Redwood Park

Above: Plan of Redwood Park framed by a portion of the Pyramid, as well as 505 Sansome Street and a new building at 555 Washington Street to the east.

It was a private park – the redwood grove that Transamerica planted at the base of its soaring Pyramid.  Located between Montgomery and Sansome, Washington and Clay Streets, it was built in the early 70’s, and its cost (as recorded in the county assessor’s office) was $263,450.  When the building opened in 1972, office workers in the Pyramid and adjacent buildings used the park for enjoyment.  Now nearly 40 years later, the park with redwoods in the middle of the city (who knew?) is proposed to become a larger and public park, complete with a private maintenance district funded by its neighbors on the block.

An Illustrated Preview
It is not often that open space expansion takes place in the City’s densest neighborhoods, and District 3 is the most ‘green deficient’ neighborhood in San Francisco, according to Rec and Park.  As the property owner since 1999, AEGON USA Realty Advisors proposes the “new” Redwood Park as part of an overall site redesign that includes 555 Washington, a new residential building on the corner of Washington and Sansome.  The design team for the park includes:  Boris Dramov and Bonnie Fisher (ROMA Design Group) Andrew Segal (Liberty Hill Development) and Daniel LaForte (San Francisco Recreation and Park Department).

The renderings invite us to imagine what could be.  We see people sitting under the redwoods on the low wall that encircles them.  The wall provides seats for visitors and protects the trees’ root system and understory plantings common in redwood forests – rhododendrons, ferns, huckleberry, redwood sorrel and wild ginger.  A new fountain is proposed at the base of the Pyramid building, reminiscent of a mountain waterfall, and framed by giant granite stones.  The restful rush of falling water muffles the traffic noise in and around the park, creating a quiet green oasis that is apart from, but centered in, everyday urban life.

Visitors can rearrange the movable chairs and tables for socializing, sunlight, or to enjoy a late afternoon snack.  A green “island” will be created that features permeable paving and innovative approaches to stormwater management and rainwater harvesting for irrigation purposes.  Both the new residential building and the Pyramid will be LEED Gold, certifying their use of sustainable building practices.

Approvals and Gift of Open Space
To introduce the project to the community and to garner good ideas, the team has met with neighborhood groups, regional/citywide organizations, park, recreation and open space groups and neighborhood community leaders over the past two years.  The next step is a series of public hearings beginning in the late fall, followed by a presentation to the Board of Supervisors (click here for info on the first meeting, January 21, 2010).

The hearings will consider both the proposed new building and its impact in generating minor shadows on two nearby open spaces (Maritime Plaza and Sue Bierman Park).  The shadows (never ideal in a park) will total less than 1% of the available sunlight throughout the year.  The tradeoff, supported by NPC, is gaining approximately 8,800 square feet of park space at Redwood Park (it will be enlarged from approximately 17,980 square feet to approximately 26,780 square feet).

Left: View to new fountain from Mark Twain Alley

The park would be permanently protected as ownership is conveyed to the City, and the adjacent property owners on the block (much like the model of Yerba Buena) will pay for park maintenance in perpetuity. “We believe that a nearly 50% gain in parkland, and ongoing maintenance provided at no public expense, is worthy of approval,” says Neighborhood Parks Council founder, Isabel Wade.

To put these benefits in perspective, consider that Rec and Park recently paid $2.6 million to acquire 701 Lombard, a nearby parcel that is one-seventh the size of Redwood Park, by eminent domain.  And the price did not include the cost of development and long-term maintenance.

Meredith Thomas, NPC executive director, says, “Capturing new open space for public parks is enormously challenging in our city, particularly downtown.  Many of our parks suffer from heavy use and the maintenance the City can provide with public funding is very limited.  Increasing the size and accessibility of Redwood Park, along with ensuring a high level of ongoing maintenance, will provide San Franciscans with clean, safe and enjoyable outdoor space in the heart of our city.”

Assuming final project approval is won, when the shovel tosses out the first pail of earth, neighbors, workers, and the majestic redwoods will be watching and waiting for opening day.

–Jeanne Alexander

Top:  View west down Mark Twain Alley into Redwood Park and the new fountain at the base of the Pyramid.

Bottom:  The new fountain will create a focus within the park.