San Pedro’s long-awaited piazza — the European-style plaza in the new Little Italy section of downtown near the waterfront — appears to be on track to be finished late this year. The Little Italy section of downtown San Pedro received LA City Council approval in 2018 to recognize the role Italian immigrants played in the Harbor Area’s early days, when commercial fishing drew folks from a wide radius. A groundbreaking for the piazza — originally hoped to be open by late 2024 — took place in October 2022.

The centerpiece of the district, Piazza Miramare, referring to the view of the sea — Los Angeles’ working harbor is across the street — was designed by Gensler, an award-winning architectural firm, and will provide a European-style gathering space at the corner of Harbor Boulevard and Sixth Street, next to the town’s historic municipal building, 638 S. Beacon St.