The Vision
Explore how community feedback is refining our vision for the future of the site.
Explore the plan! Click on the (+) symbol to get more information about each area.
At the Station…
A world-class station with intuitive connections
Make the station a great space to spend time
Design the station around easy connections to other modes
Offer the amenities that make the station convenient and useful
A station that welcomes your arrival…
…and entices you to stay
Showplace Connector
Adding bike lanes that are physically protected invite cyclists from 8 to 80 years old to feel safe.
Completing the corner at Showplace Square
Many design district uses are only indoor, without much street activity. Ground floor uses with generous sidewalks allow for indoor uses to spill out.
Townsend St is a long walk without many active uses. Development at 7th and Townsend would complete this corner, creating a bookend for the site and breaking up the long walk.
Completing the corner
Townsend Promenade
A signature street for this neighborhood
Single trees can’t withstand wind. Denser plantings work together to block wind.
Retail doesn’t do well when it’s spread out. Bring enough density of retail to support shops and restaurants.
Good placemaking aligns indoor uses with outdoor activities. Design the promenade to support adjacent shops and restaurants.
New shops & restaurants
Play Spaces
6th Street Park
An inviting recreation amenity
Areas under freeways are largely unusable. Turn this covered space into a benefit for the community.
Spaces under freeways can feel uninviting. Areas for sporting activities like basketball or pickleball, and bright colors, invite activity throughout the day.
Recreation spaces are an opportunity to bring different age groups together. Design a space that welcomes teens and older adults, alike.
6th Street Park
5th Street Connector
Connecting the Railyards to the neighborhood
This intersection is currently quiet and sparsely populated. Activating the corner with new open space and retail will complement the new station entrance.
Fast-moving auto traffic in the area is focused on getting to the freeway. 5th Street should be a pedestrian street with limited access for cars.
5th Street currently ends at Townsend. 5th Street will be an important connection from SOMA to Mission Bay for pedestrians.
5th Street Connector
Pedestrian Improvements
The site’s edges - bordering 4th St, King St, Townsend St and 7th St have insufficient sidewalk space for comfortable walking. Widening the sidewalk and adding landscaping provides a safe buffer.
Cycling Improvements
The bicycle network here is incomplete. New, physically protected bike lanes will invite cyclists from 8 to 80 years old to feel comfortable.
Sculpting the Skyline
San Francisco’s Urban Design Element guides us to shape the skyline in a way that is distinctively San Francisco. Mirroring the natural hills of the city, a “hill of buildings” is created around major transit hubs.
Principles for shaping building height:
Mark the site’s significance as SF’s second most important station.
Form a ‘sculpted mound’ with the tallest building at the station.
Density to support a vibrant urban hub (enough to support transit ridership and an around-the-clock neighborhood)
View from Treasure Island:
View from Twin Peaks:
