Copyright CBS News
The Phillips 66 Wilmington refinery is set to close by the end of 2025, and plans are in the works to redevelop the 444-acre site with industrial and recreational uses, including a Town Center with retail and dining. The proposed Five Points Union Project aims to replace smoke stacks and large storage tanks with approximately 400,000 square feet of commercial and recreational development on the northern portion of the site, and up to approximately 6 million square feet of industrial development on the southern portion of the site. Tim McOsker, Los Angeles City Councilman whose district includes Wilmington, said earlier that the refinery's closure will provide new opportunities to the region, as well as "improved air quality" and "innovative economic benefits." The Five Points Union Project is so named as it refers to the property's adjacent five-street intersection at West Anaheim and North Gaffey streets, where San Pedro and Harbor City meet Wilmington. The City of Los Angeles is preparing an Environmental Impact Report for the project, as existing large-scale bulk liquid storage tanks, refinery process units, other refinery-related equipment and structures, and equipment related to the storage of liquefied petroleum gas will have to be removed, followed by remediation. According to city documents, the Town Center would include retail and food services -- including sit-down and drive-through restaurants, a grocery store, and a major retailer -- an indoor sports facility, a police substation, a community meeting/work room, and 27 acres of outdoor sports fields, playgrounds and walking paths. Additional plans for the site include an Industrial Center with options for various industrial uses, such as industrial buildings, trailer parking and outdoor storage. The huge refinery includes a crude-oil processing plant in Carson and the main facility in Wilmington, where the oil is finalized into "finished products," officials said. They are linked by a nearly five-mile pipeline. Both locations are set to close.
