Leftover Spaces Become Public Places in SF

As part of the new Transbay Transit Center being developed in downtown SF, several new overpasses are being constructed. Rather than allow the oft-forgotten spaces underneath these roads to become seedy, designers are envisioning positive uses.

1 minute read

October 3, 2012, 2:00 PM PDT

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


Will Reisman describes how designers of San Francisco's new Transbay Transit Center plan to keep the underpasses of newly constructed ramps from becoming "havens for homeless encampments, shady drug deals and other types of seedy behavior."

"A vertical climbing wall, basketball courts, a dog park, public art
and a biking path are all set to comprise Oscar Park, a public open
space situated mostly beneath the various ramps that are part of the
$1.5 billion bus and train terminal," reports Reisman.

"In the few areas where a freeway overpass doesn't
loom overhead, there will be grassy open spaces, said Courtney Pash, of
the Successor to the Redevelopment Agency, The City department
overseeing the project."

"We wanted to make sure that the sites below the ramps did not become places for negative activity," said Pash. "We knew that there would be opportunities to turn these places into open spaces with really positive outlets."

 

Monday, October 1, 2012 in The Examiner

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Concrete Brutalism building with slanted walls and light visible through an atrium.

What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities

How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.

February 28, 2025 - Justin Hollander

Complete Street

‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge

Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.

February 27, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Green electric Volkswagen van against a beach backdrop.

The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan

Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.

March 3, 2025 - ABC 7 Eyewitness News

View of mountains with large shrubs in foreground in Altadena, California.

Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire

In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.

6 hours ago - Pasadena NOw

Aerial view of single-family homes with swimming pools in San Diego, California.

San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule

The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.

March 9 - Axios

Close-up of row of electric cars plugged into chargers at outdoor station.

Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives

A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.

March 9 - UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation