The Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners approved the San Pedro Waterfront Project, a US$1.2 billion redevelopment that will create over 5,000 permanent and 13,000 temporary jobs.
The waterfront infrastructure and revitalization project, expected to take a decade or more to complete, will extend from the Port's inner harbour cruise facilities to Cabrillo Beach.
The port anticipates funding of approximately $900 million, largely for public infrastructure, and intends to raise an additional $300 million through private investment in commercial retail redevelopment and conference center space.
The project will create an estimated 5,000 permanent jobs serving cruise operations, waterfront related operations and new waterfront businesses; and provide more than 13,700 one-year-equivalent jobs (direct and indirect) during project design and construction.
"I commend the public for coming out, participating in the conversation and sharing their perspectives," Harbor Commission President Cindy Miscikowski said.
"While there were some areas of debate, the comments were overwhelmingly in favor of moving forward with a project that most everyone agrees will be a benefit to the community," she said.
The board conditioned its approval on the construction of cruise ship berth facilities in the Outer Harbor being performed on the east side of Kaiser Point (Berths 49-50) instead of the west side (Berths 45-47), which faces Inner Cabrillo Beach.
In another condition of project approval, the board directed staff to respond within 30 days with an implementation strategy that includes project phasing and recommendations for project input from the public.
The San Pedro Waterfront Draft EIS/EIR was released in September 2008. Since that time, the Port has received nearly 300 public comments on the report. Both draft and final reports can be found at www.portoflosangeles.org.