WILMINGTON WATERFRONT PROMENADE AT THE PORT OF LOS ANGELES OFFICIALLY OPENS TO THE PUBLIC
The $77.3 Million Project Creates Unprecedented Public Access to Water’s Edge for the Wilmington Community; Lunar New Year Festival Kicks Off at New Site
WILMINGTON, Calif. – Feb. 3, 2024 – Led by Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, hundreds of community members and leaders joined Port of Los Angeles officials today to celebrate the grand opening of the $77.3 million Wilmington Waterfront Promenade, a nine-acre project creating a “window on the waterfront” for the community. Later in the day, the new venue was used as the site for the Port’s 10th Annual Lunar New Year Festival.
“As a result of years of community involvement, Wilmington now has green space for the community to enjoy,” said Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. “These are the types of investments that are needed to revitalize all of our communities and Los Angeles as a whole. They bring economic growth but also open up opportunities to continue to set Los Angeles on the world stage. Thank you to the leaders who helped make the promenade possible.”
“The lack of public access to the waterfront in Wilmington has been a longstanding injustice, especially given the significant history of this community in the founding and development of the Port of Los Angeles,” said Los Angeles City Councilmember Tim McOsker. “I was thrilled to be with community leaders to cut the ribbon today on the Wilmington Waterfront Park, a project driven by equity and access. This promenade will allow residents and visitors an opportunity to enjoy a beautiful, dynamic setting and admire the busiest container port in the Western Hemisphere, right here in the Heart of the Harbor.”
“Today is an exciting day for the residents of Wilmington, who have been instrumental in shaping this project from the very start,” said Los Angeles Harbor Commissioner President Lucille Roybal-Allard. “It’s also a historic day for the Port of Los Angeles, as this new promenade is the culmination of years of hard work and persistence needed to bring this project to fruition.”
“This new promenade is the one of several visionary projects on tap for the Wilmington community, all made possible through the Port’s Public Access Investment Program,” said Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka. “When the Port does well, our local community benefits, allowing us to invest in more projects like these that enhance the quality of life for our surrounding Port communities.”
Located along the water’s edge of Berths 183-186 at the Port of Los Angeles and adjacent to Banning’s Landing Community Center, the new open space development features three distinct visitor experience areas: the promenade, the bluff and the upland expanse. Each visitor-friendly area includes unique seating and views of the water, convenient pet stations, drinking fountains and trash/recycling receptacles. The site has a 159-space parking lot.
The promenade measures approximately 1,300 feet in length and incorporates a variety of seating, including swing benches with shade structures, precast terraced tidal seat steps crafted of Onyx stone, and a plaza area with additional seats. Connected to the promenade is a new 5,400 square foot public pier with picnic tables over the water, and a 120-foot public floating dock to accommodate visitor-serving vessels. Lighted waterfront railings provide ambiance and visibility.
Above the promenade is the bluff and open space area, featuring swing benches with waterfront views. A highlight of the bluff is a play area, complete with mountaineering ropes, climbing nets, rockers and a custom tower slide. Integral colored concrete and concrete pavers accent the space, with three 45-foot-tall floodlight poles illuminating the area.
The upland expanse features pedestrian and bicycle trails, and seating with elevated views of the Wilmington Waterfront. Generously landscaped with more than 200 pink trumpet, Italian stone pine, Torrey pine and palm trees – along with planters featuring California native and drought-tolerant plants – the area also includes a six-stall public restroom.
Construction of the Wilmington Waterfront Promenade entailed the realignment of Water Street between Fries Avenue and Avalon Boulevard, in addition to utilities, street work, grading, paving, striping and irrigation improvements. Extensive hardscape, landscaping and lighting are key elements found throughout the project.
Completion of the new Wilmington Waterfront Promenade project sets the stage for the next-phase public access improvement project planned for Wilmington by the Port. The Avalon Pedestrian Bridge and Promenade Gateway is slated to start construction in early 2025, and create another 12 acres of new open space for the Wilmington community, while also connecting Harry Bridges Boulevard and Avalon Boulevard to the LA Waterfront.
Sasaki Associates, along with the Port’s Engineering Division, designed the Wilmington Waterfront Promenade project. The prime construction contractor was Sully-Miller Contracting Company.