Columbus Avenue Parklet

Location: 423 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133 show map
Installed: October 2010
Designed by: Rebar Group
Hosted by: Caffe Greco

SITE BACKGROUND

A Parklet is a new type of Pavement to Parks Project. Instead of reclaiming a piece of underutilized roadway at an intersection, Parklets repurpose two to three parking stalls along a block as a space for people to relax, drink a cup of coffee, and enjoy the city around them. Parklets do this by building out a platform into the parking lane so that the grade of the sidewalk gets carried out into the parking lane. On the platform, benches, planters, landscaping, bike parking, and café tables and chairs all come together to provide a welcoming new public space.

DESIGN DETAILS

The Columbus Street Parklet #1 has benches, café seating and landscaping at this, the City’s third Parklet project. Bamboo used for the surface decking is an environmentally friendly renewable resource and all landscaping used are low-water species. Caffé Greco has agreed to provide daily maintenance, although all seating is free and open to the public.

See below for an early rendering of the Parklet during design development. To download a layout plan of the parklet, please click here.

Columbus Avenue Parklet (Early Rendering) / Image by Rebar

Above image courtesy of Rebar.

FUNDERS & DONORS

The cost of the first Columbus Parklet was primarily paid for with a donation by the Wells Fargo Foundation. No city funds were used. Illy Coffee also provided a small donation. Rebar designed and built this Parklet free of charge to the City with the help of many volunteers.