Following three years of delays and three rounds of bidding, two rounds of which were rejected when every bid came in over-budget before even breaking ground, the contract to build the 17th and Folsom Street Park is slated to be approved this week, construction should soon commence, and the new Mission District park should be open by the end of 2016.
The 34,300-square-foot park will include an outdoor classroom/performance space and great lawn, an interactive activity area and play equipment for children, adult fitness equipment, native landscaping and both educational and community gardens plots.
An interactive water feature at the children’s play area will commemorate the historic Mission Creek that once ran through the site.
Acquired in January 2012 from the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, the site currently houses a paid-parking lot, the northern half of which is being developed with plans for 101 units of affordable housing.
And while the base construction budget for the park was set at $3 million, the lowest “responsive and responsible bidder” was Bauman Landscape and Construction at $3,083,051, a bid which the project manager is recommending the City’s Recreation and Park Commission approve this Thursday.
would have been nice to get a 10 story condo here that houses in excess of 100 people, although this park will probably also house in excess of 100 people.
And it will have far more bathrooms than any condo building. Unless you consider it one big bathroom.
This is great news. This area of the Mission, while not as blighted as it used to be, sure could use the help. Ironically, when I studied Architecture at University of Oregon this site was the site of my thesis project in ’93-’94.
I recently made a point of going to this area to check out the new Gus’s Market a block away at 17th /Harrison and was amazed at how many people were in that neighborhood. Parking was impossible and I ended up blocks away only to later realize there is free customer parking provided on premises. Got the impression there is a heavy Tech presence.
What will happen to the prostitute that hangs out on the corner here nearly every morning during my morning commute?
Sounds like a legacy business we must protect. Better stop this project NOW!
I wondered where the street prostitutes went. Honestly, I live in the Mission, and I haven’t seen any for quite a while. Years ago they used to be around Capp anywhere from 15th to 18th. When I first moved to town many years ago it was Octavia (under the Central freeway), then post earthquake it seemed to migrate to the Mission. Where are they now?
On the Internet.
We are not talking about the “Pretty Woman” class of prostitutes here. These are not scheduling appointments through smart phone aps…
They totally should. It’s very much a “location-based” business they’re in, after all. Surely Uber could easily repurpose some of their code for this. Not to mention their branding – you can order Uber Black or UberXL if the standard doesn’t suit the occasion.
They’re still there, just moved down Capp St to like 20th or so.
Yeah, yeah, just asking for a friend, not me – where do the pros hang out these days…?
haha. truly only curious in the sociological sense. Kinsey 6 here.
Really glad to see this move forward. I have to admit I’m surprised that it’s apparently not being developed as a “rain garden” (place for water to collect and drain off, which would render the park temporarily unusable during heavy rain events). That would seem to be a kinda obvious thing in a district so known for flooding. Maybe it was concluded it wouldn’t really help the situation much?
As I noted above, it’s my understanding that there once actually were plans for just such a scheme but I’m afraid they’ve been scuttled.
When the rain water is combined with sewage, as it is when SF’s combined sewer system backs up, not a good idea.
At one time, the water feature of the park was going to include an underground reservoir to help address the flooding issue. Unfortunately, I believe that has been dropped due to budgetary issues.
This park is actually only half of the existing parking lot, specifically the half that runs along 17th. The other half (the northern half) is slated for a 6 story building, 100% affordable housing with retail on the ground floor, and is currently being designed.
[Editor’s Note: As originally reported and linked above.]
I’m pretty frustrated that the city is building new parks in the same neighborhood where the old parks are unusable because of occupation by junkies and other problem occupants. Have you ever seen a child in the playground at 20th and Capp? I haven’t. But I have seen numerous people shooting up, one gun drawn, and numerous other activities too sordid to describe in this polite forum.
It won’t matter what we build if we don’t impose and enforce basic rules that make public spaces useful for everyone.
There are children playing at the 20th and Capp st property all day, every day.
That’s been my observation as well.
me too. In general the parks in the Mission seem to be in pretty good shape. The one closest to me (Treat and 23rd) is very well used, but it benefits from a staffed recreation center too.
Check out Mission Pool & Playground in the block of 19th/Valencia. It’s a marvel. The restrooms alone are worth a look for the recently restored tile.
I agree that one is a great park.
Those 40-something men with beards and cans of beer in paper bags aren’t “kids.” But they certainly are there all day every day.
As legitimate a use as any.
Orland: really? Have we come so far in San Francisco that it is extreme to say that I’d rather not have heavily intoxicated adult men drinking all day in a city playground?
This is all pretty academic, I guess, because I admit my bigger issue is with the drugs, weapons, selling stolen goods, etc. And that is just what happens during the day.
Well, my initial comment was somewhat tongue-in-cheek but certainly seems to strike a real chord with you. If you’re talking more concrete antisocial effects (as public intoxication is wont to lead to), I get your point.
But communal sport drinking in a neighborly setting in itself… yeah, I’m fine with that.
Or you could also buy some stolen good from the guys hanging outside the park… they got moved from Jocelyn’s bakery corner to down here a few years back.
I’ve taken a child to Alioto Park at 20th/Capp. And I’ve seen other kids there then and at other times. Nice enough, but small. Jose Coronado and Parque Ninos are more comparable to this project.
SF should build this park and more like this in the Mission and SoMa. Wherever we can find a decent slice of a block. This end of the Mission is going to get builtup as the old pdr is replaced with taller office and housing.
What’s really needed are parks big enough for multiple uses like Victoria Manalo (about three times the size of this one at 17th).
Soma could really use some open space…well regulated, clean open space. Not the type tucked away in a huge development that will be largely inaccessible
“This isn’t a park. It’s the (un)park.” –Geoffrey Holder
Wonder if the park is only being developed to benefit the future residents of the affordable housing or to appease the community as a whole because of the affordable housing
They can do this for $3,083,051? That’s an awfully low bid
Change order their way out of it.
This park is going to become really marshy every time it rains as Mission Creek runs under it.
UPDATE: Waylaid Mission District Park Project Will Break Ground Tomorrow