MEETING OF THE CIVIC DESIGN REVIEW COMMITTEE
OF THE SAN FRANCISCO ARTS COMMISSION

Monday, March 20, 2017
3:00 p.m.
401 Van Ness Avenue, Room 125

Minutes

Committee Chair Kimberlee Stryker called the meeting to order at 3:01 p.m.

1. Roll Call
   Commissioners Present
   Kimberlee Stryker, Chair
   Paul Woolford
   Abby Sadin Schnair
   Lydia So
   
   Commissioners Absent
   Dorka Keehn
   
   Staff Present
   Jill Manton, Director, Public Art Trust and Special Initiatives
   Aleta Lee, Program Associate, Public Art Trust and Special Initiatives
   Tom DeCaigny, Director of Cultural Affairs
2. Public Comment
   There was no public comment. 
   
   The agenda items #3 MOHCD Multifamily Lending Affordable Housing Design and #4 Southeast Plant Campus Plan Design Guidelines were switched due to scheduling.
3. Southeast Plant Campus Plan Design Guidelines: Informational 
   Erica Uribe, Project Design Manager, AECOM
   Shelby Campbell, Project Manager, SFPUC
   
   The design team presented the Southeast Plant Campus Plan, which provided an detailed overview of the campus and explanation of key components to the design of the project. The team began by sharing their initial design workshop held two years ago that provided key objectives to the project, including: transformation for better space, demonstration of SFPUC investment to the community, outreach to the community, maximizing the PUC property assets, and developing future partners in the area. With that in mind, they formed a vision “to transform San Francisco’s oldest (and largest) wastewater treatment plant into a state of the art resource recovery facility, a City destination, a proud neighborhood asset, and an attractive workplace.”
   
   After this introduction, the design team delved deeper into the location and context of the campus, reviewing the campus access, circulation, tour loop, storm water plan, neighborhood connectivity, existing SFPUC parcels in the area, and strategy in responding to the urban context of the campus. The team emphasized the objective of the campus’ public engagement, which explained their reprogramming of people-use buildings to the edge of the campus and development of an engaging perimeter that integrated art and educational elements. Moreover, they presented a new addition to the project; a Visitor Pavilion which would serve as a temporary facility for education and tour meeting points while the Visitor Center is still in construction. Placed at the corner of Evans Avenue and Phelps Street, it would act as landmark that would connect to the neighboring commercial corridor and new community center. Lastly, the design team reviewed the models of the campus and Visitor’s Pavilion that were brought to the meeting.
   
   The Committee expressed their appreciation for SFPUC’s forward thinking and the comprehensive vision of the campus, which allowed a better understanding for the various projects involved in the new development. They were thrilled the design team’s motivation to engage the public through various elements, including landscaping, programming of the buildings, and attention to the perimeter of the campus. The Committee thought it would be important to focus on the specific area where the new Visitor Pavilion would be located, due to its proximity to a central part of the neighborhood. They urged the team to discuss with the City Planning Department to develop an innovative intervention relative to the commercial use of this area.
   
   There was no public comment.
    
4. MOHCD Multifamily Lending Affordable Housing Design: Informational
   Mara Blitzer, Director of Housing Development, MOHCD
   Erin Carson, Project Manager, MOHCD
   
   Olson Lee, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development (MOHCD), gave an introduction to their office and what they do as a government agency. Their work includes preservation of existing housing, production of new housing, and developing affordable housing to house a variety of demographics in San Francisco. The team went on to describe their staff, what systems they use to build and preserve affordable housing, and who operates these new developments. The team showed a few examples of award winning designs in their housing portfolio and went on to explain their current development and construction review process from proposal to building completion.
   
   The Committee was interested in the development process and how they could be involved in relation to the role of Civic Design Review. The Committee wanted to know how they could best be a resource to MOHCD and work together to have great design in the city. They asked that the SFAC staff and MOHCD meet together to explore how the Committee could have input in an already established process. They also suggested that the Committee chair, Commissioner Stryker, and/ or Jill Manton have an advisory role in the initial development process of new MOHCD projects.
   
   
   There was no further public comment.
    
5. Visual Arts Committee Update
   
   N/A
    
8. Staff Report
   Jill Manton alerted the Committee that April’s Civic Design Review would have a long agenda due to multiple incoming projects for review. She wanted to make certain that there would be a quorum for the meeting and if necessary, identify an alternate date for the meeting. Since at least three Commissioners would be out for the April Civic Design Review meeting, it was suggested that the meeting be moved to April 10^th. Manton also thanked the Commissioners for their flexibility with deferring their SFPUC tour. She shared that there would be another tour set up for those who were not able to attend.
   
   Director DeCaigny announced a staff update that Kate Faust took on the role as the new Capital Analyst for the Arts Commission.
    
9. New Business and Announcements
    
   Tom DeCaigny shared that tomorrow would be National Arts Advocacy Day, along with sharing about San Francisco’s proposal submission to host the World Culture City’s Forum for 2018. Commissioner Woolford and Commissioner Stryker expressed their interest in supporting these efforts.
   
   Jill Manton shared about the Harvey Milk Plaza competition, explaining that the design would be selected by their committee run by American Institute for Artists and neighborhood community organizations before coming to Civic Design Review. There will also be a work of art with this new design that will be gifted to the City.
10. Adjournment 
    There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 5:17 p.m.
    posted 3/30/17, 5:30 p.m., akl
     

Language Accessibility

Translated written materials and interpretation services are available to you at no cost. For assistance, please notify Director of Special Projects and Civic Design Review Program Manager Jill Manton, 415-252-2226, jill.manton@sfgov.org.

我們將為閣下提供免費的書面翻譯資料和口譯服務。如需協助，Director of Special Projects and Civic Design Review Program Manager Jill Manton, 415-252-2226, jill.manton@sfgov.org.

Materiales traducidos y servicios de interpretación están disponibles para usted de manera gratuita. Para asistencia, notifique a Director of Special Projects and Civic Design Review Program Manager Jill Manton, 415-252-2226, jill.manton@sfgov.org.

Ang mga materyales na nakasalin sa ibang wika at ang mga serbisyong tagapagsalin sa wika ay walang bayad. Para sa tulong, maaring i-contact si Director of Special Projects and Civic Design Review Program Manager Jill Manton, 415-252-2226, jill.manton@sfgov.org.