San Pedro residents wlll get their first look at some of the draft recommendations for waterfront-connecting attractions in the port town during an open house from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 29.
The event, which will include information stations, will be at the Peck Park Community Center, 560 N. Western Ave.
Free parking is available. To get to free parking, enter on West Crestwood Street from Western Avenue.
The idea of a “Waterfront Connectivity Plan” emerged from the San Pedro neighborhood councils when asked to weigh in on what will be most needed as the waterfront community experiences wide-ranging changes, including new developments that will bring more residents to the town.
A 42-acre waterfront redevelopment is underway as well, with an opening of that project anticipated for 2025. It will include restaurants, shops and on-site activities, including harbor tours and a membership dog park.
The port’s cruise business is also being expanded, and annual events such as LA Fleet Week are now bringing thousands into the town on an annual basis.
SWA Group, Inc., which the Port of Los Angeles hired to develop the connectivity plan, will host the open house event along with the port, and participants will have a chance to weight in on the ideas and present some of their own.
The goal of the plan is to:
- Improve transportation connections among areas and attractions along San Pedro’s waterfront.
- Address local modes of transportation, including pedestrian, bike, scooter, bus and car.
- Connect the waterfront with local and regional communities.
Water taxis, trolley systems, digital signage and parking are all slated to be addressed in the plan.
The plan, which will require approval by the LA harbor commission, will also look at how to develop existing large parking lots to accommodate an influx of vehicles.
Digital and other way-finder signs have been part of the discussion for how to better direct locals and visitors to both the sites of interest and to available parking sites.
Officials are also looking at how to better develop and utilize available parking space on 22nd Street in the future.
The plan will span hundreds of acres within San Pedro and include the several miles of waterfront, including the Outer Harbor area, where the port plans to build an additional cruise ship terminal.
Other destinations such as the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium and Point Fermin Lighthouse are also on the list for better connections serving visitors.
In Wilmington, attractions include a new waterfront current being developed and Banning’s Landing.
A proposed amphitheater on the San Pedro waterfront — part of the overall West Harbor development now under construction — is also expected to bring heavy visitor traffic.
And with the LA summer Olympics coming to the city in 2028, planners are also casting an eye toward how the region can better prepare for what will be a massive public event.