SAN FRANCISCO—On Tuesday, October 22, the San Francisco Mayor’s Office disclosed that they celebrated the opening of Bayfront Park, a 5.4-acre open space located between Chase Center and San Francisco Bay.  The newest attraction in San Francisco’s Central Waterfront designed to be resilient to climate change, features open lawns, a section of the Bay Trail, multiple plazas, and numerous trees and native plants.

According to a news release from the Mayor’s Office, part of the original Mission Bay Master Plan, Bayfront Park sits along the eastern edge of Mission Bay at 16th Street and Terry A. Francois Boulevard on what was an under-utilized former maritime industrial tract. The park features native plants, including coastal scrub found along the Bay and bioretention gardens that manage stormwater runoff. The site where the park sits was elevated to provide a robust buffer to from sea level rise and coastal surge.

The project integrates with and improves access to adjacent open spaces: Agua Vista Park and Mariposa Bayfront Park to the south/southwest, and the previously completed portion of Bayfront Park to the north.

“Bayfront Park is a glorious addition to the waterfront,” said Port of San Francisco Executive Director Elaine Forbes. “This beautiful park has elements of the area’s maritime industrial past with a graceful design that makes it resilient to sea level rise in the future. We are excited this park will join the Port’s many memorable and magical public spaces.”

Bayfront Park was contemplated as part of the Mission Bay South Redevelopment Plan, which was approved in 1998. Mission Bay has grown into a vibrant neighborhood that is home to many world-renowned institutions, including the University of California San Francisco hospitals and medical centers and Chase Center, home of the seven-time NBA Champion Golden State Warriors.

Since development of Mission Bay began, the region has seen the addition of more than 6,200 housing units, with over 1,600 of them affordable. Mission Bay has approximately six million square feet of commercial and retail space and over 40 acres of parks and open spaces that serve residents and visitors.

The park was developed by Mission Bay Development Group, in partnership with the Office of Community Investment and Infrastructure (OCII) and will be owned and maintained by the Port of San Francisco. The design of the park was led by Mission Bay Development Group and Surfacedesign Inc, in close collaboration with OCII, the Port, San Francisco Public Works, the Mission Bay Citizens Advisory Committee, the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC), and representatives from the broader waterfront community.  Future plans include the addition of a restaurant or concession region in the park.