L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, AUGUST 9, 2018 www.italoamericano.org 22 L'Italo-Americano I n the 1800s,Los Angeles used to have a vibrant Little Italy located in the historic center of the city, a place today known as El Pueblo de Los Angeles. In this very area two streets were named after two Italian pioneers, Nicola Quierolo and Giuseppe Garibaldi, leaders of the Italian unification and, starting from the 1900s, the Ital- ian community began expand- ing into present-day Chinatown, Lincoln Heights, Elysian Park, all the way to San Pedro. Nowa- days, however, little is left of the Italian American heritage and history in this area, except St. Peter's Church and Casa Ital- iana. It is hard to believe that in California - the third US state for number of Italian Americans, after New York and New Jersey - and in a city like Los Angeles - the 5th metropolitan area in the US for number of Italian Ameri- can residents, after New York, Philadelphia, Boston and Chica- go – there was no publicly identi- fied Little Italy.  Something has recently changed after council member Joe Buscaino introduced a motion to have a section of San Pedro named Historic Little Italy. "The neighborhood in San Pedro is home to the region's largest concentration of persons of Ital- ian ancestry. It is appropriate the city honors this vibrant enclave of Italian Americans, which is such an important part of our city's history and multicultural fabric," underlines Buscaino. San Pedro in fact represents one of the few visible local Ital- ian communities. Due to the presence of the port and to what was formerly a significant fish- ing industry, this southern part of the city witnessed the arrival of two main groups of Italian immi- grants who, throughout the years, had an important role in the growth of the local fishing indus- try. They came from the fishing communities of Ischia and Sicily. Although the first migra- tions took place in the early 20 th century, with the arrival of the Sicilians only later, the solid identity of this community, along with its close-knit nature, fos- tered in time the preservation of an true Italian reality in San Pedro. Indeed, preserving such Ital- ian identity was a priority of council member Joe Buscaino, representative of the San Pedro area. Of Sicilian descent, Buscaino has been actively working to sup- port cultural preservation and commemoration through various community initiatives and public works. The most recent is clearly represented by the motion that was approved in a 13-0 vote on Wednesday June 27, and that officially designated a Historic Little Italy in San Pedro, and includes also the installation of street signs at key intersections. When did the idea of the motion came into being? Considering their history and the contribution Italians gave to San Pedro, it was obvious that a new square called Little Italy had to become a reality here, also in light of all we've been doing in the area. What are you doing? Downtown San Pedro is cur- rently experiencing a renais- sance. We have begun the $150 million redevelopment of the Los Angeles Waterfront in San Pedro, a large commercial devel- opment that will become a new attraction for Los Angeles. There are already 1,000 new apart- ments, either planned or already being built, in downtown San Pedro. A few years ago, the city's Harbor Department com- pleted the $35 million downtown San Pedro Harbor. We have begun the process of redevelop- ing the Rancho San Pedro public housing development, which will add 22 acres to the estate, and more housing for all income lev- els. Our aim is to make of down- town San Pedro a new destina- tion in Los Angeles. The idea is to attract new businesses, which is also a way to support existing commercial activities in the area. Why was it so important for you? Creating a Little Italy serves as a mechanism to preserve Ital- ian culture. Italians had an immense impact on San Pedro's history and economy during the past century. While many Italian fam- ilies have assimilated into Amer- ican culture, they have also been showing a renewed desire to be connected to their roots. Did any other Little Italy in the US inspired you? Yes! The model that San Diego used to establish and grow its Little Italy is impressive. I have brought its creator on board as a consultant to help us shape our San Pedro. What will the impact of this new Italian district be on an economic and social level? The preservation and promo- tion of Italian culture and cuisine is an important aspect of this ini- tiative. Developing a strategy to attract and support Italian busi- nesses in San Pedro is also a solid approach for local econom- ic development. San Diego has been tremendously successful at using the concept of Little Italy: they transformed it in a com- pelling branding and marketing tool. In San Pedro, we will learn from this approach and adapt it to support our own downtown development's goals. Are you planning any new constructions in the area? Yes! Currently, there are approximately 1,000 new apart- ments, planned or already being built, within one and a half mile of where Little Italy's square will be. What's the key factor to make Little Italy successful? The Little Italy model requires density to be successful: it is nec- essary to support the current eco- nomic activity around the square, as well as all those which will be created thanks to it. Additionally, adjacent to downtown San Pedro is the Ran- cho San Pedro public housing development where there are cur- rently 479 housing units on 22 acres. We have begun the rede- veloping process by increasing the site's density thanks to the creation of new housing for all income levels. This redevelop- ment will contribute to increase density in downtown San Pedro, which will ensure that existing and new businesses thrive. What was the reaction of the locals in San Pedro when the motion was approved? Locals in San Pedro are very aware of the contributions of Ital- ians and their history in town, and appreciate the efforts being made to establish a Little Italy. Locals understand the economic benefits a Little Italy will bring to downtown San Pedro and, ulti- mately, to them as residents. Is the Italian community in San Pedro going to celebrate? Italians are always eager to celebrate the many things life brings us. Births, weddings, birthdays, Saints' Days, and even family time on Sundays, so there is no doubt that a Little Italy in San Pedro will be a cause for cel- ebration. The area of Historic Little Italy will be marked with signs at various intersections, including Ninth Street and Gaffey Street, Ninth Street and Pacific Avenue, Sixth Street and Pacific Avenue, Sixth Street and Mesa Street, 12 th Street and Gaffey Street, 12 th Street and Mesa Street, 13 th Street and Gaffey Street, 17 th Street and Gaffey Street, 13 th Street and Mesa Street, and 17 th Street and Mesa Street. SILVIA GIUDICI San Pedro's Little Italy as it will be: finally LA will have its corner of Belpaese recognized San Pedro officially has its own historic Little Italy LOS ANGELES ITALIAN COMMUNITY Councilman Joe Buscaino fought to see the Italian heritage of San Pedro ack- nowledged

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