PORT OF LOS ANGELES MOVES FORWARD WITH PLANS FOR $52.7 MILLION WILMINGTON WATERFRONT PROMENADE
SAN PEDRO, Calif. — October 13, 2015 — The Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners has greenlighted the design contract for the future Wilmington Waterfront Promenade, unanimously approving Sasaki Associates, Inc. to conduct engineering, architectural and landscaping design services for the $52.7 million project.
“Engaging a design firm for the promenade project puts us one step closer to bringing this vibrant and highly visible improvement to the Wilmington community,” said Ambassador Vilma Martinez, president of the Los Angeles Harbor Commission. “I commend the Port’s development team and the Wilmington community for all their hard work in keeping this project moving forward.”
"I am laser-focused on bringing investment dollars to the LA Waterfront and am ultimately grateful to the Port of Los Angeles for continuing its commitment to building a beautiful new promenade for our community in Wilmington,” said 15th District Los Angeles Councilman Joe Buscaino. “Along with the Wilmington Waterfront Park and our efforts to revitalize Avalon Boulevard, Wilmington is on its way to a bright future.”
Creating a “window on the waterfront” for the Wilmington community, the promenade will measure approximately 1,300 feet in length and 30 feet wide, and provide spacious public access to the water’s edge in front and adjacent to the Banning’s Landing Community Center. From Berths 184 to 186 behind the promenade, the project will include an approximate 2.5-acre public pedestrian plaza. A 1.25-acre parking court and/or event space will also be constructed between the promenade and Water Street. Additionally, landscaping and a parking lot will be added north of the new plaza.
Design of the project will entail realignment of Water Street to a northeast/southeast direction to parallel existing railroad tracks. A freight facility currently on the property will be demolished. Project improvements will also entail landscaping, irrigation, signage, lighting, as well as site furnishing like public seating, bike racks and public drinking fountains.
The Wilmington Waterfront Promenade was among six public improvement projects – three in Wilmington and three in San Pedro – approved last February as part of the Port’s Public Access Investment Plan. The Wilmington Waterfront Development Project Environmental Impact Report (EIR) was certified in June 2009. The engineering, architectural and landscaping design phase of the promenade project is expected to cost $3.19 million and be completed by mid-2018.
Sasaki Associates is a nationally known design firm based in Boston, and has extensive experience working on complex, urban-built waterfront projects. Sasaki Associates also was the lead design firm on the award-winning, 30-acre Wilmington Waterfront Park, which was completed in 2011. Sasaki Associates was selected from among seven firms submitting design service proposals for the promenade project.
The Port of Los Angeles is America’s premier port and has a strong commitment to developing innovative strategic and sustainable operations that benefit Southern California’s economy and quality of life. As North America’s leading seaport in terms by container volume and cargo value, the Port of Los Angeles facilitated $290 billion in trade during 2014. Port operations and commerce facilitate more than 148,000 jobs (about one in 12) in the City of Los Angeles and 531,000 jobs (or one in 16) in the five-county Southern California region. The San Pedro Bay Ports support more than 1 million California jobs and 3.1 million nationwide.