San Francisco Neighborhood Celebrates the Opening of Iconic Gateway to the Historic Bayview District

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 14, 2021

 

Contacts:

Marsha Maloof, Bayview Hills Neighborhood Association

415-468-9168, marshapen@gmail.com

Stephanie Miller, HOK

917-828-7305, stephanie.miller@hok.com

Rachel Gordon, San Francisco Public Works

415-298-5523, rachel.gordon@sfdpw.org

 

Community-Driven Project Incorporates Participatory Public Art and Productive Landscape to Showcase Neighborhood Pride and Create a Stronger Sense of Place

 

SAN FRANCISCO, CA —Bayview Hill Neighborhood Association, elected officials and architecture and design firm HOK will gather for a community celebration today to mark completion of the Bayview Gateway Project, capping a nearly 5-year effort to bring an appealing open space, inviting entry and place-making to the Bayview neighborhood.

 

The focal point of the project, located at the intersection of Meade Avenue and Third Street in the City’s southeast sector, is a newly landscaped space that represents the  diverse plants and wildlife of the adjacent Bayview Hill  and boldly announces an entrance to the neighborhood with 8-foot-high letters, spelling out “BAYVIEW,” covered in captivating mosaic tiles

 

“Thanks to the perseverance and vision of the Bayview Hill Neighborhood Association, this former parcel once owned by Caltrans and plagued by illegal dumping and neglect has been transformed into a beautiful gateway to the historic Bayview neighborhood. Today it stands as a symbol of pride and an example of the possible,” said Board of Supervisors President Shamann Walton, who represents the Bayview and adjoining District 10 neighborhoods. 

 

Among those joining him at the ribbon-cutting ceremony will be California Assemblyman David Chiu, who lives in the Bayview with his family and who helped secure the land transfer for the project, and Malia Cohen, the former District 10 supervisor, who provided crucial support early on. She now serves as a member of the State Board of Equalization.

In addition to budget set-asides by both Cohen and Walton, the Bayview Hill Neighborhood Association successfully applied for funding through a Community Challenge Grant, receiving $100,000.

 

Another early supporter of the project, San Francisco Public Works, provided construction management services for the project and worked closely with the Bayview community and design firm HOK, which provided pro bono design and community visioning to transform the underutilized parcel of land into a community resource to serve the Bayview for years to come.

 

The Bayview Hill Neighborhood Association’s vision for the current site was so well received that Public Works suggested that they share this vision with the broader community. The plan received widespread support,  turning the current site into a pilot project that can be replicated at other entries to the Bayview. Based on community input, there are elements of the project that feature many landscape design components that provide a unified vision and highlight the cultural richness of the neighborhood. 

 

“This project really was public-private partnership. Without the design help of HOK and support from City and state representatives, we couldn’t have envisioned a space that represented our community so well. Having productive bay trees that we can harvest annually and knowing that the mosaics we used were made from donated tiles and pottery makes this a true community-driven collaboration,” said Marsha Maloof, President of the Bayview Hills Neighborhood Association, which has been actively involved in community-building and neighborhood improvement initiatives for nearly four decades.

 

“What started as a community vision to showcase the Bayview has come to life today with this impressive project,” said Assemblyman David Chiu, D-San Francisco, who helped usher through the land deal with Caltrans. “I want to thank all the partners who joined together – neighbors, HOK, volunteers, artists, the City and state – to deliver this tremendous gateway for our neighborhood.”

 

Prominently featured in the gateway project are native plants, wildflowers and trees, such as native oak and grasses that surround the towering letters. Public Glass, a local arts nonprofit led by Nate Watson, created the mosaic with material made from various household dishes, vases, pottery and glassware donated by the community. Volunteers held workdays to affix the pieces to the concrete letters. 

 

The design and color palette were inspired by African and Native American influences to reflect the neighborhood’s history and demographics.

 

“Design is a powerful tool to help people reestablish a sense of community and pride of place,” said Roana Tirado, a landscape architect and project manager who led HOK’s team. “We hope this project can serve as a prototype for similar efforts within this neighborhood and for other communities across the city and country.” 

 

“The Bayview is a dynamic and diverse neighborhood in San Francisco that encompasses some of the City’s premier ecological and cultural landmarks,” said Acting Public Works Director Alaric Degrafinried. “We are honored to have the opportunity to work so closely with the community, elected leaders, and design firm HOK, to deliver the Bayview Gateway Project.”