PORT OF LOS ANGELES RECEIVES EXCELLENCE AWARD FROM THE WATERFRONT CENTER

Honored for Fanfare Fountains & Water Features, San Pedro Gateway Plaza

SAN PEDRO, Calif. — October 26, 2009 — The Port of Los Angeles and WET Design have been honored by The Waterfront Center with a 2009 Excellence on the Waterfront Award at the 27th Annual Urban Waterfront Conference in Seattle.

The Port was recognized for its Fanfare Fountains & Water Features at San Pedro Gateway Plaza, a welcoming landmark located at Harbor Boulevard and Swinford Street in San Pedro. Last month, a comprehensive Environmental Impact Report was approved by the Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners to move forward with the entire San Pedro Waterfront project. For more information on the Port’s waterfront initiatives in San Pedro and Wilmington, visit www.lawaterfront.org.
                                                                                                            
“We are thrilled to receive this honor from The Waterfront Center, who reviewed waterfront projects from all over the world,” said Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Geraldine Knatz, Ph.D. “We were already proud to boast the largest water feature in California – now we can boast international recognition, too.”

Judging criteria for the award included sensitivity of the design to the water; quality and harmony of design; civic contribution; environmental; and enrichment emphases. The Fanfare Fountains & Water Features were designed by WET Design of Sun Valley, Calif., the designers of The Fountains of Bellagio, Universal CityWalk, Tokyo Dome and others around the world. EDAW of San Francisco was the design and landscape team for the Gateway Plaza.

The Waterfront Center is a public interest, nonprofit educational organization, based in Washington, D.C. was formed in 1981 for the public interest in waterfront planning and development, advocated environmental values and a holistic approach to enhancement of waterfront resources. The Center champions quality design and execution as well as public accessibility to the water’s edge.

The Port of Los Angeles is America’s premier port and has a strong commitment to developing innovative strategic and sustainable operations that benefit the economy as well as the quality of life for the region and the nation it serves.  As the leading seaport in North America in terms of shipping container volume and cargo value, the Port generates 919,000 regional jobs and $39.1 billion in annual wages and tax revenues.  A proprietary department of the City of Los Angeles, the Port is self-supporting and does not receive taxpayer dollars. The Port of Los Angeles – A cleaner port.  A brighter future.