CDU Wellness & Education Campus

CDU Wellness & Education Campus
A Vision for Health, Education, Housing, and Community Wellness in Willowbrook

PROJECT OVERVIEW

The CDU Wellness & Education Campus is a long-term, master-planned community designed to strengthen educational, housing, health, and employment opportunities in the heart of the Willowbrook community of South Los Angeles.

To be developed by the CDU/MLK Wellness Collaborative LLC—a partnership between Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science (CDU) and Century, in collaboration with the County of Los Angeles and Compton Unified School District—the 12.8-acre campus plan will transform a vacant site adjacent to the existing CDU campus into a mixed-use environment centered on student life, affordable housing, research, recreation, and community-serving uses.

Century is leading the development of the affordable housing component, while CDU will advance the remaining educational buildings, recreational facilities, and housing for students, staff, and faculty. At full buildout, this community is expected to include:

Up to 254 affordable homes
250 student housing units
55 faculty and workforce housing units
121,000 square feet of office, lab, and bioscience space
Gymnasium and indoor swimming pool
Multipurpose athletic fields
700-stall parking garage
Community-serving spaces, gardens, plazas, and lush open green space

STRATEGIC GOALS

The Wellness and Education Campus is designed to advance five core goals:

Expand CDU’s academic and research capacity to graduate more health professionals committed to underserved communities
Create affordable, stable housing for families, seniors, and CDU students, faculty, and staff in Willowbrook
Provide high-quality athletic, wellness, and recreational facilities accessible to the community
Support local economic growth through construction jobs, local hiring, and community-serving spaces
Create a walkable, transit-oriented, and environmentally resilient neighborhood anchor

WHO WE ARE

Century Affordable Development, Inc. (CADI)
Developer (Affordable Housing)

Charles R. Drew University
Developer (Educational, Student, and Workforce Housing Components)

TCA Architects
Architect

MJS Landscape Architecture
Landscape Architect

Frederick Fisher & Partners
Master Plan Architect

Hood Design Studios
Master Plan Landscape Architect

COMMUNITY CONTEXT

The Wellness & Education Campus is fully consistent with and builds upon Los Angeles County’s Willowbrook Transit Oriented District Specific Plan adopted in 2017, following years of community engagement, as well as CDU’s 2019 Campus Vision Plan. Together, these planning efforts envisioned a transit-friendly, pedestrian-oriented development connected to regional transit and the surrounding Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) medical campus.

Interconnected Ecosystem

The Wellness & Education Campus is adjacent to major institutional partners, including Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital; Martin Luther King, Jr. Outpatient Center; Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Public Health; LA County Department of Mental Health; Martin Luther King, Jr. Child and Family Wellbeing Center; and King/Drew Magnet High School of Medicine and Science—creating an interconnected ecosystem of health, education, and social services.

The broader MLK medical campus includes the MLK Outpatient Center, a new privately developed medical office building, a 1,700-space employee parking garage, and new offices for many of the County’s health services serving the community.

Proposed Phase I
Proposed Phase II
Proposed Phase II
Proposed Phase II

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AFFORDABLE HOUSING

A central component of the Wellness and Education Campus is deeply affordable housing for the Willowbrook community, developed by Century.

Located at the highly visible intersection of Compton Avenue, 117th Place, and 118th Street, the affordable housing community will connect residents to the surrounding neighborhood and broader campus environment. The design combines contemporary architecture with practical amenities that support comfort, safety, sustainability, and everyday convenience.

Century expects to develop the affordable housing in phases across five buildings, cohesively designed to encourage interaction and integration among residents. Each building will include three levels of Type V construction over a one-level podium and will provide a mix of senior, family, and special-needs affordable housing for households earning between 30% and 80% of area median income.

Together, these phases will deliver an estimated 254 affordable homes as part of a larger campus vision rooted in health, education, opportunity, and long-term community investment.

CDU Wellness & Community Campus map indicating Phase I and Phase II.

Development Phases

Phase I: Approximately 54 senior homes, including 53 one-bedroom apartments and one two-bedroom apartment
Phase II: Approximately 50 affordable homes, including 22 one-bedroom, 15 two-bedroom, and 13 three-bedroom apartments
Phases III–V: Approximately 150 affordable homes across three buildings

Resident Amenities

Ground-floor lobbies with reception areas to create a welcoming arrival experience and support resident safety
Dedicated staff offices to provide convenient access to on-site support and services
Centralized community room and courtyards for resident gatherings, including workshops, meetings, and recreational activities
Open corridors, common patios, and natural ventilation designed to bring light and air into the buildings and support resident well-being
Resident parking and bicycle storage
Common laundry rooms

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COMMUNITY BENEFITS

Beyond housing, the Wellness & Education Campus is committed to providing lasting benefits to the Willowbrook community, including:

Science Academy pipeline programs and educational opportunities
Community programming and events
Public and traffic safety improvements
Public access to athletic facilities
Pedestrian promenade
Public art
Campus spaces available for use by local organizations
Participation by underrepresented businesses
Local and targeted hiring commitments

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Community outreach has been an ongoing part of the planning process, helping the project team share information, gather feedback, and build relationships with residents, community partners, and local stakeholders.

Engagement efforts have included community meetings, events, and door-to-door canvassing since 2022. The outreach has been intentionally inclusive, bilingual (English and Spanish), and accessible to Willowbrook residents, community-based organizations, and regional stakeholders.

Throughout the engagement process, community members have emphasized the importance of creating a meaningful community asset that promotes wellness, strengthens neighborhood identity, provides community-serving amenities, and fosters a strong sense of belonging.