West Harbor’s first structure rises on San Pedro waterfront
Steel framing for a portion of the first permanent building on San Pedro’s new waterfront is being raised, a milestone in a project that has taken years to begin construction.
The steel skeleton of what is known as Building 1A in the plans — and will actually consist of three connected parts — sits toward the southern end of the 42-acre linear footprint for West Harbor which will go up along the Port of Los Angeles’ Main Channel.
Building 1B will be constructed on the northern end of the development that is being constructed on property owned by the Port of L.A.
“We’re hitting our stride,” said Eric Johnson, president of Jerico Development.
Developers said 2023 will see a growing change on the property as building finally gets underway on the project that’s been planned for so long.
A contract has been signed for the 1B construction, Johnson said, and that is currently in the city’s plan check process and ready to begin sometime around or after the end of this year.
Building 1A ultimately will house King & Queen Cantina, an innovative Mexican-inspired chain restaurant that specializes in farm-to-table food and creative cocktails. The restaurant will have an over-water deck and bar when construction is finished, providing guests with a picturesque backdrop and ambiance for dining and entertainment.
More than a dozen signed leases are now in hand, West Harbor is being developed by The Ratkovich Co. and Jerico Development.
A potential lease with the San Pedro Fish Market is also under negotiation and the developer has provided the popular San Pedro mainstay with temporary space on the West Harbor plot in the meantime.
In addition to King & Queen Cantina, Building A will also house:
- Mike Hess Brewing with a 20,000-square-foot beer garden
- Hopscotch, a 17,000-square-foot immersive art museum
- Poppy + Rose, offering ingredients from an on-site garden
- Pitfire Pizza
- The Win-Dow
- Olala Crepes
- Mario’s Butcher Shop
Harbor Breeze Cruises also will operate out of Building 1A, offering waterside tours and daily excursions. That business is currently open and operating out of the West Harbor North Park pop-up promenade that opened this summer. The space is temporarily being anchored by the San Pedro Fish Market.
So far, 16 leases have been signed, Johnson said, and a lease with the San Pedro Fish Market is currently being negotiated. The restaurant’s old, now-vacant facility to the north is in the process of being demolished this week.
Tenants will also be doing their own interior work at their respective locations and soft openings ranging between late 2024 and early 2025 are anticipated.
West Harbor broke ground in November 2022 and expects to have a grand opening in 2025.
In addition to restaurants and other attractions, a proposed 6,200-seat amphitheater is being planned with Nederlander Concerts. The port’s environmental report on that proposed attraction is due to be released this fall.
West Harbor also will feature programming on several acres of recreational waterside and park space, including a membership dog park with owner amenities, Bark Social. A building for that attraction currently is being planned, Johnson said, and construction on Bark Social should begin late this fall or early winter.
A plaza, a market hall, overwater decks and other attractions will be included. The promenade will provide continuous waterfront access for walking and viewing for pedestrians. Buildings will be constructed behind that walkway to keep water views open and accessible.
A one-mile stretch of open, waterfront promenade space and California’s longest public boat dock also are in the mix with the aim of making the attractions accessible by both land and water.
In the meantime, pop-up activities are being held on weekends on what’s called the North Park area — just south of the Los Angeles Maritime Museum at 6th Street and Harbor Boulevard — as a way to bring folks down to the space as it’s being developed.
“It’s coming together,” Johnson said.