California Construction News staff writer
Mayor London N. Breed today joined Supervisor Matt Dorsey and the Golden State Warriors to celebrate the start of construction for Bayfront Park, a planned 5.4-acre open space located between Chase Center and San Francisco Bay. When completed in fall 2023, the new park will add a vibrant waterfront destination to the growing Mission Bay neighborhood.
“As we mapped out the vision for Chase Center and Thrive City, this park was a critical piece of the overall project,” said Warriors president and Chief Operating Officer Brandon Schneider.
“Bayfront Park will be a beacon to neighbors and visitors alike, offering unparalleled views of the bay in a safe, clean and accessible location. The Warriors are thrilled that our investment in the Mission Bay neighborhood will complement this phenomenal community asset.”
The park will include open lawns, a section of the Bay Trail, and multiple plazas, integrating and improving access to adjacent open spaces: Agua Vista Park and Mariposa Bayfront Park to the south/southwest, and the previously completed portion of Bayfront Park to the north.
A large quantity of reclaimed steel from the old Bay Bridge will be used to help reflect the site’s industrial heritage.
“Mission Bay has made a remarkable transformation from unused railyards into San Francisco’s newest neighborhood and a center for health care and sports excellence. Now this crucial section of Mission Bay waterfront is on the cusp of a much-needed improvement with the construction of Bayfront Park,” said Mayor London Breed. “We are all ready for this strip of dirt to become a beautiful slice of green for everyone who experiences it.”
The project was included in the Mission Bay South Redevelopment Plan approved in 1998. Since then, Mission Bay has added almost 6,000 housing units, with 1,500 of them affordable.
The area has 5.5 million square feet of commercial and retail space, including the new University of California San Francisco hospitals and medical centers, and Chase Center, the home of the NBA Champion Golden State Warriors. Almost 25 acres of new parks and open spaces serve Mission Bay residents and visitors.
“Bayfront Park will be another jewel in the Blue Greenway and Bay Trail,” said Port of San Francisco Executive Director Elain Forbes. “The park’s playful design and variety of experiences adds to the Port’s portfolio of parks and open spaces, while addressing sea level rise on an elevated shoreline. The Port appreciates its partnership with the Office of Community Investment and Infrastructure and the stakeholders who provided input on the design.”
Bayfront Park is the latest in a series of new waterfront parks in various stages of development all along the San Francisco Waterfront. To the north, Tunnel Tops and Battery Bluffs have both recently opened in the Presidio, along with Francisco Park which opened a few months ago near Ghirardelli Square. South of Bayfront Park, Crane Cove Park recently opened, and new parks and open space are being developed, including India Basin Shoreline Park, a future 10-acre open space on the Southeastern Waterfront.
