Waterfront
AMERICA’S CUP 
THD has been extremely supportive of the America’s Cup coming to the northeastern San Francisco waterfront since the idea was first proposed back in November 2010 as outlined in the THD President’s letter to the Board of Supervisors at that time. You can read that letter by clicking here. Ever since, we have been excited because this is an opportunity to showcase the waterfront in a spectacular water-oriented way and provide resources to restore some of our ailing piers without turning them into shopping malls, office buildings, or condo high-rises.
Some inaccurate media reports have unfortunately characterized THD as an “opponent” of America’s Cup and indicated that THD had or planned to file a lawsuit. Those reports are simply wrong. On the contrary, many THD members have volunteered countless hours of their time over the last year working as part of the Environmental Council coalition of two dozen environmental and community groups to ensure that the event is done in a way that minimizes environmental damage to the Bay and proactively addresses the potential impacts on neighborhoods such as traffic, trash, and construction. As a result of these efforts by THD and other groups, the Port, the City, and America’s Cup Event Authority have made many significant improvements to the original plans that all agree have made the America’s Cup an overall much better event.
Real concerns do remain. For example, the Sierra Club, the Dolphin Club, and the South End Rowing Club have focused attention on the event’s proposed reductions in public recreation and water access at Aquatic Park and the toxic sediment that may be drudged up in order to place a large floating TV jumbotron on a barge in Aquatic Park for spectators to view the America’s Cup races.
In an effort to try and resolve these and other concerns, THD joined a coalition of environmental and community groups to request that the Board of Supervisors do a final review of the America’s Cup environmental impact report before it is finalized in order to address problems that can be fixed. Because of the additional time given for review, in late January the America’s Cup Event Authority agreed to drop plans for the floating jumbotron in Aquatic Park. This was a big win for all of us and will make for a better event.
The Port of San Francisco has sent out a notice indicating that demolition work at Pier 27 and Pier 29 will soon begin. The notice states that, “Demolition activity is scheduled to take approximately 10 weeks, from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, with removal of demolition materials which may occur during after-business hours, Monday through Friday.” You can download and read that notice by clicking here.
THD is very hopeful that the new Pier 27 Cruise Terminal will be a positive permanent addition to the northern waterfront and that the America’s Cup events will be a terrific way for San Francisco to share the unique and historic waterfront that we all love with the rest of the world. We will continue to participate in the process and work constructively to help make that promise a reality.
View the America’s Cup Environmental Council letter outlining America’s Cup environmental problems & solutions.
View the America’s Cup Environmental Impact Report appeal letter by environmental and neighborhood groups.
Visit the City of San Francisco’s America’s Cup page and the Port of San Francisco’s America’s Cup page.
America’s Cup News:
KQED Radio 88.5 FM Forum Program 2/17/12: Rough Seas for America’s Cup?
KCBS Ch. 5 1/27/12: Closer Look: Construction Set for America’s Cup in SF
KTVU Ch.2 12/16/11: Groups file appeal of environmental review of America’s Cup
NY Times 12/16/11: Swimmers to Protest America’s Cup by Occupying the Bay
SF Business Times 11/30/11: America’s Cup CEO is out amid management shakeup
SF Examiner 11/25/11: America’s Cup fate rests with green report
SF Chronicle 11/5/11: America’s Cup planners should make concessions now
SF Examiner 9/26/11: SF taxpayers may be stuck with millions for America’s Cup bill
SF Chronicle 9/1/11: Message To America’s Cup – Don’t Steal Our Bay
SF Appeal 8/26/11: America’s Cup Road Closure Could Be “Devastating” To Ferry Building
SF Chronicle 8/22/11: Cup’s yacht plan threatens our wide-open bay views
SF Business Times 8/19/11: America’s Cup hits enviro wave
SF Chronicle 8/12/11: Public weighs in with America’s Cup concerns
The Mariner 8/12/11: Environmentalists call for better America’s Cup planning
SF Bay Guardian 8/11/11: Environmentalists: America’s Cup not green enough
SF Bay Guardian 7/8/11: During America’s Cup, clean-air program takes a step backward
SF Bay Guardian 6/28/11: Smooth sailing for developers
SF Bay Citizen 2/2/11: America’s Cup Costs to Be Revealed
8 WASHINGTON/SEAWALL LOT 351 PROJECT 
New: THD formally asks CA State Lands Commission to hold public hearing in San Francisco to hear from affected community before approving sale of publicly-owned waterfront land for private residential use. Read the letter here.
THD has joined together with more than a dozen neighborhood associations and community groups to fight the proposed “8 Washington/Seawall Lot 351 Project,” which would replace a recreation area with a high-rise luxury condo complex on the waterfront.
Neighborhood groups are urging the Port of San Francisco to significantly scale down the size of the proposed 8 Washington Project and protect the existing recreation areas and facilities. The coalition is supporting a legal challenge to a city study that prematurely endorsed the 8 Washington Project in violation of environmental laws. Read more here in the newsletter of our coalition partner, the Barbary Coast Neighborhood Association: BCNA Joins Coalition to Fight 8 Washington Project
The 8 Washington Project is currently undergoing environmental review by the SF Planning Department. Read the THD Comment Letter Outlining Flaws in 8 Washington Project Draft Environmental Impact Report
Visit the Friends of Golden Gateway website for comprehensive background on the 8 Washington Project and its impact on existing recreation and residents.
8 Washington Project News:
New York Times 9/25/11: A High-Rise Condo Project Signals a Change at City Hall
SF Bay Guardian 9/2/11: The Little Problem of 8 Washington
SF Bay Guardian 7/5/11: Is LEED really green?
Bay Citizen 6/1/10: Condo Project Irks Hill Dwellers