Amid the sound of shovels breaking the earth, Mayor Daniel Lurie and State Senator Scott Wiener, alongside city leaders and community members, launched the start of a transformative project for Buchanan Street Mall. The much-awaited renovation, a communal effort spearheaded by the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department in partnership with the Trust for Public Land (TPL) and other local organizations, aims to turn the five-block stretch into a bustling public space that honors the Western Addition's deep-rooted cultural history. Citizens of the area look forward to what will soon bloom into an engaging and safe environment fitting for the neighborhood's diverse generations, according to the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department.
The wheels for this revitalization have been spinning for over a decade, with the vision becoming a reality thanks to $34 million pooled from various sources; federal, state, and local pockets. Happily secured was $4.8 million by Senator Wiener and the state budget, with additional funding comprising $12 million from Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership federal grants, and a nice $5.8 million slice from TPL. With more than six million bucks from the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission for good measure, the project seems primed for success.
Daniel Lurie, voicing his community's aspirations, stated, "Buchanan Mall is more than just a park—it’s a symbol of resilience, history, and the power of our Western Addition neighborhood," in an announcement obtained by SF Recreation and Parks Department. The space is set to sport a Memory Walk painted with historical context and public art, improved safety and lighting features, play and exercise areas, venues for community performers, and educational and small business kiosks. Acknowledgment of the district's ancestral and modern-day plights is at the heart of the redesign, intending to foster healing and intergenerational connections.
Constructive conversations with the local populace, overall more than 1,150 survey responders and 20 plus community events, have shaped the project's course. While the design by the Office of Cheryl Barton got a thumbs-up from the Recreation and Park Commission back in April 2020, San Francisco Public Works now marches on to oversee landscape design and manage construction, aiming to cut the ribbon on the finished project by the tail end of 2026. Whether it's environmentally friendly rain gardens or drought-resistant flora or art that weaves a narrative, Public Works Director Carla Short sees the renovation as a melting pot of city department efforts and Fillmore community passions, saying, as per SF Recreation and Parks, "Today’s groundbreaking marks an exciting milestone in the transformation of this important public space."
