According to the San Francisco Chronicle, 52 plans submitted by developers to the city for the redevelopment of 13 historic waterfront piers include a 65-room boutique hotel, art galleries, an innovation hub, and sports facilities. Adding a hotel would require changing a law via a ballot measure that prohibits hotels in the port.
For the past three years, the port has sought public uses to bring new life for the piers, some of which were built over a century ago. The projects have big financial hurdles, requiring millions of dollars in renovations to withstand future earthquakes and sea level rise. But previous projects like the renovated Ferry Building and AT&T Park are a testament to the public’s love — and the lucrative business — of waterfront development.
“I think the port’s doing a really good job here,” said Snellgrove, a principal at Pacific Waterfront Partners. “They’ve had a three-year update of the waterfront plan. They’ve engaged the community in a series of thorough meetings.”
Pacific Waterfront Partners and Portman Holdings have pitched a one-story glass addition and renovation of the former U.S. Agriculture Building at 101 The Embarcadero. The result would be a small hotel with a direct view of the Bay Bridge that would be steps from BART and ferry service. An alternate plan calls for 60,000 square feet of office space that includes a glass addition.
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