Community/Civic
Office/Research and Development
Recreation Support

South of Westchester Parkway

Airport Support

470,000 sq. ft.

215,000 sq. ft.

1,025,000 sq. ft.

10,000 sq. ft.


600,000 sq. ft.

The Northside Plan Update - Sustainable Growth to Benefit our Communities

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to transform approximately 340 acres of under-utilized land to better serve the Westchester and Playa Del Rey communities, the people of Los Angeles, and LAX. Why now? Awareness of the opportunity is increasing, and private investors are signaling their interest in the property. This is clearly the right time to begin a thoughtful environmental review process to plan for the future.

laxnorthside@lawa.org

424.646.5072