Gateway Place - a planned six-story affordable housing complex - is set to fill a long-vacant lot on Central Avenue across from Ted Watkins Park in Watts, bringing 134 new one and two-bedroom apartments, shared outdoor space and ground-floor retail to the neighborhood. Developers say the building will be income-restricted and geared toward veterans, with only the on-site manager’s unit left at market rate.
What the plans call for
According to the Los Angeles Housing Department, Gateway Place would include 134 apartments split between 116 one-bedroom units and 18 two-bedroom units, ranging from about 398 to 730 square feet. The building itself would span roughly 62,092 square feet and feature a lobby, recreation room, a large landscaped courtyard and a fifth-floor amenity deck. Plans also call for a commercial space on the ground floor and multiple laundry rooms throughout the property.
Who’s building and who’s paying
Grant Housing and Economic Development Corporation is listed as the lead developer and is teaming up with Logos Faith Development on the project. Logos Faith reports that the work has secured a $4 million federal grant to help finance the site. The organization describes Gateway Place as veteran-supportive housing and positions it as part of a broader effort to turn underused faith-based land into affordable homes across South Los Angeles.
Neighborhood context
The site sits directly across from Ted Watkins Park, putting new housing right next to green space and transit that serve the area. As Urbanize LA notes, the Central Avenue corridor has already seen other recent projects, including Linc Housing’s Cadence, a 64-unit supportive housing development that opened in 2022, signaling a growing cluster of affordable housing along this stretch of Watts.
Environmental review and next steps
The Los Angeles Housing Department issued a Finding of No Significant Impact for Gateway Place as part of its NEPA review and moved earlier this spring to request release of Community Project Funding, a federal step that clears the way for construction financing. The project also appears in the South Coast Air Quality Management District’s interagency review documents because it falls within the AB 617 South Los Angeles community, where environmental justice issues are specifically tracked.
Why it matters
For Watts, Gateway Place would bring a sizable block of income-restricted apartments aimed at veterans, along with new retail and communal spaces along Central Avenue. The development still has to clear final funding and permitting hurdles before shovels hit the ground, but city filings and the awarded grant suggest it is positioned to move into the building phase if approvals stay on track.
