Steep views command steep prices in other big cities, but they can't seem to work in San Francisco, where there are plenty of beautiful views available for free.
Architecture critic John King chronicles the rise and fall of observation decks in San Francisco. He argues that the city has so much to offer at ground level that tourists aren't interested in paying for the towering vistas that are so popular in cities like New York and Chicago. "All it really does it whet your appetite to return downstairs and begin to explore the terrain on your own two feet," King writes.
Buildings like the Empire State Building and Sears Tower command high prices, and visitors brave long lines and cramped conditions to take pictures from their decks. But in San Francisco, observation floors in high-rise buildings can't sustain a profit. "Most big cities make their own geography, hanging their visual images on architectural peaks that demand to be scaled. Here? Not so."
King counts "only three remaining top-floor venues where you can buy a drink, at least in the districts east of Van Ness Avenue," and finds no prospects in the plethora of high-rises being built downtown.
FULL STORY: S.F. doesn’t suffer from lack of high-rise observation decks
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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research