Sumitomo Forestry and Chuo-Nippon Land & Building to Develop Timber Rental Apartments Near Los Angeles
Sumitomo Forestry and Chuo-Nippon Land & Building announced on September 8, 2026, that they will jointly develop Normandie Apartments, a rental apartment community in the City of Gardena near Los Angeles, California. The development vehicle is a special purpose company jointly invested in by JPI, a consolidated subsidiary of Sumitomo Forestry, and Chuo-Nittochi I LLC, Chuo-Nippon Land & Building's U.S. entity. Construction is scheduled to start in September 2026 and to be completed in March 2029.
The plan calls for a five-story rental apartment building on a site of approximately 2,620 tsubo (approx. 93,200 sq. ft.), with 257 units in total. The first basement level through the first floor will be reinforced concrete and the second through fifth floors timber, with the upper four floors using 2x4 wood-frame construction. Common areas will include a club room with a bar kitchen and karaoke room, along with a pool and a fitness gym.
The property sits in the South Bay area of the West Coast, with strong access to Interstate 405, Interstate 110 and State Route 91, and is about a 20-minute drive from downtown Los Angeles. El Segundo, a hub for the aerospace industry; Torrance, where manufacturers including Japanese companies are based; and Long Beach, home to many port logistics and healthcare firms, are all about 10 to 20 minutes away by car.
The Sumitomo Forestry group and Chuo-Nippon Land & Building have jointly developed multifamily properties in Washington, D.C., Denver, Seattle, Boston and Atlanta, as well as a logistics facility in Charlotte, making this their ninth collaboration in U.S. real estate. It is, however, the first time JPI and Chuo-Nippon Land & Building have worked together. JPI is a multifamily developer founded in 1989 and headquartered in Dallas, Texas, in which Sumitomo Forestry acquired a 90% stake in November 2023 to make it a consolidated subsidiary. Chuo-Nippon Land & Building opened a local office in San Francisco in October 2024 and has been expanding its overseas business.
See related articles
- Sumitomo Forestry to Jointly Develop Wood-Frame Multifamily Community Near Atlanta, Georgia
- Sumitomo Forestry Subsidiary and Chuo-Nittochi to Jointly Develop Logistics Facility "AXIAL Commerce Station" in the Charlotte Metropolitan Area
- Chuo-Nittochi, Sumitomo Forestry, and Hines Launch Joint Multifamily Development in Virginia
Key Facts
- Property Name: Normandie Apartments
- Location: Normandie & 169th St, Gardena, CA, U.S.
- Developer: Special purpose company jointly invested in by JPI and Chuo-Nittochi I LLC
- Construction Start: September 2026 (scheduled)
- Completion: March 2029 (scheduled)
- Number of Floors: 5F / B1 (reinforced concrete from B1 to 1F, timber from 2F to 5F)
- Total Units: 257 (studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom)
- Area: Site area of approximately 2,620 tsubo (approx. 93,200 sq. ft.) / Leasable floor area of approximately 5,320 tsubo (approx. 189,300 sq. ft.)
- Common Facilities: Club room (bar kitchen, karaoke room), pool, fitness gym