Mayor takes on Rite Aid ‘blight’
The city put a decorative wrapping around the vacant lot at the corner of Manhattan Beach and Sepulveda Boulevards, which has been empty for six years. The liquor store in the background is part of the property Rite Aid leased. Photo The lot on the southeast corner of Manhattan Beach and Sepulveda boulevards has been vacant for the past six years. The previous gas station was cleared to make way for a 13,000-square-foot Rite Aid store, which the city approved in 2008. The adjoining office building on 11th Street and Sepulveda Boulevard was cleared of tenants in preparation for being torn down. And then nothing happened. Manhattan Beach Mayor Wayne Powell remembers when the Rite Aid was approved. He was on the planning commission that approved it. Now as the mayor, he’s leading a campaign to have something done with the site. “It’s a blight on our community,” he said. “The residents deserve much better.” It’s not just a personal pet peeve. He said he’s gotten dozens of calls over the past six years asking what’s being done. In the past year alone, he said he’s gotten at least a dozen calls and emails. Powell has mentioned the issue at multiple city council meetings. He successfully…
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