A rendering of the starburst chandelier, shown here with colored lights, that designers have proposed as part of a potential revamp of lower Powell Street between the cable car turnaround and Union Square.
A rendering shows the starburst chandelier that designers have proposed as part of a potential revamp of lower Powell Street between the cable-car turnaround and Union Square. Baccarat Crystal Lamp
A rendering of the starburst chandelier, shown here with colored lights, that designers have proposed as part of a potential revamp of lower Powell Street between the cable car turnaround and Union Square.
Beleaguered lower Powell Street might soon be getting a makeover.
In an effort to draw more people to a desolate stretch of the street, designers sponsored by The City have proposed adding a giant “starburst” chandelier that can change colors, decorative hanging lamps and widened sidewalks for outdoor eating, according to conceptual plans unveiled Monday.
The new lighting and pavement are part of a $20 million to $30 million practical and aesthetic overhaul proposed for the three blocks of Powell Street stretching from Geary Street to the tourist-popular cable-car turnaround at Market Street.
Currently, The City has only about $3.5 million available for a Powell Street refresh, money left from the $4 million budgeted last year.
That could either buy the proposed “Golden Lantern” chandelier or alternately spruce up the fatigued aluminum parklet spaces now used by pedestrians, possibly with the addition of tables, chairs and food kiosks.
The grander plan calls for the parklets to be removed entirely and sidewalks to be widened to the edges of the cable-car zone, which would create more space for pedestrians and outdoor food-and-beverage service.
The public can view the designs and provide input at an open house scheduled for Wednesday from 4 to 7 p.m. at 111 Powell St. Construction on the more limited plans could start next year, while a more comprehensive approach would take longer.
A rendering shows the starburst chandelier that designers have proposed as part of a potential revamp of lower Powell Street between the cable-car turnaround and Union Square.
Marisa Rodriguez, CEO of the Union Square Alliance, the group that helps maintain and promote the district, said she wants the more-expansive and costly improvements to restore luster to Powell Street, which has been marred in recent years by numerous storefront vacancies.
The alliance is managing the initial design process for The City. Rodriguez compared the cable-car turnaround area to the Golden Gate Bridge in terms of the iconography that defines San Francisco.
To pay for the larger vision, Rodriguez wants to get a portion of the $390 million bond measure that Mayor London Breed has proposed for the November ballot.
“We need that investment,” Rodriguez said. “The bond would be a huge blessing to be able to realize this full vision and bring this community and this street back to its full glory.”
Breed on Monday indicated her support for more funding for Powell Street.
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“Powell is among San Francisco’s most iconic streets and serves as an anchor to the rest of the City for nearly half of all visitors who come here,” Breed said in a press release. “That’s why I have dedicated funding and proposed the November bond measure to support this important effort to reimagine Powell as a premier destination for locals and visitors, and proposed new funding in my budget to bring more events, businesses, and security to enhance this beautiful area.”
Earlier this month, Breed used the cable-car turnaround as a backdrop to tout millions of dollars in her proposed budget aimed at revitalizing downtown, including Union Square, with initiatives that focused on public safety, activating public spaces with entertainment, and helping businesses open in vacant storefronts.
The two design firms that together developed the concepts unveiled Monday morning were Field Operations, a landscape-architecture firm famed for its work on New York City’s High Line and the Presidio Tunnel Tops in San Francisco, and SITELAB Urban Studio, which developed a public-realm action plan for parts of downtown in and near the Financial District.
Richard Kennedy, a partner at Field Operations, said the improvements were inspired by the iconic cable cars, which he described as symbols of innovation and romance, and evocative of San Francisco’s hilly charms.
Kennedy said the notion for a starburst chandelier — a loose sphere of bulbs that would hover over the cable car turnaround — harkens to singer Tony Bennet’s classic song “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” with its line about the city “where little cable cars climb halfway to the stars.”
“The idea is to use light to illuminate the cable cars’ journey to elevate the sense of romance, of charm, of beauty of the street, to just renew and refresh the idea of Powell Street as a wonderful place to be, and to restore its position as one of our city’s most iconic places,” Kennedy said.
The lights would be dimmable and programmable LEDs that could change color in connection with celebrations and events — for example, blue and gold in honor of the Golden State Warriors, or rainbow hues in celebration of Pride month, Kennedy said.
In addition to the chandelier, the designers proposed art-nouveau-inspired hanging lanterns that would zigzag above Powell from Market Street to Geary Street in a nod to the area’s turn-of-the-century architecture and the historic street lamps in other parts of The City.
The designers also propose adding trees and other greenery to the two blocks between Ellis and Geary streets to bring it more in line with the block between Market and Ellis that is currently lined with trees, so the whole stretch would feel more unified, Kennedy said.
Whether these proposed improvements can help reverse the dark fortunes of recent years for Powell Street remains to be seen given a radically changing shopping landscape that in the first quarter saw retail vacancies citywide hit a record, particularly in Union Square.
For Rodriguez, the hope is that a redesign will once again make Powell Street a more popular attraction.
“We need foot traffic,” she said.
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