About San Pedro's Downtown

The State Lands Agency of California, which administers Port Lands within the State of California, has recently ruled that the proposed plans for a park on the top of Knoll Hill in San Pedro are not consistent with the State Tidelands Trust which regulates the permissable land uses on State Tidelands and Port Property.

A citizens committee had proposed that the land be improved with backstops that would be used part of the year by the Eastview Little League, and as general park use for the rest of the year, and would also have a children's playground. The Agency ruled that land uses must be of a Regional nature and not just serve a local use, and determined that the proposed uses were only local in nature. They have also indicated that a dog park, which is currently at the base of the hill, also would not meet this land use criteria.

Unfortunately, long term plans for the site calls for the property to be used to accommodate reworking the onramps and offramps for the Vincent Thomas Bridge and the harbor Freeway. Port authorities have indicated that any use of the site would be temporary and probably limited to 3 years. Therefor, a permanent location for the Little League fields and the off-leash dog park still need to be resolved.

So basically, the only permitted use of the 6 acres of land as a park would include only trails. The Eastview Little League currently uses the land under a lease that will expire January 31, 2011

For more information about San Pedro, visit my website at http://www.maureenmegowan.com

By 1835, San Pedro had become the most important port on the Pacific Coast. Because of shallow water and mud flats, ships had to drop anchor about a mile off shore, and small boats would then transfer passengers and cargo ashore. These would often capsize, spilling both passengers and cargo into the muddy water. During this time, the Sepulvedas built a crude dock and landing at the base of cliffs near present day Fourteenth and Beacon Streets in San Pedro, which became known as Sepulveda Landing.

San Pedro in 1850, Dead Man's Island in the background

In 1851, 21 year old Phineas Banning arrived in San Pedro from Philadelphia. Banning, and his partner, George Alexander, soon began operating a stagecoach service from San Pedro. When August Timms bought the Sepulveda Landing, early in 1852, Banning was concerned (Sepulveda Landing then became known as "Timms Landing").



Monument for Timms' Point and Landing

When word came from Washington that San Pedro would soon be declared an official port of entry with its own customhouse, Banning negotiated to buy a tract of land from the Sepulvedas, located near Timm's Landing, and promptly built his own wharf. In November 1854, Banning and a group of investors (J.G Downey, Don Benito Wilson, and William Sanford) purchased 2,400 acres adjacent to San Pedro, for port expansion. This land later became the city of Wilmington, after Banning's Delaware birthplace.


Bannings Landing, Wilmington, 1870

For more about the HISTORY OF SAN PEDRO visit my website at http://www.maureenmegowan.com

The Vue is now leasing at least 4 units which showed up on the MLS today. They are 2 bedrooms listed for lease for between $2200 and $4500 a month.

They also listed one unit for sale on the MLS for $554,204. This one is a 2 bedroom, 2 bath 1045 sf unit.

The MLS can be viewed through my website at www.RebeccaChambliss.com

I also spoke to another attorney who explained how they organize the purchase contracts to be "iron clad." That developments now use these contracts that are virtually impossible for the buyer to regain their deposit if they default.

The issue is always being sure to READ the contract and understand it so you know what you are getting into. The other issue is making sure in any real estate purchase that you have excellent single sided representation, whether that be your own Realtor, or attorney or both.

As the calls and emails continue to come in asking for information about what is going on with the condos downtown, I am well overdue for an update.

The Vue has been renegotiating contracts with buyers apparently. Price and terms are both up for negotiation, I also hear they are working with a new lender who might be a little more flexible with buyers.

There are a number of people who have said they are walking away. There is an attorney negotiating with the Vue attorneys to settle with a group of buyers who are unable or unwilling to close. There are other buyers who are closing and planning to move in. I haven't seen anyone there yet but I do know they are leaving lots of lights on at night to make it appear well lived in.

I haven't seen the offering plan, but I might suggest those of you who are still somewhere between a signed contract and closing to seek it out. It should spell out the requirements of The Vue to enforce the contract, including a mminimum number of units that must be sold in order to enforce the remaining contracts. It should be on file with the state and is a public document.

Interest rates are WAY down and if you are thinking of closing, it would be a good time to get locked in. I suppose the units will need an appraisal and hopefully that will be reflected in the purchase price if they will renegotiate.

The Center Street lofts just down the way has reduced the sales price of all available units (they say there are 20 left.) They start now in the low $200s and they are offering a 4% fixed rate to new buyers. Not a bad deal at all.

The Bank Street lofts have gone to leasing them out after selling only 6 units apparently. The plan to finish the second project is to NOT finish it from what I understand.

There have been significant improvements made to the San Pedro Waterfront recently, with much more to come. The overall project is called "From Bridge to BreakWater", and is planned to be a 30 year build out for the complete project. The first phase of the project being implemented is the Gateway Plaza and the Cruise Ship Promenade. As stated in the San Pedro Waterfront Improvement website, "The project concept involves development of a public pedestrian promenade, an entry plaza, streetscape and pedestrian enhancements, and street intersection improvements. The purpose of this project is to make improvements to the gateway area to the Port and to meet the following objectives:

~ enhance public access to the waterfront;
~ provide an attractive pedestrian-friendly corridor ; and
~ provide a system of public plazas and gathering spaces along the waterfront.

The first project to be completed, the Cruise Ship Promenade opened to a community celebration in December 2004. Facing the huge cruise ships that depart from the World Cruise Center in San Pedro, the Promenade's overlook decks, custom wave benches, flowing grasses, bocce courts and chess tables, deck chairs and beautiful ipe wood deck have all been well used and received as a benchmark for the projects still to come! "


San Pedro Cruise Ship Promenade

Future phases will include increasing access from the Downtown San Pedro area to the waterfront, new parks, increasing pedestrian access, a new 4 acre park "Fisherman's Park", refurbishment of the Ports O'Call village and improved access from Downtown San Pedro, improvements to Cabrillo Beach, and much more. Artists renderings of these future projects are available to view.

For more information about buying or selling a home in San Pedro, visit my website at http://www.maureenmegowan.com