The Port of Los Angeles has recently unveiled a new waterfront promenade, providing the local community with unprecedented access to the water and panoramic views of the port’s operations.
Costing $77 million, the Wilmington Waterfront Promenade is the second phase of a project aimed at connecting the Wilmington community to the waterfront. Spanning 9 acres, the promenade opened in February after over three years of construction. Prior to this development, the industrial space was off-limits to the public, making this project a transformative initiative for the Wilmington community, as described by port officials.
In 2011, the port had opened a 30-acre park on a former brownfield site, acting as a buffer between the port and the neighborhood. The next phase of the project involves the construction of a pedestrian bridge and the development of 12 acres of green space at the nation’s busiest container port. In February, the port processed over 780,000 containers, marking a 60% increase from the previous year.
The primary objective of the project was to enhance views of the water and highlight the port’s working nature. Dina Aryan-Zahlan, the port’s deputy executive director of development, emphasized the importance of embracing the port’s functionality through maximizing waterfront views.
Hailed as the “window to the waterfront,” the promenade offers amenities like picnic spaces, a floating dock, and green areas. Previously, the land had been occupied by vacant buildings and a parking lot. Wilmington, with its approximately 33,000 residents, is a predominantly Hispanic community and home to the third-largest oil field in the contiguous United States.
According to Cecilia Moreno, the port’s Community Relations Director, the goal was to provide community access to the waterfront, as Wilmington lacks a beach directly on the water. The grand opening in February received positive feedback, with visitors expressing awe and joy at the new promenade.
Philip Dugdale, co-director of the New York design firm Sasaki’s, highlighted the project’s focus on creating spaces for community engagement with the water, prioritizing the human experience in design choices. The promenade aims to reconnect the community with the water, offering a lush, green contrast to the industrial aspects of the port.
