The Hawthorne project will replace a Torrance store for CircuitCity, which will incorporate its new format with a car stereo andalarm installation service bay into the location. The developmentsite is in a City of Hawthorne redevelopment area that includesother proposed retail projects as well.

Crown Realty is involved in a number of redevelopment effortsaround the Southland and Robert Flaxman, the firm's president, saysits expertise in this type of development helped to expedite theCircuit City project. Flaxman also cites the assistance ofHawthorne officials, including Mayor Larry Guidi, in moving theproject along.

Crown expects to finish preparing the site for development bySeptember and is scheduled to complete construction in February2004. Santa Monica-based Nadel is the architect for the project,with Little Rock, AR-based VCC Construction as generalcontractor.