An illuminated fountain, built at the Harbor exit of the freeway, is slated to open by year's end as the next chapter in the waterfront development project.
It will sing and it will dance. And it will cost $5 million to create. A choreographed, lighted water fountain, patterned after the Bellagio fountains in Las Vegas, is slated to be unveiled by the end of this year, the next chapter in San Pedro's waterfront development project.

The fountain, designed by WET Design of Sun Valley, the same firm that did Bellagio, will be constructed at the corner of Swinford Street and Harbor Boulevard, greeting motorists as they get off the Harbor (110) Freeway at Harbor.

The fountain will be designed to vary in water flow and operate in conjunction with music and lights.

Construction is expected to begin in July and be completed in December. The attraction will welcome motorists as they come to the World Cruise Center or visit the waterfront promenade.

The waterfront project master plan was approved in concept by the harbor commission in September 2004, a year after award-winning designers from New York were hired. The project, which could take up to 20 years to complete, continues to make its way through the planning process. Several alternative plans are now being analyzed in a yearlong environmental study.

Two sections of what eventually will be an 8-mile promenade have already been completed—near the port's cruise terminal and a stretch that extends along Harbor from Swinford to Fifth Street.

Meanwhile, harbor commissioners are being asked to weigh in on proposed interim improvements port officials were hoping to do along the waterfront while the environmental study for longer-range changes is being completed.

Specifically, the Port Community Advisory Committee wants a 25-acre vacant parcel on 22nd Street in San Pedro preserved primarily as open space, with only limited parking offered on the site to serve the Cabrillo Marina and restaurants across the street.

"I was hopeful we could move forward with some of these interim projects and I'm still perplexed why we can't do that more quickly, particularly on the 22nd Street property," said Los Angeles City Councilwoman Janice Hahn. "It's really just a matter of the port planting grass on their own property to allow kids to play in the interim."

In December, port officials agreed to downsize the parking spaces from about 500 to 340. But a community advisory panel asked that it be further reduced to 175, with the rest of the former tank farm site opened up as public open space.
Originally, said June Burlingame Smith, the port wanted to put 800 parking spaces on the site. The parking was designed, she said, to conform to parking for future hotels being considered for the port's long-term redevelopment plan in the area.

Many residents oppose the hotels, saying they would bring congestion and rob the community of much needed public open park space east of Gaffey Street where few parks now exist.

Others, however, support more development on the waterfront, saying it will create needed jobs and revenue for the area.

Port staff will review the PCAC resolution and return to the harbor commission with a recommendation.

Several speakers at last week's harbor commission meeting also urged commissioners to focus on including new job opportunities in the Bridge to Breakwater plans.

"San Pedro is dying a slow death, suffering from Mayberry-ism," said Pamela Foster of San Pedro.

"I'd love to see the Bridge to Breakwater" built, said Debra Brooks, vice president of the Rancho San Pedro public housing complex across the street from the waterfront. "But we need jobs also."

"Our kids don't have summer jobs anymore," Hahn said, agreeing that the waterfront plan needs provide more jobs. "I've been one who believes this is an opportunity to really create some commercial retail opportunities for our young people on the waterfront.”