Retail Redevelopment

The Santa Barbara Plaza in the Crenshaw district of Los Angeles may soon get a facelift and a new name thanks to a $125 million proposal by Capital Vision Equities, a local developer, and an investment firm owned by pro football player Keyshawn Johnson. The project, which would be renamed Marlton Square, would include 140,000 square feet of new retail space, 140 single-family homes, 180 affordable apartments for seniors and a small park. The developer has asked for $42.2 million in public investment from Los Angeles city and redevelopment officials, including more than $30 million in federal housing grants and loans. A 1999 proposal by Earvin “Magic” Johnson to redevelop Santa Barbara Plaza was scrapped by the redevelopment agency.