Presidio Tunnel Tops: San Francisco’s to-do list just got larger

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(CNN) — Area is a valuable commodity in San Francisco. Discovering space for new city parkland in the densely created, h2o-surrounded city requires some ingenuity.

On Sunday, a extensive-awaited innovative option opens to the community and provides tourists another issue to increase to their San Francisco to-do listing.

Identified as Presidio Tunnel Tops, this new federal parkland has been designed in an uncommon location — right on best of a occupied highway tunnel, the Presidio Parkway.

Decades in the generating, the 14-acre park is an urban oasis with amazing views of the Golden Gate Bridge.

The park is developed by James Corner Subject Operations. That’s the business powering New York City’s well known Higher Line, another task that creatively repurposed unused place into an city escape and an efficient, enjoyment way to hook up sections of a metropolis.
This rendering shows the vision of a green oasis in San Francisco set atop -- and also hiding -- a busy highway tunnel.

This rendering displays the eyesight of a environmentally friendly oasis in San Francisco established atop — and also hiding — a hectic highway tunnel.

James Corner Industry Operations

“Great metropolitan areas have terrific parks, and Presidio Tunnel Tops is a new green centerpiece in the context of the Golden Gate Countrywide Recreation Space and the globe-course city of San Francisco,” Corner instructed CNN Journey through a agent from the Partnership for the Presidio.

“The legendary setting is perfect for transforming highway infrastructure into a vivid new community space.”

Tunnel Tops will be portion of the Presidio of San Francisco, which was used as a armed service base just before staying turned into a park. And the Presidio is one particular site in the sprawling Golden Gate Countrywide Recreation Space, built up of 80,000 acres of countrywide parkland that stretches throughout various areas north and south of the landmark bridge.

Tunnel Leading features

This rendering shows the Campfire Circle, with a central gas firepit and seating for up to 75. It's planned as a spot for ranger talks or community gatherings.

This rendering reveals the Campfire Circle, with a central gasoline firepit and seating for up to 75. It can be planned as a place for ranger talks or group gatherings.

James Corner Area Functions

When all those Golden Gate sights are heading to be a specified emphasize, the park programs other features for the city’s inhabitants and numerous holidaymakers.

1st, Tunnel Tops connects two of the Presidio’s 4 key areas: The Presidio’s Primary Write-up part to the Crissy Discipline waterfront spot underneath, with its shorelines and wonderful 2.3-mile waterfront promenade.

So what was as soon as a raised freeway has been changed by paths that connect the two for the first time in many years, in accordance to a information release from the partnership.

Other critical components of Tunnel Tops include:

• Presidio Plaza: This will serve as an arrival point and collecting area as properly as primary people today-seeing. It will also be the hub for the PresidiGo Shuttle (a totally free support to and all over the park).
• Cliff Stroll and Overlooks: The Cliff Wander follows the edge of the bluff some 30 feet (9 meters) previously mentioned Crissy Industry and the bay and “offers sculpted driftwood benches designed from fallen Presidio Cypress trees.” The walk will also feature a few overlooks, like 1 that looks towards Alcatraz, the previous notorious prison turned Countrywide Park internet site.

• Presidio Methods: These terraces will hook up the Cliff Walk to the Outpost, a two-acre out of doors engage in place for little ones. They facial area the Golden Gate Bridge, so site visitors can appreciate extraordinary views.

• Area Station: In this article, young people can check out the Presidio’s organic and cultural natural environment “as a result of the lens of science, art, and creativeness.”

This rendering is of Golden Gate Meadow. It's meant to be a gathering area surrounded by gardens, tall native grasses and perennials. The park plans it to be used for picnics, kite-flying and connecting with nature.

This rendering is of Golden Gate Meadow. It’s meant to be a accumulating space surrounded by gardens, tall indigenous grasses and perennials. The park strategies it to be employed for picnics, kite-flying and connecting with character.

James Corner Area Operations

Artwork murals, picnic areas, a campfire circle and meadows for kite-flying have also been additional.

San Franc
isco offers a good deal of urban mountaineering, and the Presidio Tunnel Tops need to verify to make a great starting off position or terminus for a sturdy outing.

Donors to the Golden Gate Nationwide Parks Conservancy elevated $98 million to aid to create the park. The overall task price range was $118 million, with the Presidio Have confidence in contributing $20 million toward the undertaking. Groundbreaking started out in the fall of 1999.

What this suggests to San Francisco tourism

The aerial rendering shows how the Presidio Tunnel Tops will fit into the larger Presidio area.

The aerial rendering demonstrates how the Presidio Tunnel Tops will in shape into the greater Presidio area.

James Corner Subject Operations

San Francisco is plentiful with typical sights: Golden Gate Park, Coit Tower, Alcatraz, Chinatown and the Palace of Fantastic Arts, among the several many others. How will the new kid stand out?

“The Presidio is one of San Francisco’s unique attractions — a national park place inside of an city location. Nevertheless, some tourists are not as acquainted with the Presidio as they are with the city’s other legendary sights,” said Hubertus Funke, govt vice president and main tourism officer of the San Francisco Travel Association.

“The higher-profile opening of Presidio Tunnel Tops will elevate the park’s worldwide profile, and it will grow to be a ‘must-see’ attraction.”

He claimed Presidio Tunnel Tops will offer “varied programming reflecting the Bay Area’s cultural vibrancy. … It is an unbelievable improvement to a single of the country’s most gorgeous and most visited national parks.”

Opening working day festivities

The Outpost play area for children (and the young at heart) is seen under construction.

The Outpost participate in space for young children (and the young at coronary heart) is observed underneath building.

Rachel Styer

A personal ribbon-cutting is scheduled for Saturday, July 16.

Several hours for the public’s opening day are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, July 17. The Sunday function is cost-free.

You can get there through the PresidoGo shuttle, Muni bus 43 (with direct provider to the Presidio Transit Heart) and Muni bus 30 (with immediate support to nearby Crissy Industry).

There is also paid parking if you want to courageous the streets of San Francisco by car or truck, and bike sharing is readily available to hire.

It will be a varied opening day with leisure that incorporates Afro-Latin dance, bilingual poetry readings, a ranger speak at the new Campfire Circle and far more.

Food items vehicles that includes Bay Region cuisine will be on hand, and social justice activist Favianna Rodriguez will unveils a temporary mural set up called “Ancestral Futurism: Looking Again to Mend the Long term.”

Major graphic: A see of the Golden Gate Bridge from the Presidio Tunnel Tops while below development. (Image by Rachel Styer)

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