Summary
Ports O’ Call Village, located along the Port of Los Angeles main channel in San Pedro, was a seaside plaza that featured souvenir and gift shops, along with restaurants, sweetshops, fish markets and quick-bite eateries.[2] This New England–style seaside village encompassed 15 acres of shops, restaurants and attractions. A meandering promenade of cobblestone streets connects the specialty shops.[3]
| Ports O' Call Village | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Click on the map for a fullscreen view | |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| Location | San Pedro, Los Angeles |
| Coordinates | 33°43′57″N 118°16′37″W / 33.73263°N 118.27683999999999°W[1] |
| Details | |
| Opened | December 9, 1907 |
| Size of harbour | 15 acres (6.1 ha) |
| Land area | 15 acres (6.1 ha) |
| Statistics | |
| Website Ports O' Call | |
History edit
Ports O' Call Village, branded as an "elaborately themed seaside entertainment venue", was conceived and built by David Tallichet in 1963,[4] a World War II pilot-turned restaurateur who also built the Castaway and 94th Aero Squadron. Tallichet envisioned an eclectic mixture of international destinations knitted together with cobblestone pathways, strolling musicians and global cuisine.[5]
The complex had 71 retail units.[6] A transit terminal for both RTD and Long Beach Public Transit buses opened in 1975 near the Sky Tower at the entrance of Ports O' Call.[7] The site as served as a departure point for whale-watching boat tours.[8] Attractions of the site in 1976 included "harbor cruises, helicopter rides, a puppet theater, sky tower, pirate ship, and unusual restaurants."[9] As of 1989 it attracted 1.1 visitors annually.[10] By 2002, only half of them were occupied with tenants.[6] While it ran, the Waterfront Red Car stopped at Ports O' Call.[11] By 2012 the complex was described as "ailing" and markets like Crafted at the Port of Los Angeles were eclipsing it in buzz.[12]
A man named Charles Ashbourne working making balloon animals for children in the Cutlas Square section of Ports O' Call from 1963 to at least 1995.[13]
Development edit
In 2013, the Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners called for the redevelopment of the entire 30-acre waterfront site in the Port of Los Angeles that includes Ports O' Call Village. After a series of public meetings and extensive community input, in 2015, the Port of Los Angeles released its Public Access Investment Plan intended to create a sustainable and predictable approach to the Port's yearly investment in non-cargo related, public-serving projects and programs.
In March 2016, the Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners approved a 50-year lease for the new San Pedro Public Market on the site. Plans for San Pedro Public Market include restaurants, shopping, fresh markets, office space and a waterfront promenade with outdoor space and an open-air amphitheater. Construction is expected to begin in 2017 at a partial project cost of $90 million, paid by the developer. The San Pedro Public Market is expected to open in 2020, with demolition beginning as early as November 2016.[14][15]
As of January 2020[update], a public spokesperson at the Port of Los Angeles says it will be a couple more years until this development is open to the public.[16] The development was named West Harbor in October 2020.[17]
See also edit
References edit
- ^ Geody - Ports O' Call Village - 33.73263 -118.27684
- ^ "Ports O' Call Village". LA - The Port of Los Angeles.
- ^ "Ports O' Call Village". SanPedro.com.
- ^ "The Fresno Bee The Republican from Fresno, California". newspaper.com. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
- ^ "Ports O' Call Village - Dead or Alive?". lamag.com. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
- ^ a b Butler, Anica (2002-02-18). "Red Cars Are Back on Track". The Los Angeles Times. p. 13. Retrieved 2024-01-31.
- ^ "Joint bus terminal will open". News-Pilot. 1975-09-08. p. 3. Retrieved 2024-01-31.
- ^ "On the go". News-Pilot. 1974-02-23. p. 2. Retrieved 2024-01-31.
- ^ "Article clipped from News-Pilot". News-Pilot. 1976-12-24. p. 2. Retrieved 2024-01-31.
- ^ "With Its Traditional Industries in Decline, San Pedro Chases the Tourist Dollar". The Los Angeles Times. 1989-08-06. p. 32. Retrieved 2024-01-31.
- ^ "San Pedro Waterfront's New Look". The Los Angeles Times. 2012-07-01. p. 29. Retrieved 2024-01-31.
- ^ "San Pedro Waterfront's New Look". The Los Angeles Times. 2012-07-01. p. 29. Retrieved 2024-01-31.
- ^ "Clown". News-Pilot. 1995-04-25. p. 10. Retrieved 2024-01-31.
- ^ "PUBLIC ACCESS INVESTMENT PLAN" (PDF). PortofLosAngeles.com. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
- ^ Littlejohn, Donna (March 26, 2019). "San Pedro's waterfront development gets a $30 million investment partner". Daily Breeze. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
- ^ Littlejohn, Donna (2019-10-05). "San Pedro waterfront plans advance; groundbreaking set for spring 2020". Daily Breeze. Retrieved 2020-09-04.
- ^ "San Pedro Public Market Rebrands as 'West Harbor'". NBC Los Angeles. Retrieved 2021-01-17.
