While the Chelsea Piers-esque development of Piers 27-31 is all but DOA, a plugged-in reader reminds us that the proposed rehabilitation and redevelopment of Piers 15-17 into a new home for the Exploratorium continues to move forward.
The buildings will be used to house the museum’s displays and exhibits, a museum store, events space, café or restaurant, exhibit fabrication area, classrooms, ancillary offices, a theatre and the popular Tactile Dome. The paved asphalt area [between the piers] will be removed to create a “water pile garden” and lagoon. It will provide public access to the Bay and outdoor museum exhibits. The project also includes a water taxi landing.
The current timeline calls for EIR certification by the end of the year, construction commencing in 2009, and a grand opening in 2011. We’ll see bump into you in the Dome.
∙ Piers 15-17 The Exploratorium [SFGov]
∙ Exploratorium: Embarcadero [exploratorium.edu]
∙ Cruising (Pier 27) And Working (Piers 30-32) But Not Sporting At All [SocketSite]
What a refreshing change to have a civic project in an important public space for a major cultural institution go forth without endless delays, nitpicking and squabbling. All too rare in SF, alas…