By Matthew Allen
Redondo Beach keeps talking about a big King Harbor makeover — and then… nothing. If you’re wondering why the marina area still feels half-finished, it’s because the city’s waterfront plans have been stuck in a long loop of politics, lawsuits, and coastal red tape.
Your man in Redondo Beach has watched this movie for years: big glossy renderings show up, neighbors split into camps, and the whole thing bogs down before a shovel hits dirt.
Here’s the big reason: the last major attempt at a sweeping waterfront redevelopment blew up. The City ended up paying $2 million to settle multiple lawsuits tied to the failed CenterCal/Redondo Beach Waterfront deal — after years of legal uncertainty hanging over the harbor. During that fight, even existing waterfront tenants were stuck with leases that could be ended on short notice. That kind of mess scares off long-term investment fast.
Second problem: the waterfront is not a normal development site. It’s coastal zone territory. That means extra layers of approvals, plus constant battles over public access, parking, traffic, and view impacts. And on top of that, the “who pays for what” question is brutal. The old plan expected a private developer to bankroll big-ticket public needs like parking, stormwater improvements, and protections for sea-level rise. That bill has only gotten bigger.
So what’s happening instead? Smaller, piecemeal upgrades. The city is pushing a King Harbor public amenities planning effort and pointing to projects like streetscape work, parking system upgrades, and facility renovations. Useful stuff — but it’s not the dramatic transformation people picture when they hear “revitalization.”
At this point, the marina’s future looks like a slow grind unless City Hall can lock in a clear vision and a funding plan that doesn’t feel sketchy to residents or developers.
Do you want a big, bold rebuild down at King Harbor — or keep it incremental and low-risk? Sound off in the comments.