Potrero Power Station
We were selected as master planners for this emerging neighborhood because of our reputation for breathing new life into San Francisco’s waterfront. The client valued our collaborative work experience with the city and community, as well as our track record for creating resilient maritime destinations.
Our plan includes more than six acres of parks and multiple pedestrian paths, as well as 2,600 mixed-use and mixed-income units. Existing industrial structures will be adapted for public access, entertainment, and business. Most notably, the 130-foot steel Unit 3 Power Station will be converted into a boutique hotel.
Our planning process features quarterly community workshops, monthly site tours, and weekly “developer office hours.” It’s lauded by the neighborhood and the San Francisco Planning Commission as a model for community engagement and transparency, which in turn allows us to proceed on a two-year schedule—a much faster pace than the typical 10 years it takes for projects of this scale.
The site will be bookended by two power stations—one built in 1889, the other in 1964. A 300-foot-tall stack will remain as an icon on the waterfront and a reminder of the new neighborhood’s rich history. In a complete turnaround, the site will be transformed from a polluting power plant to a sustainable, resilient neighborhood that embraces wellness.
– Lou Vasquez, Build
The process of developing the plan brings more than 2,500 people to the site for food and art festivals, live performances, and temporary light art installations.
