Restrictions On SF Pier Restoration Inhibit Placemaking

"Piers 1 1/2, 3, and 5 have been restored as a $54 million private development that includes transformation of the alleyway into part of a public promenade along the bay. The result shows how much San Francisco's Embarcadero has changed in the past century -- and the difficulty that lies ahead if it is to change even more."

"As piers are brought back to life, the Embarcadero can become a place where -- depending on your mood -- you can be part of the urban action or a lone soul contemplating the bay. But the costs of transforming the forlorn patches that remain can be as daunting as the development restrictions that have been imposed over the years."

"There aren't many options when it comes to what can be done with bayside land. Residential use is banned by the California State Lands Commission, even though housing is allowed on piers in such cities as Boston and New York. Hotels were banned in 1989 by San Francisco voters who feared a Honolulu-like wall."