On March 18, nearly 100 community members rolled up their sleeves and dove into maps, renderings and options for the San Pedro Downtown Harbor.  The evening began with a welcome from Los Angeles Harbor Commission Vice President Jerilyn López Mendoza and Port Deputy Executive Director Mike Christensen followed by a general presentation on the project and key elements by Port Waterfront Coordinator Dina Aryan Zahlan.

With the general premise and guiding principles laid out, those attending were free to move among the four project element display areas and learn about the various design options being considered.  Port staff and designers were at each station to explain, to take questions and capture public feedback.  These breakout sessions included: Promenade & Water Cuts; Town Square & Plazas; Ralph J. Scott Fireboat Display Structure; and Future Downtown Harbor - Phase II.  Feedback forms were provided and completed forms were collected at the end of the meeting.  Opinion forms were also posted on the LA Waterfront website  and in the meeting materials so folks who weren't able to attend the March 18 meeting were also able to submit their opinions.

As the night wore on, one thing became very clear - the community wants connectivity between downtown San Pedro and the new San Pedro Downtown Harbor. Specific types of connectivity mentioned by the workshop attendants include signage, landscaping and lighting.  Other ideas included information kiosks and water taxi service. Comments on the design of the Ralph J. Scott Fireboat Museum varied - some liked it and some  did not.  Specifically, the etching of the original design blueprints on the large glass wall drew divergent opinions.  A variety of types of benches, trash receptacles and other furnishings were shown and met with positive response.  Overall, those attending the workshop liked what they saw and really wanted to make their opinion known that the new harbor should integrate with the existing downtown.

Going forward, the designers and Port staff are reviewing more in-depth comments and will consider all opinions while finalizing the designs.  Another public meeting will be held in the coming months to show updated versions of the the designs.

Click here for the overview Powerpoint presentation
Click here to view the video of the overview presentation