Massive 'The Walk' coming to Norwalk civic center

Norwalk and developer Primestor broke ground on The Walk on February 7, 2026, starting construction on a mixed-use project next to City Hall. City materials describe the development as part of the civic center’s entertainment district, with housing, retail, restaurants and public gathering space on land now occupied by lawn and surface parking. The current plan calls for 374 modular apartments, including 55 affordable units, and roughly 89,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space. Norwalk says construction is underway and is expected to finish in winter 2027-28. ### Where exactly is The Walk going? The Walk is planned at 12700 Norwalk Boulevard, at the intersection of Norwalk Boulevard and Imperial Highway, directly adjacent to Norwalk City Hall and the broader civic center. Primestor’s marketing materials say the project will connect to City Hall, the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk headquarters and the existing AMC theater complex nearby. (norwalkca.gov) City planning documents describe the site as part of a roughly 13-acre civic center redevelopment area. Earlier city materials said the broader specific plan could allow up to 350 residential units and 110,000 square feet of commercial uses, but the revised plan approved later increased housing and reduced retail. ### Why do the numbers differ from one source to another? (urbanize.city) The 374-unit, 55-affordable-unit and roughly 89,000-square-foot retail figures appear in recent project materials tied to the 2026 groundbreaking and Primestor’s current property page. A Loeb & Loeb client note on the transaction also describes The Walk as a $300 million development with 374 modular residential units, 55 of them affordable, and 89,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space. (la.urbanize.city) A January 2025 Urbanize report cited a revised entitlement package with 374 homes, including 56 affordable units, and just over 94,000 square feet of commercial space. Primestor’s brochure and property page round the residential count to “+/- 360” units and the retail space to about 89,000 square feet, suggesting different documents are using different stages of the plan or rounded marketing figures. (norwalkca.gov) ### How is the housing piece supposed to be built? Project materials say The Walk will use modular construction for the residential component. Urbanize reported that the housing would sit in two seven-story buildings on the eastern side of the property, while lower-scale commercial buildings would front Norwalk Boulevard and Imperial Highway around a central pedestrian spine. (la.urbanize.city) PAE Engineers, which lists the job on its website, says the project is on track to be the largest residential modular construction project in North America. That description is from a project partner, not an independent ranking, but it underscores how heavily the development is leaning on off-site fabrication to shorten the building schedule. ### What happens to the civic center lawn, memorials and parking? (la.urbanize.city) Norwalk’s FAQ says public art and memorials now on the site — including the first responders monument, Veterans Garden, Patriots Concourse and Freedom Memorial — will be preserved on-site and later reintegrated into the finished project. The city says those spaces of remembrance will remain part of the development. (pae-engineers.com) Parking will shift during construction rather than disappear immediately. The city says City Hall, the courthouse and surrounding businesses will remain open, with parking directed to the Civic Center Parking Structure accessed from Avenida Manuel Salinas via Imperial Highway or Civic Center Drive. ### Who is behind the project? Primestor is the developer, and DLR Group designed the project, according to the city’s groundbreaking announcement. (norwalkca.gov) Mayor Jennifer Perez said on February 7 that residents had long asked for more dining, shopping and gathering options in Norwalk, while Primestor Chief Executive Arturo Sneider said the company viewed the project as a long-term community anchor. City records also show federal housing money was tied to a related affordable component. Norwalk said in a 2023 notice that it would seek release of $1,047,149 in HOME-ARP funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for a project identified as The Walk Residences Project. ### What should residents watch next? (norwalkca.gov) Norwalk says construction has started and that completion is expected in winter 2027-28. The city and the project website say future notices will include construction milestones, community engagement opportunities and other updates as work advances. The next concrete marker is continued site work under the plan unveiled at the February 7 groundbreaking, with Primestor, the City of Norwalk and project partners expected to post updates through VisitTheWalk.com as the residential and retail phases move forward. (norwalkca.gov) (norwalkca.gov) (norwalkca.gov)