Early last month the San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to approve the proposed redevelopment of Embarcadero Park along the Financial District’s waterfront. The decision comes after voters approved Proposition B last November, providing up to 41 million towards the redevelopment of multiple parks in the San Francisco Downtown neighborhoods.
The agreement and plans for The Embarcadero have the SF City Government bringing in $15 to $20 million towards the project, while BXP Embarcadero Plaza has agreed to contribute $2.5 million. The two groups have further agreed to secure up $10 million in additional private funding.
Current Park Layout with Key Features, Image via SF Recreation and Parks
The full plan and designs have yet to be released, but SF Recreation and Parks has made some information available. Notably, the existing playground is to remain, but plans for other fixtures, including the brutalist Vaillancourt Fountain are still in discussion. The list of possible new amenities includes a possible fitness area, expanded seating, amphitheater space for live music, greenery, sculptures, and picnic areas.
The difficult decision of how to revamp the waterfront has gone through many suggestions iterations in recent years. While these latest plans are still in the works, the more cohesive direction and funding plan are promising.
Park Aerial Concept Rendering, Image via BXP
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I hope they keep the fountain. It is artwork. It’s kind of interesting. Some day people will look back on it as historic. It’s free to keep it.
Let’s save the fountain and work it into the new design, which is otherwise great.
That fountain is, and always will be, an ugly blight on the plaza.
pedestrian friendly situations are always improve a neighborhood
SCRAP THE VAILLANCOURT FOUNTAIN! While I appreciate Brutalist architecture, this fountain contributes very little to the enjoyment of the space. The vast majority of people do not enjoy their experience viewing or being near it. No one sits in the plaza visually contemplating or enjoying that fountain. Its moment has passed. This redevelopment is an opportunity to revitalize the entire space including the Embarcadero Plaza. Let’s have an open design competition to create a welcoming space with a new engaging and inviting fountain.
One sculpture is enough.
Plant beautiful specimens trees & work w the Arboretum to create an outpost for education & maintenance.
It would be awesome to see some incorporation of skateboarding’s history at Justin Herman Plaza in the new designs. Popular enough to be included in the original Tony Hawk Pro Skater game, the internationally-famous spot brought skate tourists from around the world over the years.
Yes well said, I second that. Let’s honor the skaters and great moments at EMB. Big part of skateboard history. Make it accessible for the next generation.
save the fountain sculpture!!!!! iconic sf
The new park project seems a bit strange – there are way too many sculptures for such a small space. The renderings themselves look like they might have been generated by an AI. Also, the adjacent Bocce Courts remain unchanged, even though it would make sense to incorporate them into the park design. It would also be a great opportunity to turn the 301 North Embarcadero Street parking lot into part of the park.
The fountain was designed for a different site, and its design made more sense when the backdrop was a sea of concrete pilings beneath the elevated Embarcadero Freeway. Now that the freeway is gone, the character of the site has changed substantially—certainly enough to warrant reconsideration of the fountain’s design. Perhaps it can be relocated elsewhere?