More Upgrades Hit Castro Street's Renovated Sidewalks

More Upgrades Hit Castro Street's Renovated SidewalksPhotos: Brian Ray / Hoodline
Brian Ray
Published on April 16, 2015

If you've walked down Castro Street between 18th and 19th recently, you may have noticed some work being done around the planters where new trees were installed as part of the Castro Street Streetscape Improvement Project, which was completed back in December of last year.

The tree planter plots originally had dense gravel in them for drainage and easy maintenance. However, construction crews told Hoodline that there were weather-related issues that required them to be changed.

"The existing gravel easily washed out whenever there was a significant storm or water coming down the sidewalks," a crew member told us. "The new material, which looks like concrete, is actually a material made with sand that will still allow drainage but will be more durable than before."

Each planter plot currently has caution tape and cones around it while the new materials are poured and settle in.

This isn't the first alteration since the overall project was completed. The controversial Jane Warner Plaza is currently undergoing another revamp, with a projected completion date now in early May. The changes aim to raise planters to discourage loitering and reinstall the flooring, which Supervisor Wiener told us was "improperly installed" the first time around.