Posted by Bill Paul on Oct 03, 2019
 
      At this week’s luncheon, we heard about developments at the Los Angeles Port. In a word, they are massive.
      Known as the L.A. Waterfront at San Pedro, the 7,500 acre waterfront was one of the last undeveloped port properties in California. That is until the San Pedro business community, in cooperation with the City of Los Angeles and community residents, decided to tackle the task of finally developing the area.  With 800 parcels of land in the Waterfront park, development has taken on a variety of projects.
       “It took us 10 years to get the environmental impact statements approved,” said Augie Bezmolinovich, community affairs advocate, The EIR’s were finally received in 2009 and work began. Bezmolinovich described the variety of projects currently underway, and planned for the future, as he gave Rotarians an update of developments at the LA Port Waterfront.
     The heart of development is the LA Port, which started as a fishing village more than 100 years ago. Now, handling more than 9.5 million containers (known as TCU’s or 20-foot equivalent containers), the Port generated nearly $300 billion cargo value in 2018.  The Port is the economic driver at the local and regional levels and a key generator of jobs.
     Bezmolinovich said the San Pedro Public Market, which adds a new marina, is one of the two major projects at the Port, the second being the outer terminal to handle larger cruise ships.  In addition, he described new plazas, recreational harbors, museums, parks and continuous promenades. the Battleship USS Iowa, a new Craft Marketplace and Brewery.