In the fall of 2022, construction began on the 42-acre, $200-million multi-phase West Harbor project on the former Ports O’ Call Village site in San Pedro. The project is the collaborative vision of downtown San Pedro-based Jerico Development Inc. and downtown L.A.-based developer The Ratkovich Co.
In partnership with the Port of L.A. and the City of L.A., Jericho Development and Ratkovich are set to transform the area into a destination for visitors and Angelenos alike. When including the capital invested by the Port of L.A. and West Harbor’s tenants, the public-private investment totals over $500 million.
Once completed, West Harbor will feature a 1-mile-long waterfront promenade, a 1,200-linear-foot public dock and more than 200,000 square feet of attractions.
Developers in September completed building A, the first structure in phase one and the largest among multi-tenant buildings, with approximately 73,000 square feet of space. Building B, the second multi-tenant building at about 43,000 square feet, is slated to be unveiled this summer.
The Business Journal spoke with Eric Johnson, Jerico Development’s president and West Harbor’s senior project executive, and his brother, Alan Johnson, Jerico’s chief executive and West Harbor’s director of communication and community relations about the project’s progress and how they came to be involved.
Can you discuss the history of the business?
Eric: Jerico Development has been in business since 1984. Jerico is part of the Victory Group, which began as a trucking and crane company that helped build the city of L.A. starting in 1921. The business opened in Long Beach and has gone through several iterations, becoming a drilling contractor, then an oil and gas exploration and production company, and today a real estate development company.
Does West Harbor have a personal significance for the two of you?
Eric: As Alan and I get older we’ve been doing more work closer to where we live. We grew up in Palos Verdes – adjacent to San Pedro – and were in grade school when the original Ports O’ Call was built in the early ’60s. Ports O’ Call really transformed that portion of the San Pedro waterfront from something that was kind of heavy industrial and in need of repair, into something that is vibrant and attractive that the community was super proud of.
This project is especially meaningful to us. Having grown up with Ports O’ Call we knew that a new and refreshed retail, dining and entertainment district would thrive because we had experienced firsthand just how special this one-of-a-kind site was and still is.
We felt we were the right people to ensure that the new development would be complementary and connected to the San Pedro community, especially since we have been working in downtown San Pedro for the last 40-plus years.
Ports O’ Call was demolished to make way for new development, of which your project is the centerpiece. Will West Harbor incorporate any of the old Ports O’ Call?
Alan: The community and Port had a different vision for their new waterfront. When Ports O’ Call was built, all the buildings were built right up to or out on the water. So, if you wanted a view of the harbor, you would have to go inside the building to get close.
Modern urban design, particularly for urban port redevelopments, prioritizes public access and movement along the waterfront. Hence, our plans to create a mile-long continuous waterfront promenade.
We decided we were not going to be a faux New England fishing village or Polynesian village. We are building modern warehouses, which are in line with what would be built on the site in the 21st century. They’re light, functional and don’t have columns in the interior spaces. They’re easy to configure and true to the Port’s history. We want to make sure each element of the project is unique, authentic and fun. The old Ports O’ Call was definitely unique and fun, but not so authentic.
We wanted to build something modern for San Pedro and not fake something old; something that would celebrate the present and complement the rebirth of our waterfront from what it was to what it will be – a destination for the community, the region and the world.