UNIVERSITY

THE SANFRANCISCO FERRY BUILDING

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COURSE

PROFESSOR

CITY AND STATE

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Introduction

The Ferry Building was completed in 1898 by a US architect Page Brown. At that point in history it was the largest project 3eve undertaken in California. The objective of setting up the building was to make it act s a terminal point for ferries that travelled by the San Francisco Bay. Apart from that the building also acted as a market place. The building’s offices are located in San Francisco’s Embarcadero. At the building’s top is a clock tower that is 245 feet containing four clocks.

The clocks can be viewed as far as Market Street a major street in the city. In designing the clock tower Brown borrowed extensively from Seville in Spain. The whole building’s length was founded on a domed mall. After the building started losing interest, bridges were built across its bay to bear traffic on the rail road. In the 50s the building’s public spaces were insensitively broken up when it was adopted as an office. The entire complex was later renovated in 2002.

The main objective of this paper is to indicate that the renovation of the San Francisco Ferry building has indeed become a lasting legacy for the residents of San Francisco. In doing so, the paper will examine the following topics; the Storied Past, the building’s transformation plans as well as the complex formulae.

The Storied Past

The Ferry building’s history is similar in several ways with the invention of urban waterfronts in the USA. The structure immediately became the second largest transit terminal globally. Over 55,000 people transited through it on a daily basis. Before the Golden and Bay Gate bridges were constructed in 1937 all the northern residents in the area got their way into California City through the Ferry building. The bridges brought to an end a onetime immense central point by ending the ferry services in the bay’s terminal. After being marginalized for several years its transformation began on a sour note. Had the 1989 earthquake lasted some seconds longer, the entire building would have crushed; this includes its front freeway structure.

The building’s transformation plan

The Ferry building transformation plans have taken many years since it also involved the input of members of the public. Four teams forwarded their proposals to renovate the historical building. The winning team’s proposal was heralded for two critical reasons; Firstly, they decided to reopen the passenger forecourt way which had previously acted as the second floor space and the building’s central nerve point. This opening enabled sunlight to surge all the way into the entire building. The second major decision by the winning team was to preserve the market place for vendors, culinary business and restaurants. This retail strategy was exceptional and offered what has been described as the finest of Northern California food service and agricultural produce.

The Complex Formulae

Even though the winning team cited the building’s programmatic and physical reinvention it was noted by jurors that these undertakings could not be attained without considerable financial input. By upholding the ground floor as a community area and over 60,000 feet of market space, this renovation was sustained by cooperation between the members of the public and the private sector. In the end it produced an enduring development model that generated over 170,000 square feet of class “A” office spaces on the two higher floors. Equity office which was a private investment firm entered into a 67 year ground lease contract with the San Francisco port. The company invested over $100 million in the building’s renovation. The project has since become an incredible financial success; all the offices have been leased and have since registered positive returns.

The Relationship between the Ferry Building and California Architecture

The former American building on the south of the Ferry building has been revamped and its rooms have also been divided into offices. The Agricultural building has been modified into a Palazzo with archaic ornamentation. Synonymous with the Ferry building this archipelago is also registered under the National register of historical buildings. Apart from that, its interior has been completely modified due to years of renovation by various tenants that occupied the building. Piers 1 through 5 of historic connector structures, pier shed and bulk head structures are attached visually to the Ferry building thus strongly adding to the Californian architectural character. All the three buildings are to be used to nominate the port into a national register historic district.

Conclusion

The renovation of the San Francisco Ferry building has indeed become a lasting legacy for the residents of San Francisco. The rehabilitated building has become a catalyst for over $250 million of proposed development on its water bay. Restaurants have already taken up shops in the adjacent buildings. Apart from that, Nonprofit organizations concerned with the farmers markets have already reported increased corporate sponsorship and underwriting after taking up offices in the Ferry building. This opened the gates for new vendors who have since strengthened the regions agricultural economy.

Bibliography

Gobrecht, Larry.National Register of Historic Places nomination form, US Post office. Dobbs Ferry, New York (2011): 23-49

History and Renovations, Ferry Building Marketplace, (2013). Web

Hockberger, W., “Determining The Right Ferry: An Economic Decision Methodology”, Transactions SNAME, New Jersey, (2010). 34-57

National Register Information System. National Register of Historic Places.National Park Service (2008). Web

Sweeney, J. (Chairman, ad hoc Ferry Transit Environmental Impact Panel, et al), Ferry Systems for the Twenty First Century SNAME, New Jersey, (2009): 56-79