a guide to san francisco's privately-owned public

8/14/2019 A Guide to San Francisco's Privately-owned Public

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A guide o San Francisco's priva e -owned pub ic open spaces

Secrets of San Francisco

In his guide, SPUR revea s one (or 68, o be precise) of San Francisco's beskep secre s: a rich ne work of priva e -owned pub ic open spaces sca ered

hroughou he ci 's down own area. Use his guide o scope ou a new spo

o ea unch, ho d an informa mee ing, or simp soak in some na ure. Big or

sma , park or "snippe ," nor h or sou h of Marke : know our ci 's POPOS and

swear o never ea unch in our cube again!

POPOSP-Priva e

O-owned

P-pub ic

O-open

S-spaces

All photos by Ke


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san francisco's privately-owned public open spaces*

1 Redwood Park

2 505 Sansome

3 Empire Park

4 Embarcadero

Center West

5 456 Montgomery

6 343 Sansome

7 650 California

8 600 California

9 555 California

10 345 California

11 200 California

12 150 California

13 50 California

14 One California

15 101 California

16 100 Pine

17 One Front/

444 Market

18 One Bush

19 Citygroup Center

20 Trinity Alley

21 Crocker Galleria

22 One Post

23 595 Market

24 555/575 Market

25 525 Market

26 425 Market

27 14 Fremont

28 333 Market

29 45 Fremont

30 50 Beale

31 77 Beale

32 201 Mission

33 123 Mission

34 One Market

35 135 Main

36 160 Spear

37 180 Howard

38 201 Spear

39 211 Main

40 221 Main

41 301 Howard

42 199 Fremont

43 100 First

44 25 Jessie

45 Golden Gate

University

46 49 Stevenson

47 71 Stevenson

48 55 Second

49 560 Mission

50 555 Mission

51 101 Second

52 Foundry Square

53 235 Second

54 Marriott Courtyar

55 Marathon Plaza

56 611 Folsom

1/4 mile

Light green shaded areas indicatepublicly provided open spaces.

Created before 1985

Created after 1985

*Several of these addressesinclude more than one POP


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1972 Exce en

SPUR sur d tot of 68 POPOS dow tow S Fr s o. Of t os 68 sp s w ud p r s, p z s, t rr sd s pp ts 45 w r r t d tw 1959 d 1985. T r 23 w r r t d u d r t r qu r ts of t

1985 Dow tow P , s t of zo r u t o s dopt d to o tro rowt , d w ud d u d s for t r t oof or pu ss op sp dow tow S Fr s o. W op ou w us t s u d to d our f or tPOPOS. S r t w d w t o u s d fr ds!

yEAR BUIlt SPUR Ra ingCreated before 1985 Created after 1985

1990 Exce en

1988 Good

1983 Fair

1990 Fair

1969 Fair

1980 Good

1989 Fair/Good

1965 Poor

1 ReDWOOD PaRkThis urban park , located at the oot o the Transamerica Pyramid,is a wonder ul surprise. Surrounded by Redwood trees andgraced with luscious erns, the park eatures a ountain spoutingwater several eet high, and gurative bronze sculptures. Thereare also grassy areas, wooden benches and a concrete stage.Take-out ood services are nearby. Closed a ter o ce hours.

2 505 SanSOme ST.A greenhouse in the lobby o this o ce building aces andconnects to Redwood Park. Its two-story glass walls create anairy interior, eaturing granite fooring, several paintings and eighttables, each with three to our chairs o beauti ul modern design.

Two ood services are located within the building. Neededimprovements: exterior signage, more seating

3 emPiRe PaRkFrom the Commercial Street lunchtime mall the visitor entersthis intimate urban garden , occupying the site o a demolishedbuilding. The design is symmetrical, with brick planter beds andsitting ledges along both sides and a ountain sculpture at theend o the central axis. Benches and tables with chairs completethe urnishings o this enjoyable space. Needed improvements:Restroom availability.

4 embaRcaDeRO cenTeR WeSTThe rst o the three open spaces here is the conversion o Commercial Street between Sansome & Battery into an exclusivepedestrian walkway . There are small seating areas on thesecond level and elaborate stairs fanked by narrow water allsthat bring the second-story walkway to street level at mid-block.The second hal o the street has two rows o trees in circularplanters with ledges too low to sit on com ortably. Tables andchairs that had been placed between trees have been removed.Also gone are adjacent ood services.

The second, at the Old Federal Reserve Bank building, consistso the generous steps (snippets) to the historic building rom bothBattery and Sansome streets.

The third, on the south side o Sacramento between Sansome& Battery, is a two-level snippet , west o the o ce building.Grey granite covers the ground level, steps and retaining wallwith attached seating ledges. The space also eatures pottedplants and a sculpture as well as moveable tables and chairs,and adjacent ood services.

5 456 mOnTgOmeRy ST.Some seating has been provided at the sidewalk level butthe main open space, an urban garden , cascades down intothe middle recess o the building. Several small terraces withbenches, stairs, planters and a water eature extend down twofoors and end in a space with tables and chairs outside a deli.It gets little sun and there is no signage anywhere indicating thatit is a public space. Needed improvements: street-level signage

6 343 SanSOme ST.There are two open spaces here. Signs at a street entranceand in an elevator guide visitors to the rst: the view and sunterrace on the 15th foor. The terrace includes tables and chairs,

benches, olive trees and ledge seating along granite planters.Joan Browns Four Seasons obelisk stands in center. Open 10a.m. to 5 p.m.

The other open space is on Leidesdor Street, adjacent to thebuilding, which has been trans ormed into a lunchtime mallinstalling special pavement, bollards and elements to block o the street, and moveable chairs and tables. Two ood servicesare on the buildings ground foor. Available 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.Needed improvements: lettering on signage

7 650 caliFORnia ST.There are two largely barren plazas : one at the Cali ornia Stre

ront entrance, and one behind the building, with white concretebenches and large circular raised planters with edges suitable orseating. Planters with boxwood and hydrangea are arranged onstone pavement. Needed improvements: benches, landscaping,

signage

8 600 caliFORnia ST.This snippet has no amenities and no seating except the stairs,but it sports one o the densest assemblages o public art piecesdowntown, including the Art Deco elevator doors on the loggiawall at the main entrance, Bella Feldmans sculpture inside thebank lobby, Kent Roberts aqueduct/railroad trestle/elevatedhighway on the stairway and Bruce Beasleys bronze sculpture

on top o the stairs, placed on granite cobblestones. Neededimprovements: landscaping, seating

9 555 caliFORnia ST.The red granite used on the outside o this building extends tothe pavement, railing and steps o this grand, almost orbiddingplaza. The massive black granite sculpture accentuates thisimpression. On the northeast corner, there is an urban gardewith six large wooden planters with olive trees and bamboo andbeauti ully designed teak benches. There is no restroom accessor adjacent ood service. Open at all times.


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101 Second StreetGreenhouse

One o the citys most pleasantPOPOS is this fve-story greenhouseon Second and Mission. Built in2000, and designed by Skidmore,Owings & Merrill, the tiered spaceincludes a mezzanine with ca tables and chairs.


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425 Market St. 343 Sansome St. 560 MiUrban garden Sun terrace Urb

21 cROckeR galleRiaThere are two roo top sun terraces here that are open wheneverthe Galleria is open. One sun terrace is on top o the historicbank building at Montgomery and Post Streets, and is accessed

rom a staircase on the easterly side o the Gallerias top foor orrom an elevator at the corner o the bank building.The terrace

has ample seating on planter ledges and benches, but no tables.An attractive ountain is out o service.

A second sun terrace can be accessed rom an obscurestaircase in the northwest corner o the Gallerias top foor. It is aquiet re uge, o ering sunny and shady places, many benches, atrellis and planters. There are many ood services in the Galleria.Restrooms are on the third foor. Needed improvements: repair fountain, better signage to the second terrace

22 One POST ST.Snippets with stand-up tables and square concrete blocks atsitting height next to ood services. A ew planters with boxwoodwere created when the arcade o the building was partiallyenclosed. They are adjacent to the steps around the hexagonal

ence o the Montgomery BART station entrance, which are verywell used at lunchtime on a sunny day. Open at all times.

23 595 maRkeT ST.The approval o this building called or two triangular entrywayplazas . One, at Second and Stevenson Streets, largely hasbeen occupied by a enced restaurant seating area. Outside,a 10- oot-wide edge o the plaza aces Stevenson Street.It has good sun exposure, and with the addition o benchesand landscaping could become a pleasant public sitting area.Needed improvements: public seating

24 555/575 maRkeT ST.The beauti ully landscaped urban garden takes up the spacbetween two highrises. A stylized version o a mountain strearuns through it. Un ortunately this is or visual enjoyment onlysince access is limited to o ce tenants only. Benches placedat the Market Street entrance and on the circular plat orm thatfoats above the space would make it more enjoyable. Neeimprovements: public seating

25 525 maRkeT ST.This urban garden eatures a double granite ountain with gbenches in between to enjoy the sight and sound o fowingwater. The backside o one o the ountains has a tiered semi-circular planter lled with bushes and erns. A continuous metbench with a planter behind it sheilds the space rom the MarkeStreet sidewalk. The adjacent restaurant has placed tables andchairs into the open space. Open at all times.

At the back o the urban garden is a set o stairs leading up an upper-story building lobby. There are some large plaza areasedged with landscaped planters, but no seating. These spaces

easily could be turned into a pleasant sun terrace. Neededimprovements: tables, chairs, landscaping, signage

26 425 maRkeT ST.Tucked between highrises, this urban garden is shady butnonetheless a jewel. It is elegantly designed with two kinds o granite, benches, fowers in planters and trees. Visitors sit, relaxpeople watch, drink co ee rom the adjacent ca or simply as a shortcut rom Fremont to Market Street. Open at all times

Exce en1973

1973 Exce en

1982 Good

1969 Good

1965/1975 Fair

1979 Poor


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100 Pine St.Urban garden

27 14 FRemOnT ST.The open space consists o a wide sitting area in a pedestrianwalkway connecting Fremont and First Streets, and urnishedwith many ca tables and chairs as well as an urban garden with several planting beds with ledges or sitting, more ca tables and chairs, and a travertine-clad colonnade extendingalong First Street. Two ood services open to the walkwayand garden, which provide shade under plum trees as well assunshine. Open at all times.

28 333 maRkeT ST.Two-tone gray granite pavement and three rectangular planterswith some ledges at sitting height are the design elements o thissmall plaza . The adjacent retail space is or lease, and a ca with outdoor tables and chairs would be a welcome addition.Open at all times. Needed improvements: tables and chairs

29 45 FRemOnT ST.The narrow plaza on the south side mainly serves as entranceto the highrise. It eatures brick pavement, a hedge o Japanese

maples and a row o metal benches with fower planters inbetween. An additional row o benches mirroring the existingone would capture the morning sun. Food services are availableacross Fremont Street. Open at all times. Needed improvements:

seating

30 50 beale ST.This rather large urban park ronting on Beale Street is ull otrees and bushes. Mostly very shady, in the summer it enjoyssome dappled sunshine. It includes a Bechtel Corp. historymuseum housed in a replica o a private railroad car the Bechtel

amily lived in at construction sites in the companys early days.Park open at all times. Museum open 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. onweekdays.

31 77 beale ST.The entry plaza along Beale Street eatures a water wall, granitplanters with Gingko trees and ledges or sitting. Un ortunately,the ledges are a bit too high to sit com ortably. The openspace is somewhat intimidating. It could be made more invitingwith more landscaping and com ortable seating. Neededimprovements: landscaping, seating

There are also two small snippets , one on Mission Streetand one on Beale Street, comprising benches alternating withconcrete planters in sidewalk recesses.

32 201 miSSiOn ST.This urban garden occupies the setbacks along Beale Street succession o triangular open spaces ormed by concrete planterbeds, densely planted, with sitting ledges attached. There areplenty o ca tables and moveable chairs. Open at all times.

1983 Exce en

1960s Good

1979/2008 Fair

1977 Fair

1968 Fair

1970 Good/Fair


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1986 Exce en

1976 Exce en

1980 Fair

1983 Exce en

2000 Exce en

1988 Good

1972/2002 G

1982 Good/Fair

1973 Poor

1981 Fair

1974 Fair

1982 Fair

1983 Fair

33 123 miSSiOn ST.This urban garden is divided into three successive spaces bywhite concrete planters with attached ledges at sitting height.The planters are lushly planted with trees, shrubs and fowers.Some sunlight bounces o the building but or the most part it isshady. There are our ood services nearby, but no signage. Openat all times.

34 One maRkeT ST.The plaza is oriented to the sunny side o the building. A tallhexagonal tower marks the Mission Street entrance o thebuilding and six white masts de ne the open space towards thesidewalk. Ample seating and tables are provided. Several oodservices open to the plaza. Open at all times.

35 135 main ST.The ront courtyard o this building has been enclosed and turnedinto a building lobby and indoor park . It has several levels de nedby glass and metal railings and is urnished with couches oncarpets, tables and chairs. There are identical ountains waterrunning over silver steel against the side walls, ramed by sheets

o onyx. There is no exterior signage indicating it can be used bythe public, although the lobby attendant gives assurance that it can.The alley behind the o ce building includes benches and a ountain.Open during o ce hours. Needed improvements: exterior signage

36 160 SPeaR ST.This urban garden consists o the entrance walkway to thebuilding that widens on both sides to make space or ca tablesand chairs, a water eature and a large aluminum sculpture. Theplanting beds against the neighboring buildings have ledges orsitting. Two ood services are available, one at the open spaceentrance, the other inside the building. The space is well used.

37 180 hOWaRD ST.This shady public sitting area in a pedestrian walkway is acontinuation o the walkway described above. One side o thewalkway abuts an arcade with brick arches and urnished withconcrete cubes o sitting height, a ew potted plants and a co eecart. There is another ood service around the corner.

38 201 SPeaR ST.The walkway rom Spear to Steuart Streets and urther on tothe Gap building widens into an urban garden . It is de nedby concrete planting beds, densely planted with camellias andledges or sitting. The pavement consists o granite cobblestones.

Large trees de ne the space along Spear Street. In the centerstands a li e-like sculpture o a man holding a camera as i takinga picture. Open at all times.

39 211 main ST.This ront entry plaza with a sunny exposure has just twoconcrete benches and three planters with edges at sitting heightand modest landscaping. The addition o moveable seatingcould make it into a very pleasant space or tenants and visitors.At the eastern edge o the plaza is a rather large, enced play lot

or kids. Needed improvements: landscaping and seating

40 221 main ST.This plaza o ers our benches in a sea o paving. Anotherat the southern por tion o the building acing Main St., hasconcrete benches and retaining walls at a height com ortable sitting, as well as some greenery. With the addition o plantingand tables and chairs it could be converted into a very attractivurban garden. Needed improvements: landscaping and seating

41 301 hOWaRD ST.This small urban garden eatures a small Art Deco buildingthat once housed a gas station o ce, and was moved here

rom another site. A ood truck has been placed inside it, whitogether with its gaudy sign destroys the charm o the littlepavilion. Tables and chairs are provided and some plantingvisually shields the space rom the adjacent parking area. Openat all times.

42 199 FRemOnT ST.The design o this urban garden is a collaboration among PKos, conceptual sculptor; Robert Hass, poet; and a landscapearchitect. The garden eatures Sierra granite: a 86-ton boulder,

smaller boulders and rough blocks at sitting height. A Hass poeis engraved on the garden wall. A ountain drips into a circularbasin with a tok tok tok sound evoking the passage otime. The garden opening toward Fremont Street is planted withbirch trees. Open at all times. Needed improvements: eye-lev

signage

43 100 FiRST ST.A staircase rom Mission Street leads up to this popular suterrace . Its main eature is a black granite wall with ssuresspouting water into two pools where undulating glass panelsevoke waves. The rectangular terrace is designed on a 45-degregrid, eaturing many planter beds and terraces orming intima

spaces. Planters with trees, fowers and grass all have ledgesat sitting height. Designer ca tables and chairs. Deli at ooto stairs. Open at all times. Needed improvements: restroomavailability

44 25 JeSSie ST.This small but lovely urban garden is adjacent to Ecker Allea two-story orecourt o the building. It is richly planted and ha pleasant water wall and basin whose sound creates its ownatmosphere. Nice to look at but not to sit in. The only seating ison shallow steps around the ountain. Open at all times. Nimprovements: public seating

45 gOlDen gaTe UniveRSiTyA bridge, connecting the Mission Street sidewalk to the deeplyrecessed entrance to Golden Gate University, has been turnedinto a snippet . Amenities consist o concrete benches on bothsides o the bridge, as well as along par t o the Mission Streetsidewalk. There is no planting. The space is well used bystudents and the general public. Open at all times.

a guide to san francisco's privately-owned public

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