Site Name: Todd Shipyard Corp. also known as Todd Pacific Shipyards. Originally known as Los Angeles Shipbuilding and Drydock Corporation.
Location: The site is located at 710 Front Street in the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro, California between Front Street and Regan Street to the south, Pacific Avenue to the southwest, and the Los Angeles Channel Turning Basing to the north.
Site History: The shipyard site was originally constructed by the Los Angeles Shipbuilding and Drydock Corporation for US Naval use in 1917. In December of 1943, the Navy took possession of the shipyard by Executive Order and requested Todd Shipyard Corporation to operate and manage the plant. Although Board of Harbor Commissioners Order Number 1926 (approved 4 August 1943) indicated that the Navy Department was contemplating the execution of a contract that would provide for the ownership by the United States of certain facilities and improvements placed on the west side of the Los Angeles Shipbuilding and Drydock Corporation site, Navy documents (December 1993) appeared to indicate that the Navy took possession of the entire shipyard.
The following structures were located on the site in 1943: blacksmith shop, pipe shop, maintenance building, storage buildings, machine shop, pump house, switch house, gasoline pumps, transformers, wharfs, welding school, copper shop, substations, incinerator, sheet metal shop, electric shop, paint shop, sand blast building, riggers loft, brazing and test building, railroad trestle, welding shop, lumber storage, garage, and pipe coating building.
The shipyard was relinquished by the Navy to the Los Angeles Shipbuilding and Drydock Corporation on 7 January 1946 and was immediately sold to Todd Pacific Shipyards Inc. Todd Pacific Shipyards purchased all of the assets from the US Government in 1965. Todd Pacific Shipyards reportedly used all improvements beneficially and continued operation until 1989 when it filed for bankruptcy. The shipyard property and assets were returned to the Port of Los Angeles in 1990.
The Port of Los Angeles demolished all former shipyard structures with the exception of an old guard shack located on the west side of the property; a small building, constructed recently, on the southwest corner of the property; some sandblast waste storage structures; and a Todd Shipyard crane. Most of the property has been paved with asphalt and is currently used for storage,
construction projects and other Port of Los Angeles activities.
