Pico Rivera says it will seek to buy site of meat processor

The city hopes to redevelop location, possibly as open space or affordable housing.

- KAREN GARCIA

LORI SHEPLER Los Angeles Times COWS head up a ramp at Manning Beef in 2003. The long-troubled facility closed nearly four months ago.

The last slaughterhouse in Los Angeles County permanently closed its doors nearly four months ago in the wake of operational violations, escaped cattle and, finally, bankruptcy. Now, with the site up for sale, the city of Pico Rivera is vying for a chance to reimagine it.

The city announced on Tuesday its intention to participate in the public auction of the 3.74-acre meat-processing facility, known as Manning Beef, with the goal of barring another meatpacking company from taking over the site.

"Hopefully either we purchase it outright, or, at the end of the day, if we can work with another developer who wants to come in and share our same vision," Steve Carmona, Pico Rivera's city manager, said of the auction.

The site could be used for affordable housing, public open space, or to house an operation focusing on sustainable, plant-based food innovation, according to the city.

Carmona said Tuesday the opening bid for the site of the former facility was $7 million.

Without disclosing an exact amount, the city manager said that Pico Rivera had set aside some funding for strategic real estate acquisitions and that this would be the ideal investment for the community.