Sidewalk Cafes
In 1993, San Francisco Beautiful worked with North Beach merchants and the Department of Public Works to draft Order 162,240, which made outdoor cafe and restaurant seating legal in San Francisco.
Plaza Activation Legislation
SF Beautiful advocated for the passage of this legislative package that adds vibrancy and attention to our public plazas while encouraging local stewardship. Approved in 2014, the City’s Plaza Program allows residents and visitors to engage in and implement uses of the public realm for community supported activities such as art and music events, farmers’ markets, movie […]
Play Streets
A pilot program designed to make it easier for residents to close a block or two to cars and open them for play and community-building. SF Beautiful partnered with Sunday Streets to hold workshops to get neighborhood organizers up to speed on best practices for holding successful events. The program successfully reduced the fees and […]
Mid-Market Activation Report
In 1961, a report entitled “What to Do About Market Street” stated that “Market Street is a Paradox. It is San Francisco’s most famous street. It is wide, busy, and important. But is is also congested, dirty and unattractive.” Fifty years later these sentiments still persist. Once Northern California’s center for theatre and entertainment, the […]
Better Market Street
Better Market Street is a coalition of City agencies tasked with improving and enhancing the public realm along Market Street between Octavia Blvd and the Embarcadero. San Francisco Beautiful sits on the Community Advisory Committee (CAC) to the Better Market Streets Initiative. The CAC serves as a liaison to the City’s Better Market Street team, […]
Playland at 43rd Avenue
This project at the heart of the Outer Sunset neighborhood seeks to reuse Francis Scott Key Annex, a San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) currently underutilized site as a community resource for recreation. The project is a partnership between the Friends of Playland at 43rd Avenue, San Francisco Parks Alliance, SFUSD and Pavement to Parks, […]
Pavement to Parks Program
The Pavement to Parks Program successfully manages and implements multi-agency projects across San Francisco. Meant to be temporary, Pavement to Parks projects are a great way for communities to test what works and doesn’t work in their areas while activating underutilized public space.
Heart of the City Farmers’ Market
For 35 years this farmer’s market has improved on every Wednesday and Sunday year-round at San Francisco’s United Nations Plaza, located along Market Street between 7th and 8th Streets above Civic Center BART Station. They operate as an independent non-profit with a mission to bring healthy food and nutrition education outreach to a fresh food […]
Fisherman’s Wharf Public Realm Plan
In 2013, the Fisherman’s Wharf Public Realm Plan was honored for building community consensus on: New streetscape designs for the remainder of the Wharf’s streets; Design guidelines for new development; A revamped parking and circulation plan; and Proposals for new and refurbished public open spaces. The Fisherman’s Wharf Public Realm Plan supports a diverse and […]
Octavia Blvd Pop-Ups
In 2012, San Francisco Beautiful recognized Octavia Boulevard Pop-Ups, a project of Hayes Valley Art Coalition and Envelope A+D with a Beautification Award for activation of public space. For more than 40 years, San Francisco Beautiful has been honoring San Franciscans who make special contributions to the unique character and beauty of our City with […]