Port of Los Angeles’ $70.8 Million Waterfront Development Taking Shape

Port of Los Angeles officials recently visited the construction site of the Wilmington Waterfront Promenade project to see firsthand the progress on the development, which broke ground in October of 2020. “The whole team at the Port has done a wonderful job on the Wilmington Waterfront project, made themselves available to the community throughout the planning process and really listened to suggestions and ideas,” said Los Angeles Harbor Commissioner Lucia Moreno-Linares. “After many years of hard work, we can really see this project starting to come together. It’s exciting.”

“The Wilmington Waterfront Promenade and upcoming Avalon Promenade & Gateway are so important in connecting the Wilmington community with its historic waterfront,” said Port of Los Angeles Director of Waterfront and Commercial Real Estate Mike Galvin. “These two projects will create more open space for recreational activities and provide tremendous economic benefits by activating the Avalon Corridor and Wilmington’s commercial core.”

Creating a “window on the waterfront” for the Wilmington community, the $70.8 million Wilmington Waterfront Promenade project includes construction of a community park adjacent to the Banning’s Landing Community Center, a waterfront promenade, public pier, public dock for commercial vessels, public restrooms with a green roof, parking lots, a playground, public seating, bike racks, drinking fountains and a 2,500-square-foot pad for commercial development. Improvements along Water Street are also part of the project. The development is slated for completion in 2023.

The Wilmington Waterfront companion project - Avalon Promenade & Gateway - is currently in the design phase. The project’s $23.8 million phase one will include construction of a pedestrian bridge along Avalon Boulevard, which will provide pedestrian and bicycle access to the new waterfront promenade. The bridge will be followed by a second phase, which will complete the connection of Wilmington’s historic commercial corridor on Avalon Blvd. to its historic waterfront, and include an entry plaza with a gateway feature, landscaping, hardscape, parking, restrooms and architectural finishes. Construction of phase one is expected to start in 2023.

An innovative land swap agreement between the Port and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power last October allowed for the removal of a 500,000-barrel petroleum storage tank and other buildings on the Wilmington Waterfront site. This removal helped open up the site and kept construction moving forward.

The Port’s Wilmington Waterfront Development Program is funded through the Port of Los Angeles’ Public Access Investment Plan, which allocates 10% of Port operating income annually to public access infrastructure projects. Since 2005, the Port has invested $600 million transforming the LA Waterfront into a world-class visitor destination, with another $400 million committed through 2025. A key part of that has been investment in the Wilmington Waterfront.

North America’s leading seaport by container volume and cargo value, the Port of Los Angeles facilitated $259 billion in trade during 2020. San Pedro Bay port complex operations and commerce facilitate one in nine jobs across the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura. The Port of Los Angeles has remained open with all terminals operational during the COVID-19 pandemic.