Development on Treasure Island keeping with focus on re-use, sustainability
The emerging landscape of a quickly developing San Francisco neighborhood is reflecting the re-use mentality.
It's a decades-long development with an emphasis on ecological infrastructure. Small businesses are beginning to see their visions become reality as Yerba Buena and Treasure Island are dramatically changing by the day.
When MeeSun Boice first thought of opening a new restaurant on Treasure Island a decade ago, the small business owner welcomed the idea of reusing materials and objects all around her.
"What about containers. Because it's kind of semi-permanent, but you're repurposing containers," said Boice.
The outdoor tables are made from shipping containers, so is the kitchen, bar, and dining areas.
"My only request was there had to be windows everywhere for this multimillion-dollar view," said Boice.
The panoramic views from the tables at Mersea Restaurant speak for themselves, and so does the emerging landscape, which small businesses on the island have been patiently waiting for to draw in tourists and city residents.
"To have this view of the entire bay, city and Golden Gate Bridge is really special,"
said Kevin Conger of CMG Landscape Architecture.
Conger is a landscape architect whose firm designed one of the largest storm water gardens in the Bay Area that serves native plants and ultimately the waters below.
"It percolates through the soil in the plant medium and gets filtered and clean, and then released out into the bay," said Conger.
Nearby parks also incorporate ecological infrastructure and a re-use approach. Benches are made from cleared Eucalyptus trees.
The newest dog park features 3,000 feet of boulders that kept surfacing during excavation.
"It's a great opportunity to make a landscape that is more about the island and more about the place and in a way, I think much more beautiful," said Conger.
As construction to build 8,000 units awaits, with one-quarter designated as affordable housing escalates, residents and retailers are soaking in the dramatically changing views that were vastly different, not too long ago.
"Piles of dirt higher than the bridge," recalled Boice.
"This landscape is just alive with birds and bees and bugs and butterflies that nature has found very quickly," said Conger.
"The developers are truly taking this pile of rock, and turning it into a diamond," said Boice.
Mersea Restaurant is also becoming a gem for MeeSun.
"I knew it was going to happen. You have to believe in a vision, and in yourself, when everyone tells you you're crazy," said Boice.
Her years-long investment is finally paying off and bringing more friends, onto a transforming island in the shadows of the city skyline.
Close to 300 acres of parkland are being developed on Yerba Buena and Treasure Island.
New parks are still being built and set to open in the years to come.
Daily ferry service is now up and running from San Francisco to the island.
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