REC is currently reviewing potential site acquisitions for future parks in San Francisco. The Department is currently investigating opportunities in the Tenderloin, Mid-Market/SoMa area, Lower Polk and the Southeast. REC is also working with the Port and OCII to complete the transfer of Mission Bay Parks, and with OCII and Public Works on a potential transfer of the Transbay Block 3 future park and Hunters Point Shipyard Parks. The Department is continuing to work with developers at Schlage Lock for two new future parks.

REC – New Acquisition -
240 6th Street

REC acquired 240 6th street in Fall 2024 for $7.15M, including credit from the owner for site remediation. This site is located in east SoMa, a high-needs neighborhood and Environmental Justice Community, and is adjacent to the Gene Friend Recreation Center. The new site will enable REC to expand a heavily used facility in a rapidly growing area, and to enhance the recreational amenities currently on offer in the neighborhood. While funding for planning and development will need to be identified, funds for site remediation are available.

Located near Yosemite National Park, Camp Mather is a family camp with 337 acres, a pool, lake, tennis and basketball courts, staff housing dormitories, kitchen/dining hall and 100+ rustic cabins that serve as guest accommodations. This site is heavily used and a long-neglected resource. It is also revenue generating. A master plan, including environmental review, would help guide the improvements needed at the facility. In addition, significant improvements are needed to existing structures, including a modern wastewater treatment facility to meet current environmental standards.

In 2019, the Planning Department in collaboration with REC and other involved agencies, developed the City’s Civic Center Public Realm Plan (PRP) with the neighboring community. In alignment with the goals and priorities of the PRP, REC delivered improvements at UN Plaza to activate the space and drive positive activation. The Plan is currently under environmental review by the Planning Department.

Phase 2 of the Geneva Car Barn Enhancement Project includes renovation of the Car Barn Office building. This project will include a seismic upgrade, installation of modern utility systems, restoration of historic features, hazardous materials remediation and new circulation systems to accommodate ADA access. The renovated Car Barn Office Building may include new art studios, a cafe, an event space, a theater, a community meeting room, a student lounge, and retail.

The popular Golden Gate Park Senior Center is a dated building which requires modernization and enhancements to bring it up to code and meet future needs. A needs assessment was conducted to determine the scope of required improvements and cost of two scenarios: one that addresses building deficiencies, ADA and circulation, and one that includes a building expansion and potential relocation of the existing senior center garden.

Significant facility upgrades are needed at the City's golf courses. The Lincoln Park course has several needs including netting along Clement Street, a new clubhouse, a new perimeter fence, as well as rehabilitation of the entire course. Similarly, the Sharp Park course and other courses within the City also require substantial upgrades.

Union Square improvements would include palm planter repairs, plaza stone repair and caulking/grout, conversion of terraced turf to permeable pavers along Geary Boulevard, and plaza irrigation and horticultural upgrades.

John McLaren Lodge, situated at the entrance to Golden Gate Park, requires seismic improvements, including improvements to the newer annex (a two-story administrative building directly behind the Lodge), the breezeway which connects both buildings, and an ADA compliant elevator.

After the Gene Friend Recreation Center project, REC plans to modernize recreation centers that have not been addressed recently, starting with Mission Recreation & Arts Center, and followed by Potrero, Bernal Heights and St. Mary’s Recreation Centers. These recreation centers need renovation for seismic safety, upgraded access, and replacement of failing structures, systems, and play features. Mission Recreation & Arts Center will undergo seismic, structural and feasibility studies to identify potential improvements.

REC – Murphy and Dutch Windmills
in Golden Gate Park

The historic Murphy windmill, which has undergone some restoration work in the early 2000s, requires rehabilitation of the tower and dome of to address operational safety concerns. The Dutch Windmill also requires rehabilitation to maintain its integrity.

This project would improve the habitat for special status species, such as California Red Legged Frogs and San Francisco Garter Snakes, at the Laguna Salada Wetland Complex by creating an additional 19 acres of habitat and re-establishing the connection with Mori Point.

The Zoo is currently undergoing a Master Planning process to analyze current capital needs. Since 2000, the Zoo has spent approximately $70 million on new construction, renovation, and enhancement. While the western side of the Zoo has seen significant improvements, there are many structures that still need repair, including the Mothers Building, the last remaining building with culturally significant WPA murals from the Fleishhacker Pool. In addition, the Ocean Beach Climate Change Adaptation Project will move the Zoo's main entrance from the Great Highway to Sloat Blvd. On the eastern side of the Zoo, substantial work needs to be performed to renovate the lion house and bear grottoes along with the other original structures from the 1920s and 30s.

REC – Marina Seawall

Repairs and seismic strengthening are required for the shoreline structures at the San Francisco Marina. Structures include rubble masonry walls, concrete cantilever walls, concrete pile supported walls, and revetments.

REC – Great Highway

This project will focus on trail improvements, landscaping/vegetation improvements, and accessibility improvements along the
Great Highway.

SOMArts Cultural Center is a two-story, 26,481 square foot, wood and steel frame and corrugated steel industrial building located at the edge of South of Market directly adjacent to the I-80 freeway overpass. A 2019 facility assessment identified the facility as having an SHR-4 seismic hazard rating and deficiencies across all major building systems, including fire & life safety, structural, accessibility, and mechanical & electrical systems. Built as a temporary structure following the 1906 earthquake, compliance with modern building codes would require significant changes to the building that would undermine its use as a cultural center. Relocation planning has been initiated with a final report due in early 2025.

OEWD – Old Mint Restoration Project

The Old United States Mint (Old Mint) was officially designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1961. Cost estimates for the completion of the Old Mint Restoration Project – the City’s effort to transform the 1874 building into a new, destination cultural facility – total $150 million. A detailed financing plan has yet to be developed, but anticipated funding includes a mix of local, state, and federal funding sources. As adopted, the Community Benefits Package from the City’s Central SoMa Plan includes a major investment in the Mint’s restoration. This local funding, generated from assessments of the plan area’s Community Benefits District, will be leveraged to raise additional public and private support. The City will also examine the use of Historic Preservation Tax Credits and General Fund debt financing tools to complete the project’s funding. In close coordination with RED, OEWD works to keep the Old Mint active and maintained until such time as the full restoration project can begin in earnest.

OEWD – Fillmore Substation

Constructed in 1902 to provide power to one of San Francisco’s streetcar systems of the day, the building at 1190 Filmore Street, referred to as the “Fillmore Substation”, is a locally listed historic landmark building. Not used as a power station since 1978, the unreinforced masonry building is now in need of a full seismic retrofit.

LIB – Strategic Plan and Facilities Master Plan

The Library is continuing development and implementation of the Library Strategic Plan to include considerations such as equity, climate change, technology access, meeting the needs of specific communities, and supporting the Library's traditional role in bringing opportunity, learning, and knowledge to the library patrons of San Francisco. The Library is in the planning phase of a comprehensive Facilities Master Plan, which will align a capital maintenance and improvement roadmap that entails anticipated future needs to align to the Strategic Plan, which will provide a framework and road map to evaluate projects that best support the conclusions and recommendations of the Strategic Plan and will aid the Library in addressing and meeting evolving community needs, the City's growing population, and resiliency planning.

The Main Library opened in 1996 and is nearly 29 years old. While the building is in excellent condition, the building is beginning to experience challenges in the repair and upkeep of the building infrastructure, which impacts how the Main Library provides services to our visitors and patrons. The Strategic Plan and Facilities Master Plan processes will identify opportunities for remodeling the building to align with the future library visions and make it even more effective and enjoyable for all users. Because of the size and nature of the Main Library and the reality that building mechanical systems will be approaching its third decade of service before a major remodel occurs, such a project will likely involve a substantial capital investment, which is still to be determined.

In order to comply with the City’s net-zero greenhouse gas emissions target, the California Academy of Sciences is exploring replacing all-natural gas infrastructure and appliances with electric infrastructure and appliances.

The chiller/cooling tower plant at the California Academy of Sciences is insufficient to reliably meet the demands of the living collection and building occupants, especially during heat waves which are anticipated to increase in frequency, severity, and duration due to climate change. This project would increase the capacity and resilience of the chiller/cooling tower plant to protect the living collection, reduce the need for load shedding, and support business continuity. It may include adding a chiller and/or dedicated chill water loop and adding to the square footage of the Central Utility Plant.