2:00 p.m. 

Remote Meeting via video and teleconferencing

 

  

 

 

Kimberlee Stryker, Chair

Yakuh Askew

Mary Jung

Dorka Keehn 

Abby Sadin Schnair

Debra Walker

Paul Woolford

 

Joanne Lee, Deputy Director of Programs

Alyssa Ventre, Commission Secretary

 

 

There was no public comment.

 

Erica Ruiz, Project Manager, SF Public Works

Anthony Esterbrooks, Landscape Architect, SF Public Works

 

The project team presented the project location to be on the eastside of San Francisco in the Central West Waterfront neighborhood, an industrial zone. The project includes an open-air parking lot and charging area for buses, three main buildings including a bus wash, fare collection, and operations area, which includes a storage area and employee facilities. The team stated that they have made a few changes after their first presentation with CDR. Instead of using pre-engineered buildings and trailers the team stated that they are now using pre-engineered buildings only which will allow them to remove the firewall from the plan giving the site a more clean and cohesive look. They stated that the driveway and entry gate will be accessible from Cesar Chavez. They expressed that all buildings will be constructed from the same materials--pre-engineered Butler buildings with standing seam metal panels and operable windows. The pointed out that the operations building will have a lowered awning which will aim to bring the building closer to the employees using it. The team decided to add color to the coiling doors and hollow metal doors to liven up the site and to match the existing security fencing on all sides for consistency. As for landscaping, the team reminded the committee that they will continue to focus on the perimeter treatment, bioswale, and entryway along Maryland St. Bioswale plantings will focus on biodiversity, be low maintenance, and will work with storm water function at the site. The team informed the commissioners that they plan to incorporate street trees along Maryland St.

 

Commissioners expressed concern that the space in the bus yard looked tight for the busses to maneuver. They also asked the team to review the angle of the awning on the operations building and specifically suggested that it be more horizontal, less pitched. Commissioners commented that the addition of color to the site was a good consideration especially if the Art Enrichment funds are pulled for another site. They felt that the landscape planting plan was fine and expressed looking forward to learning more in future meetings. 

 

There was no public comment.

 

Commissioner Keehn, seconded by Commissioner Schnair moved to approve Phase 1 of the Muni Metro East Expansion Project with a comment to study the geometry of the angle of the awning and that the commissioners agreed with adding more color to the site.

 

The motion unanimously carried by the following vote:

Ayes: Stryker, Askew, Jung, Keehn, Schnair, Walker, Woolford

 

Ada Zhu, Project Manager, SF Water

Jamie Beckman, Project Designer, Merrill Morris

Jack Lin, Project Manager, SF Water

 

The project team gave a brief overview of the project to build a high voltage transmission and distribution system in the southeast portion of San Francisco at Davidson Avenue and Quint St.. They stated that the project’s main elements for CDR review will be the perimeter walls, fire barrier walls, vehicular and pedestrian gates, new concrete sidewalk, and signage. The project team stated that they will continue to work with their project goals in mind—the connection to SEP campus and Headworks as a whole and creating an elegant facility that fits into the neighborhood. The team addressed a previous concern from the committee about the Agave Attenuata plant lining the street in front of the site. After consulting with plant specialists, the team expressed confidence that the plant will get sufficient light. They also addressed the request from the committee that the sign graphic with LED lighting be of higher quality. They assured the commissioners that the company they are working with is a leader in the industry. The team stated that the perimeter wall would consist of architectural metal panels with a non-directional pattern. Behind it will be a precast concrete firewall. The team mentioned that they are following the city’s MWELO Ordinance (promoting efficient water use in new and retrofitted landscapes) to inform their planting plan.

 

The commissioners commended the team’s thorough investigation into the sign materials and asked for clarification around how the graphics will adhere to the wall and if they will float or sit flush. Commissioners also asked the team if they would be adding additional exterior lighting to the site, perhaps in the planting scheme. They questioned the quality of the streetlight surrounding the site and expressed concern for security if light level was too low. Commissioners were concerned about security issues and asked the design team to review the lighting plan surrounding the site at night and report their findings to the commissioners informally.  

 

There was no public comment.

 

Commissioner Schnair, seconded by Commissioner Walker moved to approve Phase 3 of the Bay Corridor Transmission and Distribution Project as presented. 

 

The motion unanimously carried by the following vote:

Ayes: Stryker, Askew, Jung, Keehn, Schnair, Walker, Woolford

 

Alexis Ward, Project Manager, SF Rec and Pak

Marsha Maytum, Project Designer, Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects

Gregg Novicoff, Architect, Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects

Emily Rylander, Landscape Architect, Andrea Cochran Landscape Architecture

 

The project team shared the location to be in the Sunnydale neighborhood at the corner of Hahn St. and Sunnydale Ave. and next to Maclaren Park. The team mentioned that their project goal is to create an inclusive, safe, family and youth focused place for neighborhood residents and visitors. They highlighted their community engagement strategies from children’s workshops and meetings to online surveys and they shared the guiding principles for the project created in partnership with the community—active street identity, welcoming, safe space, connection to nature, simple solutions, promote health. The team reviewed the comments given by commissioners in their conceptual review and addressed each item throughout their presentation. The team also presented their project in relation to the larger projects taking place in Herz Park. They presented their conceptual planting strategy--to provide usable recreation areas, reduce water consumption, and provide storm water filtration areas. They introduced their planting plan to include drought tolerant grasses and flowering shrubs, native and seasonal trees. They also gave a detailed layout of the space and the highlighted features such as the picnic terrace, nature exploration area, and outdoor fitness area. The team presented their materials plan for the site--painted stucco, tile, PVs on roof, standing seam metal roof, composite wood panel. All the materials will be durable and with graffiti coating. They also commented that they will use a restrained palette in order to keep the focus on the natural elements the park offers.  The team also presented possible locations for public art on the site. 

 

Commissioners commended the project team for their beautiful and thoughtful work. They also expressed reservation around the number of materials being used and asked the team to consider areas where they could use the same materials for consistency. They asked specifically for the team to use the same material for the roof and the wall if possible and ultimately asked for a gentler transition between materials where possible. Commissioners expressed appreciation to the team for clearly addressing concerns brought up in previous meetings. Commissioners recommended the project team incorporate pure simple nature into children’s play area and mentioned the Presidio log graveyard as an example. Commissioners also encouraged the team to think about level of transparency into the site from the street and asked that they team reconsider the spacing of trees for a more informal a more organic placement. 

 

There was no public comment.

 

Commissioner Woolford, seconded by Commissioner Askew moved to approve Phase 1 of the Herz Playground Recreation Center Project with the following contingencies: to study the possibility of simplifying the materials that transition between the building and structure relationships, to look at increasing transparency at the entry at Hahn St, to look at the scale of tile, and to redo the tree spacing patterns.  

 

The motion unanimously carried by the following vote:

Ayes: Stryker, Askew, Jung, Keehn, Schnair, Walker, Woolford

 

Eric Cordoba, Project Manager, SF CTA

Dave Dickinson, Project Designer/Architect, WMH

Liz Hirschorn, Treasure Island Development Authority

 

The project team described the location of the project as connecting to and from Bay Bridge on Westside of Yerba Buena island. The explained that there are many geotechnical issues with the site that they are addressing in their design effort. They stated that the eight bridges that are there now are over 80 years old and are in desperate need of an upgrade. The team presented an overview of the project, which includes demolishing seven bridge structures, realigning the roadway into the hillside, constructing six retaining walls, constructing one undercrossing structure, retrofitting one bridge structure. The team discussed their approach to the aesthetic treatment of the retaining walls, which included gathering input from stakeholders, looking at approved treatments for walls throughout the island, and considering the overall island theme. The team stated that the visual impact of the project to the public is a major consideration as the project is visible from the eastbound traffic lanes of the Bay Bridge, from the Embarcadero, and from the ferries and recreations boats on the bay. The team looked at three primary archetypal treatments for the retaining walls—plain grey concrete, rock texture, and a staining process to match color tones of the natural environment. The team stated that the longest retaining wall will be a tieback and soil anchoring wall and will the use the rock texture and stain. The other walls will be fill walls and will be concrete with stain. They stated that all walls will be stained tan to complement the hillside and that no trees will be removed from lower hillside.    

 

Commissioners thanked the team for their presentation. They asked the project team to reconsider a landscaping plan for the site and expressed that plantings, possibly trees or vines, can help with the visual impact of the site. Commissioners also urged the project team to meet with Public Art to discuss ways in which an artist could be incorporated into the project at this early stage and stated that it was premature to make a decision on project without first talking with SFAC’s Public Art staff about art opportunities. Finally, Commissioner Stryker offered to meet with the team in an Informal Work Session once they have had a conversation with Public Art staff and Jill Manton, Director of the Public Art Trust before they come to CDR for phase 1 review.

 

Roland Lebrun: Resident of San Jose but frequent patron of Water Bar on the Embarcadero where the view is of Treasure Island. The caller expressed concerned that the project as presented will look like a scar on the island and encouraged the team to look at a planting plan to help with visual impact. 

 

 

Carolyn Chiu, Project Manager, SF Water

Peter and Inke Noel, Inke Design 

Greg Robley, Architect, MWA

Anthony Esterbrooks, Landscape Architect, SF Public Works

 

The project team gave an overview of the project and stated that since the last CDR meeting it was determined that the project cost estimate far exceeded their budget thus forcing them to conduct a cost reduction effort. Because of this, the team has had to revisit the design due to significant scope changes. The team reminded the commissioners that the Quint and Jarrold Streets entry point is a pedestrian portal into the campus and a future route for tours of the campus. The team expressed interest in bringing some of the public elements integrated into the campus out to the street. With this in mind, they incorporated the MTA engineering diagrams both into the public facing areas of the main building and as accent fence panels on the exterior fence with the hopes that this will spark curiosity in passersby. The team stated that in previous presentations they were using pattern and color on the digesters to replicate concrete using stucco and that the commissioners urged them to reconsider this. In response, the team went back, studied different types of patterns, color combinations, and even considered applying super graphics to the digesters. Due to cost constraints however, the team chose to work with color only. They decided on a blueish steel grey narrow band reminiscent of stainless steel on the upper surfaces and a dark grey wide lower band to unite with the zinc stair towers. 

 

The commissioners expressed their sympathies to the team for having to cut so much of their original project back with consideration to budget. They also expressed concern that the fence design was be a little busy and suggested simplifying the elements of the wall—undulating wall panels with pattern and the art drawings.  

 

There was no public comment.

 

Commissioner Schnair, seconded by Commissioner Askew moved to approve Phase 3 of the Southeast Treatment Plant Biosolids Digester Facilities Project with a contingency that the fence be set aside and come back for review when they team is ready.

 

The motion unanimously carried by the following vote:

Ayes: Stryker, Askew, Jung, Keehn, Schnair, Walker

 

 

There was no VAC presentation.

 

There was no public comment.

 

 

Deputy Director Joanne Lee gave an update on the status of the Southeast Community Center. She stated that the construction has started and that they had a virtual topping off ceremony in December 2020. She also stated that the project is on track for completion by March 2022. The interior artworks will be installed around November 2021 and the Mildred Howard exterior sculpture will be installed to open at the same time as the building in March 2022.

 

Deputy Director Joanne Lee also asked commissioners to give suggestions of recent successful projects for the arts commission to share on their website to help project managers with the presentation process.

 

Commissioners recommended the Golden Gate Tennis Center project, the Southeast Community Center Project, the Treasure Island Ferry Dock Project, the TI Masterplan, the TI Restrooms Project, and the Haywood Park Project as good examples. 

 

Roland Lebrun: The caller thanked the committee for the meeting and especially the way it is run and suggested that they reach out the Trans Bay Joint Powers Authority (TJPA) to educate them on conducting meetings over WebEx and involving public participation.

 

Commissioners also thanked SFAC staff for running a smooth and effective public meeting over WebEx. 

 

Commissioners recognized and thanked Commissioner Schnair for her contributions to the CDR committee and expressed appreciation for her incredible knowledge, thoughtful perspective, great eye, and wonderful demeanor. This was her last CDR meeting and she will be missed. 

 

There was no public comment. 

 

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 4:55 p.m.

 

Archives Available
A recording of this meeting will be available online after the meeting at the following address: https://sfgov.org/arts/civic-design-review-committee-audio-archive

Language Access
Translated written materials and interpretation services are available to you at no cost. For assistance, please notify Maysoun Wazwaz, maysoun.wazwaz@sfgov.org.

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Materiales traducidos y servicios de interpretación están disponibles para usted de manera gratuita. Para asistencia, notifique a Maysoun Wazwaz, maysoun.wazwaz@sfgov.org.