Hospitality Design - November 2023 - 96

the problem solver
which is where we saw a convergence of
opportunity between the built environment,
pedestrianization, arts and entertainment,
and all those things that bring about a sense
of place and inclusivity to the public realm.
It was the first plan out there, and it became
an organizing piece for the city and for other
companies that were wanting to do something
but didn't quite know where or what to do.
We're trying to bring those pieces together to
create a prototype that will support the city
and help other people do something similar
more quickly.
Pier 70, shown in a rendering, will redevelop
35 acres of San Francisco waterfront
Has the city been supportive?
There are people that would say it's not
enough, and I agree. You do not let perfect be
the enemy of the good. 'Do everything' is my
philosophy. The city put in the funding, they
worked with us to help remove barriers. The
city is trying to figure out how to balance the
important things they need to do with fire
access, public process, all of the appropriate
measures and not make those the obstacles
to being able to experiment and implement
things. It was a little bit of a learning process,
but they were committed [to it].
Pier 70 will boast nine acres of open space
and a nearly five-acre waterfront park
It's one little piece that leads to the next
little piece that builds on itself. The truth
is a lot of the things we are working
on downtown are things that deserved
to happen before, but there wasn't the
demand for it because San Francisco
real estate was so disproportionately
competitive and successful in a way
that many things didn't need to be
addressed. The other part of it is that San
Francisco has its own fascinating history
and character. It's an incredible built
environment. Half of downtown didn't
exist before the Gold Rush and many
of those streets were long piers. It's a
captivating story that we can see bits of in
the built environment, but we want to also
bring that forward to inspire people for
whatever is next.
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November 2023 hospitalitydesign.com
You're working on the Downtown San
Francisco Public Realm Action Plan,
commissioned by the Downtown
SF Partnership and developed in
collaboration with John Bela and Fehr &
Peers. How is this serving as a road map
for the city's recovery?
It's a community that covers most of the
Financial District, over 43 blocks in the heart
of downtown San Francisco. This is not a
public-realm plan we would have done 10
years ago. We're in a different moment now-
one of crisis and questioning. We did a lot of
research on the area. When we asked people
why they weren't coming back downtown,
the reasons weren't about Covid, but about
wanting entertainment, gathering places,
dining, greenery. They wanted experiences.
We identified what we called action areas,
What's your favorite part of the process?
I am a lifelong learner. What I love about
my work is that I get to learn about so many
different places, people, and businesses. I
certainly geeked out on pulling back the layers
of history and bringing those stories forward. I
love hearing the stories of people who are doing
things in spaces we developed to find out all
the things I couldn't have imagined they were
inspired to do.
What do you love about San Francisco?
We work in a city that believes in the power of
good ideas. It doesn't matter where it's coming
from. There is an openness I found here that
promotes things from technology to culture to
the ways of living that is special.
Evan passed away in 2015 from cancer.
What would he think of all you've
accomplished?
He would be so psyched to be working on these
projects. He was so engaged in trying to answer
these questions and bring people together
around them. I don't take it lightly that I get to
continue his legacy. It's a gift that he gave me.
Getting to start something together knowing
that his time may not continue as long as we
would want it to, you make the most of it and
appreciate all the opportunities. It taught me
something about taking risks. hd
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