Skip to main content

tv   [untitled]    August 24, 2014 11:00am-11:31am PDT

11:00 am
the ecocenter, and there and barely off of the grid facility that furthers the facility programming and then more recently the next park improvement that was put in place last year, for the entrance to the herns head park and it sort of shows how the collaborations between the port and the city and the community have been able to bring forth a really valuable resource in the area. the water front land use itself provides the overview for the projects port wide as well as the individual sites that many people have been focusing on the projects recently, and it was required as a result of a ballot initiative that was passed in 1990, proposition h, where the piers were required to be included in the plan, the
11:01 am
port commission at the time included all of the port's properties in the plan and didn't thifrpg that it made since to look at only the piers per proposition h. the plan identifies acceptable uses for every port facility on a long term basis as well as setting, leasing guidelines for the interim uses that take place in the port facilities. and there was a water front land use, water front plan advisory board that was set up by the mayor and the board of supervisors, and the port commissioners at the time. and they worked to recognize the water front plan, which the port commission, embraced and adopted, with the addition of a water front design and access element. and i think that the importance of that element was really to set the stage for a comprehensive water front open space system. and some, urban design and architect you aral guidelines to guide what the form and the
11:02 am
look of development along the water front should take. and historic preservation principals to save and to treasure the historic resources that we had along the water front. pier 70, and the embarkadero piers were recognized then and so it is a pleasure to look at what we have been able to do on the new resources. and the water front plan also set out guidelines, and anticipating public, private partnerships as an important vehicle to be able to improve these piers because it was clearer than it is now, that there was a lot of deferred maintenance, and there were very few financing resources, and that the thought was public, private partnerships would bring the changes along and so there was a process for setting out how you work with the community before you have the development projects and then, once you have the
11:03 am
development partner, moving forward, since then, in this report, we have counted over 1.6 billion, worth of private and public investment in the improvement projects that will summarize here. and there are in addition port leasing and other many maintenance and engineering projects that we have not been able to profile here in addition to that. >> in terms of the policy framework from the water front plan the division of the water front advisory plan was to reunite san francisco with the water front and the foundation points for that were the goals that you see on this slide to really promote, and embrace san francisco's diverse maritime, working water front, to revitalize the port for public enjoyment. to broaden the array of uses and activities that should be offers along the water front to
11:04 am
subscribe to the urbanty of san francisco. to expand the public access to transportation access along the water front as part of its improvement. and to design and come up with new projects, that are mineful of the history, and to the design of creativity and the urban design and the setting and related a lot with tying how in how it relates to the rest of the city and there was a lot of coordination from the department and from the outset and economic access and trying to make sure that we still in the improvement of the water front to be sure that there are places for blue collar and for families and children, and to have a place to enjoy along the water front. the water front plan, really organizes the 7 and a half miles into five geographic
11:05 am
subareas. fisherman's wharf is the northern most and in our report, we have identified the specific projects and also, sumized at a high level, what has been happening in each one of these subareas. clearly for the fisherman's wharf the big news for the port was to able to resurrect the commercial fishing degree which was really in a weakened mode at the time that the plan was improved. with the fishing harbor and pier 45, fish processing facilities it created and renewed really the center of fisherman's wharf, which really is what people want to see. and the port's effort since then have really focused a lot on public realm, i think that is represented in the pier 43, as well as the jefferson street and tie lor street to welcome the visitors that come to the wharf and that has spurred a
11:06 am
lot of partnerships with the cbd and the tenants to be able to make the investments with the businesses and so that the restaurants and the venue and activities interact well with the public realm and we are working with the bcdc to identify further improvements for the fisherman's wharf area and so there is still work to do to change some regulations that will make it easier for the restaurant owners to do seismic up grades and retrofits to their restaurants where they sit on a pile supported decks and so that work has been under way through the bcdc port working through the process which we have briefed you on previously. in the north east water front, and we have quite a bit of improvement just through the director's announcement on opening of the herm an cruise terminal, the plaza, and
11:07 am
clearly the explore torium has been a game changer for the north east water front and it is hard to imagine the change if you were not here then, but pier 27 was a news print terminal, when the plan was adopted. when a cotton warehouse and we had a foreign trade zone with the semitrucks crossing in 19 and 23, and so what the public has been able to enjoy, with the america's cup and with the permanent developments here with the opening of the cruise terminal, i think that it is something that provides that bridge between the ferry building area and fisherman's wharf that we think has, you know, been a wonderful resource and has attracted so many more people to the water front. and there have been, however, difficulties with the development in the north east water front that is chronicled in this report. and we had the hotel project that went through the long process, almost got to the finish line but, for the lack of public consensus on the
11:08 am
design. and that process failed, and there was also a high profile, proposal for piers 27 to 31 by the mills development corporation, and that again, was a mixed use, recreation project and had too much retail and did not achieve the kind of public consensus needed to get through the public process and so on that basis, we see that there are really still some work to do, with our relations with the community, and that will come forth and our recommendations for fostering those further conversations. and in the ferry building area, i think that this building reflects all of the accomplishments and the success of how the ferry building has now become again the civic heart of the port and an iconic piece of san francisco. i think that none of us could really have understood the ability for the ferry expansion, and fertry building,
11:09 am
and eop success on creating and managing the farmer's market and the ferry building. market place. with the pier 14, public access, the art installations that have gone up that have really made this place a game changer for the water front. we look to see more transportation improvements. we look to see more open space improvements. and our efforts with the bcdc planning process are really taking a close focus on the ferry building mra sa area behind the area to make that a true civic plaza and we have tried to work on the project at sea wall, 351, and the eight, washington projects and those efforts continue at the san francisco water front partners and still has the contract for negotiations on that site.
11:10 am
but, if there is pretty much all done, except for the agriculture building. the building is the one that the historic resource that we still have on our list to improve. and there will be some additional challenges with the restoration of that building and because it also sits on a lower elevation than the ferry building itself. and so in terms of dealing with the king ties and the sea wall, and the sea level rise and climate change conditions that adds a further challenge to the agriculture building that will require us to seek more public funding resources. south beach china basin, that is our largest subarea, and it spans a large area, largely because the mission bay planning that was in place at the time, bridges both sides, north and south of china basin channel and yet, i think that the improvements where mission bay has really come into its own, are starting to create
11:11 am
their own subidentities where open space and the balpark, and those have been the things that have really changed the face and the public's relationship with this part of the water front, and at&t really awakened people that you can walk along and have a good time and not worry about driving and look at alternative transportation and i think that has really been helpful in our discussions and collaboration with sfmta, on the transportation improvements. and i mentioned before, that the improvements for the brandon street, wharf that met the fill removal subjects that we have with bcdc and now we are extending open space interest through the green way and through the channel through the improvements that you have seen so far with the bay, and the park that is now proposed as part of the sea wall lot, 337 development. and the mission bay, walkway,
11:12 am
the bay side, park, walkway. and a lot of time in this report, to talk about the predevelopment planning with the community, and come up with a strategy for how to improve the sea wall lot, 337, and pier 48, and they were remember nent left overs from a previous mission bay plan and did not have a future, and so through this community efforts that gave rise to the proposal that the giants are now trying to advance. and in the southern water front, the southern most, fifth and subarea of the water front, that is where our cargo and operations and the ship repair industries reside and are embraced in the water front land use plan and that said, we are looking at what are the changes that are taking place, up land in the eastern neighborhoods, and the bay view
11:13 am
hunter's point and trying to create new opportunities, that are consistent with advancing the maritime industrial but also provide new job opportunities, recreational, and open space, opportunities as well, through, advancing the blue, green, way in the southern water front, through the hern's head and the creek improvements and through the cove park projects that are now under way and we have quite a litany of the open space opportunities that are planned. and we have also, been looking at where water recreational access can also be expanded because this is part of the water front that does not have a constructed sea wall and so it offers new opportunities, for that kind of recreation as well. and so, there has been a lot of work with the southern water front advisory committee and the maritime commerce to come up with a strategy for taking
11:14 am
on more maritime improvement including freight rail improvements that with open space that brings and balances access, in to the fold, and we are getting ready to advance, that for environmental review. and in the report, we go through all of the different categories and functions of the port to give you a flavor for the breadth of improvements. and clearly, one of the objectives of the water front land use plan is to make sure that we didn't forget about the maritime and there was a concern that it was not getting sufficient attention and it is really wonderful to be able to report now, then in fact, the port has really focused a lot of energy in that area, and i think that td james cruise terminal opening is kind of looking at the culmination of those efforts but there are advances through the fishing industry, through, the
11:15 am
expansion of ferries and the water taxis, and excursion boats, and business opportunity and fisherman's wharf and through the alkatraz service that have grown during this time and as we were talking about in the delta, and audrey, we had, very healthy, harbor services industry, that still resides, up and down the water front as well as the port's maritime efforts to advance, the shipping down on the southern water front. and with respect to the open space, there has been, over 63 acres of new parks and open space, that have been created along the water front in the last 17 years, that is in addition to the public access that is created in the development projects like at pier one and piers one and a half and three five, and these are the kind of those pearls on the necklace for the open space system that is promoted in the water front plan that provide, organizing and places where the
11:16 am
new development is also encouraged to congregate, so that the public will have a place, to enjoy the views, and enjoy the open space, and as well as, a variety of activities for entertainment, and pleasure. again, we have focused a lot of effort on water recreation, access to the pier 52, boat launch i think was our big move forward on that and i think that it has enabled us to be able to open up some new resources for human powered recreational access as well. with respect to the historic preservation and design, brad will speak to the development projects but we are proud of the creation of the embarcatero in the historic district and those create a real foundation point that defines, who the port is, and where it has come from, as well as where it is
11:17 am
going forward. that is coupled with a number of planning studies that we have done, either led by the port, or in collaboration with the planning department. or bcdc. to advance how we can improve the public realm. and how can we improve way fining and signage? to make it easier for the people to traverse up and down the water front. and we have guidelines, to try and provide care on how we improve and repair our historic resources, that have been embraced by the state's historic preservation office, and those, we have many other planning projects as well and the water front language plan is not the only game in town. and the report chronicles with planning efforts that focus on the full array of what happens at the water front, both from a maritime, use, standpoint. the port has over ten different maritime industry and so tracking what the needs of each
11:18 am
of those industries are, has been an ongoing effort by the maritime division. and, with respect to the new, evolution of our understanding of sea level rise and climate change and the need for adaptation and the seismic strengthening of our sea wall, all of those are studies that have been in place, in the last few years, that are informing a city and regional effort. on, what our options that the port commission should be considering, in the next years. for figuring out what makes sense, and then, how do we pay for it? >> and that is in addition to the major efforts that the port has put in with the city family to plan for the sea wall lot, 337, and the pier 70, preferred master plan that gave rise to the projects in the four city proposal that we have before us today.
11:19 am
>> with respect to the transportation, we are trying to improve the transportation for over ten years and the supervisor at the time created the transportation traffic force, that brought together staff from the city, and the take olders and where we started those discussions about where those needs are and where we should be going. for the connection along it to be included in the priorities that the sfmta are carrying out today. and those discussions really help to support the people plan that sfmta took up during the america's cup and then further
11:20 am
the assessment that the sfmta is now carrying out today. and so, we realize that there is always, still new opportunities for how we can, and improve the transportation needs and respond to the needs that the people have for today, but it is important for the public to understand that there has been a tracking of this issue for many years. and a few weeks ago, we were here before you to brief you on the enhancement project and that is the latest, initiative that we were working on with sfmta to bring forth safer and better bike access along the embark der row. and with that, i think that i will turn it over to brad, and he will give you a overview on the development project, and the capitol improvements. >> thank you, diane. >> and thank you commissioners. brad benson, and director of
11:21 am
special projects. this is been, you know, an amazing effort of the port staff to put together this report, across all of the ports divisions. and i just want to say that what a pleasure it has been for me and i worked with bar, and buy ron and all of the port staff and i think that i have learned more in the past couple of months that the port in my prior ten years, so, the water front, land use plan sets forth broad land use policy that diane has described. and uses for the entire water front. and implementation guidance, and it is updated fairly, and infrequently only when needed. and by contrast, the port's ten year capitol plan is updated annually. and the port staff evaluate the cost and condition of the port facilities up and down the water front. and on this annual basis and bring revised capitol plan to the city's capitol planning
11:22 am
committee and the board of supervisors every two years this is intended to address the same value and really divvy up the financial resources that address the need that we see along the water front. and the last update of the plan, and this past year, showed about is.6 billion dollars no over all need and this includes a back long.
11:23 am
and a one time improvement that are driven by the code requirements and the renewal obligations that we will see occur over the next ten years. and seismic costs for for all of the port facilities up for the seismic standards. and but, the capitol plan, includes a plan of finance as well, to address both the backlog of needs, and enhancements like the new parks on the water front, and we have got it and developed a variety of funding sources, some of them quite new since the adoption of the water front plan. and you will see that, the type of small on this slide, and as of the plan of finance, and the development projects which are shown in green, represent about 43 percent of the projected funding to address needs along the water front, port tenants, often have in their leases and obligation to maintain the facilities and they are the second largest source of funding at 21 percent, and followed by the port's annual capitol budget. and this is where, revenues from leasing activities maritime and leasing activities generate a certain amount of funding around 15 million dollars a year, and to address the most urgent needs along the water front. and we used the capitol plan,
11:24 am
not only to prioritize spending, but, to inform the port's legislative program, and the capitol plan informs asks that we make to the federal delegation, and some of the legislation that we have pursued at the state level to enable the port to form infrastructure financing, districts. and to address the infrastructure needs along the water front. and moving to the development projects that have been completed there have been 6 major projects that are either historic rehabilitation, and totaling over 400 million dollars of development, and since the plan was adopted. and these projects followed the process, set forth in the water front plan, where prior to bringing on the development partner, the port would work with a local advisory group and one of its subareas to come up with a use program for the development. and proposed use program, and
11:25 am
that will become part of a competitive solicitation to choose a development partner either through a request for proposals or a request for qualifications, and when the commission chooses a development partner through that process, then we work with that development partner, and through that process and, through the committee process to go through the entire, and seeking approval. and really, it has been a partnership with those regulatory agencies, and both bcdc and the state run staff, spend a lot of time working with our development projects and helping us think through the uses that should go in those projects, and the urban design and the public access. and we have a joint design review process with bcdc for the projects that are within the jurisdiction and so it is only within that collective set of eyes that these projects get
11:26 am
completed. >> we have seen very high costs, to develop, and the port's property, particularly the historic piers. and there is a high expectation for public benefits in these projects, which drive up the cost of the project. the foundation of the water front plan has provided access to the capitol that the port would not have had. and also, a great deal of creativity from the private sector that comes through the public, private partnership, at the staff level we have worked to add public financing to the equation, to help to address some of these high costs. it did not address, the unique opportunities, the 34th america's cup and the exploretorium and these are
11:27 am
the kinds of projects that present themselves that really the cities pursue, if they have become available and, so you can't hold the same kind of predevelopment planning process, and competitive bidding process for the opportunities, like this. and so, the water front plan does not articulate it, and a process. and in each case, when these projects have presented themselves, the port staff and the city staff have worked to develop a public process, like that, articulated in the water front land use plan. and sometimes, it has been wildly successful. and such as at&t ballpark that draws 4 million visitors a year and the explore torium is already drawing 1.2 million visitors and drawing the kids down to the water front that meets that sort of diversity of people and activities and the goal in the water front plan, and the america's cup, was
11:28 am
great success. and the port staff, and delivered, some 32 million dollars, of improvements to the water front. and we saw, a million visitors in 2012, and 2013, and it help us to expedite the cruise terminal project, and the wharf project and the pier, 43, and the other projects have not been. as successful. the warrior's project, and it drew a lot of controversy, the people wanted to talk about the other locations, not on the port property. and the america's cup initially envisioned the long term development rights which did not come to pass. and there was a proposal for the international museum of women at pier 26 which was a soul source authorization for the board of supervisors and so the report tries to take stock of the unique opportunities that did not go forward. and draw lessons learned, for the public, to think about as
11:29 am
well as the port commission, and when we have done the same with the development projects that did not go for ward. all of who are implementing the projects port wide and, the port's engineering division, rebuilds the two piers before two major fires and pier 48, and pier, 29, and both of those were about 15 million dollar projects and the pier, 29 project has rebuilt from the original plans and under 9 months, and won an architect you aral award, and other projects that the leads with the roof replacement projects and the apron repair projects
11:30 am
and the substructure and the sea wall, repair projects and typically using sources available to the port through the port's capitol plan. we have also seen our tenants, making major investments in the water front that were maybe not envisioned at the time of the water front land use plan, they build over 20 million dollar facility on the fiber man's wharf and we have seen two tenants the polara foundation, and the pier, 24 and annex, and where, the tenants have undertaken the big substructure repairs to the facilities on the 10-year leases. in the port's southern water front, we have seen the major investment as well and we have seen the two concrete facilities built in the pier, 92, 94 area, that are really the heart of an eco industrial