San Francisco Mayor Unveils Fisherman’s Wharf Forward Plan

San Francisco’s beloved Fisherman’s Wharf is set for a makeover.

The waterfront area popular with tourists will be revitalized under the Port of San Francisco’s newly revealed Fisherman’s Wharf Forward project, the San Francisco Business Times reported. The plan aims to breathe life into the neighborhood after restaurants closed and tourism declined during the pandemic.

The Fisherman’s Wharf Forward project would use public investment amid growing business momentum to speed up the area’s recovery. The comeback is already in motion, as visitor spending and hotel bookings are notably higher than a year ago, convention reservations are up 65 percent, and the city’s Ferry Building is seeing record crowds, according to a statement from Mayor Daniel Lurie’s office.

As the artificial intelligence sector grows its foothold in the city and attracts new workers from around the world, city officials are hopeful that the Fisherman’s Wharf Forward plan, in tandem with organic growth, will revitalize the neighborhood.

Part of the plan includes turning the former site of Alioto’s Restaurant on Taylor Street into a public plaza facing the lagoon that abuts Jefferson Street. The space will include picnic tables, benches facing the Bay, new-and-improved lighting and landscaping and a pop-up space for retail or beverage services.

Alioto’s shuttered in 2022 and the Port of San Francisco attempted to re-lease the space, with more than 20 potential tenants expressing interest. The restaurant’s three-story layout and the costs of repairs and necessary code upgrades put the kibosh on leasing in any capacity, including partial or temporary uses.

Instead, Port officials settled on creating public space to attract people to the site and boost nearby businesses.

The Fisherman’s Wharf Forward endeavor adds to other recent efforts to revive activity in the tourist hotspot, including new leases on Jefferson Street, various pop-up activations and improvements to fishing operations at Pier 45, according to the mayor’s office. The project purportedly will also support safer streets and more active public spaces.

Structural improvements are also coming to the wharf as part of the Forward plan. This includes strengthening or replacing the seawall, flood-proofing buildings, modernizing dock space for fishing boats and upgrading public spaces. The goal with these moves is to protect the waterfront from sea level rise and earthquakes while maintaining its character for residents, fishers and tourists.

— Chris Malone Méndez