Grand plans for gateway to Alcatraz
$34 million renovation to transform Piers 31, 33
Tourists flocking to Alcatraz may face disruptions later this year as San Francisco’s ferry terminal serving the island undergoes a massive, $34 million renovation.
After nearly a decade of hashing out the details, the San Francisco Bay and Conservation Development Commission unanimously approved a plan this week to renovate and expand capacity at Piers 31 and 33 — the terminal where nearly 2 million people board a ferry to Alcatraz every year.
Construction could start as early as the end of the year and is expected to last until at least 2023.
“It’s such a great attraction. ... But where they embark has not always been very amenity rich.” Elaine Forbes, S.F. Port executive director
Officials envision transforming the piers into their own destinations, with a historical exhibition area, shoreline plaza and new dining options. Other than the ticketing booth and a few benches, the piers currently has little to attract tourists.
Alcatraz is “such a great attraction that so many visitors and locals want to visit,” said Elaine Forbes, the executive director of the San Francisco Port. “But where they embark has not always been very amenity rich.”
Alcatraz is San Francisco’s fifth most popular tourist destination, behind Pier 39, the Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate Park and Lombard Street, according to SF Travel. The landmark was once home to notorious inmates, such as Al Capone and Alvin Karpis. The prison, which closed in 1963, attracts about 1.7 million visitors a year, up from 1.5 million in 2013.
As tourism to the landmark has boomed over the years, the port and Golden Gate National Recreation Area have been discussing how to improve the area since at least 2008. According to the project proposal, the current facilities are “inadequate for the number of daily users of the site” and “confusing for visitors to navigate.”
The proposal also said the current area has “a design that feels ‘temporary’ in nature” and “is inappropriate for a national park gateway.” The hope is that the improvements will make the area easier to navigate and more exciting.
“This national park is historically significant, and this space will give visitors opportunities to get reading materials and look at displays that invoke the real history of Alcatraz Island,” Forbes said.
Construction may begin as soon as the National Park Service and the port secure permits. The construction will be done in phases to help minimize disruptions to tourists.
“Since they have so many visitors, (we hope) that any disruption to both the visitors coming to the waterfront and those that want to use the ferry is minimized,” said Morgan Chow, a permit analyst at the Bay Conservation and Development Commission.
Funding for the work will come from ticket sales as well as from the port, she said.
Other aspects of the renovation include removing the existing canopy on the pier, which partially blocks views of the bay. New canopies will be added behind the Pier 31 and 33 bulkhead buildings. The renovations will also expand facilities for other cruises in the area.
There will also be space for some events — such as concerts or theater performances — and for another ferry that will bring people to other federal sites, such as Fort Baker in Sausalito.
Stan Hayes, president of Telegraph Hill Dwellers, said he supports the project — as long as the events that are held don’t amplify music.
The ferry service is currently provided by Alcatraz Cruises, an affiliate of Hornblower Yachts.
When the project is complete, about 43,000 square feet of outdoor space will be improved and converted into pedestrianonly areas, according to the port.
Larry Goldzband, the executive director of the Bay Conservation and Development Commission, said the commission was “very impressed with the designs.”
“The Park Service has done an awful lot of work over the past 10 to 15 years to change the way that national parks are presented to visitors,” he said.