Mission Rock
The San Francisco Giants are transforming a former Oracle Park parking lot into Mission Rock, a new district with housing, workplaces, and parks that integrates more than 240,000 planned square feet of active retail space. The Giants hold a 99-year lease for the Port Authority-owned property, and, as good stewards, both parties wanted the land to support higher use that would contribute to the city’s community life and vibrance.
To create authentic settings for a variety of small local businesses—retail shops, artisans, makers, and manufacturers—designers studied San Francisco neighborhoods that offer vibrant ground-floor experiences. They used this research to inform design controls that specify four zones that shape ground-level frontage and help define distinct identities across the development.
High retail zones, which include a curbless promenade and a public square, will form the project’s commercial heart. Storefronts, spill‑out dining, and transparent façades will line pedestrian-friendly streets, offering a curated mix of shops, experience‑driven tenants, and food and beverage options that attracts activity around the clock and throughout the year.
Mission Rock Square will feature a permanent retail and food structure with public restrooms, complemented by temporary kiosks during events. The square is designed to host programming ranging from outdoor dining and game tables to concerts and movie nights. Outdoor spill-out spaces will allow cafés and eateries to contribute to the square’s charm, while integral stormwater gardens and iconic public art will serve as natural gathering points.
Park zones extend into the five-acre China Basin Park and other open spaces. Small park structures (up to 1,500 square feet) and kiosks (up to 200 square feet) will offer opportunities for pop-up retail, food and beverage service, recreational equipment rentals, and programming.
The “Working Waterfront” zone faces piers 48 and 50 recalls the site’s industrial heritage through production-oriented enterprises. Large windows and elevated walkways reminiscent of historic loading docks will allow tenants to engage passersby while meeting operational needs. This zone also incorporates a 16-foot-wide shared-use trail that connects to regional bike routes and open spaces.
Neighborhood street zones create quieter areas that will help make Mission Rock a comfortable and convenient place to live. With individual ground-floor entries and welcoming stoops, residential frontages encourage social interaction in public spaces while maintaining residents’ privacy. Small-scale grocery stores, cafes, and other shops will provide for residents’ everyday needs, and customizable storefronts and elements like sliding or folding windows encourage tenants’ creativity and enliven neighborhoods.
Throughout the district, native plantings, High-Solar Reflectance Index (SRI) pavements, stormwater gardens, and shade trees will create comfortable microclimates that encourage outdoor dining and casual lingering year-round. Along retail corridors, distinctive signage will help visitors navigate from Mission Rock Square to China Basin Park, to the waterfront, and through the neighborhood’s active streets. And to contribute to a safe and welcoming evening atmosphere, ambient light from shops will be supplemented by pedestrian-scale fixtures and integrated paving lights.
London Breed, Former Mayor of San Francisco
Project Team
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