UPDATE: On Thursday, October 18, 2022, at 11:30 a.m. the Port Commission tabled the proposed demolition of the Star-kist Tuna Cannery to an unspecified future meeting. At the hearing a lengthy discussion took centered around the correct way to honor the important heritage at this site. Commissioner Pirozzi has insisted further outreach to the local community is needed before approving the demolition of the Stark-Kist Plant. The certification of the Port's Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) would be a serious blow to historic resources on Terminal Island and specifically Fish Harbour. In addition to the Star-Kist plant, the Port has expressed intent to demolish several buildings within the historic West Marine facility.

For more information about ways to advocate for the Star-Kist Cannery check out the How You Can Help section below.

On March 10, 2022, the Port of Los Angeles released a Request for Interest (RFI) for the former Star-Kist Tuna Plant. The Harbor Department is solicited expressions of interest for possible lease agreements for the 8.63-acre site with approximately 267,720 square feet of commercial/industrial space. On April 7th at 3:00 p.m., RFI submissions were closed. With few submissions and no parties interested in preserving the building, the Port will move forward with releasing its final Mitigated Negative Declaration.

In November 2021, the Port of Los Angeles reissued a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) for a project to demolish the former Star-Kist Tuna Plant. The plant is one of the last remaining facilities connected to Los Angeles's once prolific canning industry. The Conservancy strongly opposes the demolition of this property as it has gained heightened significance since the Port has demolished nearly all of Fish Harbor's historic resources in the last decade.

In August 2013, the Port of Los Angeles’ Board of Harbor Commissioners approved a Master Plan Update after amending it to include a path for preservation.

The amendment allows for flexibility in reusing historic buildings in Fish Harbor on Terminal Island, which includes several significant industrial cannery buildings and a former Japanese American commercial village. This important change is one of several improvements the Port has made to its Master Plan Update, which will guide growth and development at the Port through 2030.

The Conservancy has worked hard to advocate for preservation at the Port while being pragmatic and prioritizing specific issues. The Master Plan Update is a great step and a "win-win" for preservation.

We thank the Port leadership, staff, and Board of Harbor Commissioners for taking our concerns seriously and collaborating with us to find a mutually beneficial solution. We want to acknowledge the office of Councilmember Joe Buscaino and their assistance with this effort.

We also thank the National Trust for Historic Preservation for being a partner with us in this effort and for listing Terminal Island on its 2012 list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places. This listing was instrumental in raising awareness of Terminal Island’s significance and engaging the Port in serious discussion about preservation options.

The historic buildings at Terminal Island tell the real stories of real people, including Conservancy member Joe Mendez. We can now help ensure that these buildings and these stories continue to fuel a thriving Port and that all Angelenos know why the Port is so important to the City of Los Angeles’ past, present, and future.

Creating a Framework for Preservation

While the adopted Master Plan Update does not address all of our concerns, it is a great improvement that offers a framework for preservation going forward. The Conservancy has worked to preserve historic places at the Port since 2006. We will continue to work with the Port to address any future issues that jeopardize specific historic places that help tell the story of Greater L.A.’s rich maritime history.

The presence of preservation in the Port Master Plan Update has changed considerably since it was first released (in 2011 through the Terminal Island Land Use Plan and subsequently in the draft Port Master Plan in early 2013). The initial plan included:

• A set of goals that did not provide an equal priority for the preservation and reuse of historic structures
• Land uses that hindered the reuse of historic structures, including contradictory land uses within single buildings
• Planned road realignments that went directly through historic buildings

By contrast, and after much hard work and collaboration, the plan approved on August 8 includes:

• Equal standing for preservation among its goals
• The identification of Fish Harbor’s Japanese-American Commercial Village as a historic resource
• The removal of road realignments originally intended to bisect historic buildings
• Mixed-use land use designations that provide greater flexibility in adaptively reusing historic buildings

In addition to adopting the Master Plan Update, the Port adopted a cultural resources policy (PDF) in May 2013. This policy was undertaken through the Port’s own initiative and is the first of its kind in the nation.

This is a great step and a "win-win" for buildings that might not seem important. They may not be pretty, but they have all been deemed eligible for historic designation. They help tell the story of Los Angeles’ rich maritime history and why the Port is so important to the City of Los Angeles.

On August 29, 2013 the National Trust for Historic Preservation issued a press release, with Brian Turner from the San Francisco Field Office stating, "the re-use of historic buildings at the Port will help keep alive the area’s historic significance as a once-vibrant Japanese-American fishing village, a major World War I and II shipbuilding center and the birthplace of the worldwide tuna canning industry."