Built by pioneers, evolved by visionaries, and populated by forward-thinking creatives, San Francisco is unlike any other city in the world. That’s one of the defining pillars of “It All Starts Here,” a civic pride campaign that seeks to engage, activate, and inspire San Franciscans to articulate their love for the unique city we call home. Privately funded by individual donors, including former Gap Inc. chairman Bob Fisher and Ripple CEO Chris Larsen, “It All Starts Here” celebrates all that makes San Francisco so extraordinary — and Treasure Island and Yerba Buena Island are an integral part of that story.
Nearly a century ago, Treasure Island emerged from the San Francisco Bay, a human-made testament to innovation and ambition crafted by the era’s leading minds to showcase the city’s grandeur at the Golden Gate Exposition of 1939. It was a place born of celebration, commemorating the monumental completion of the Bay Bridge and the inception of the Golden Gate Bridge, standing as a beacon of progress and potential.
Today, Treasure Island and Yerba Buena Island are poised for a renaissance. A new master plan is in place and underway to reimagine these two islands and transform them into a world-class city-within-a-city. Led by Wilson Meany, Stockbridge Capital, Lennar, and the city’s best architects, engineers, landscape architects, and builders, the extensively planned Treasure Island neighborhood that includes Yerba Buena Island is more than a 500-acre redevelopment; it’s a re-envisioning of community, sustainability, and innovation, designed to stand as the most complete neighborhood in San Francisco — not merely for the next decade or two but for the next millennium.
There is a utopian quality to what’s ahead for our islands — 8,000 diverse residences, 300 acres of open space and natural beaches, 22 miles of walking and hiking trails, 14 miles of bike paths, and a vibrant mix of restaurants, boutique retail storefronts, and cultural and office spaces. It’s set to be a visionary master-planned waterfront neighborhood meticulously designed to feature awe-inspiring water gardens that naturally biofilter stormwater and streets lined with strategically angled trees to serve as windbreaks, all while offering one of the best views in urban America.
To create a neighborhood that mindfully serves the well-being of island residents while making a great park system for all San Franciscans, intertwining communities both local and hyperlocal, the innovative team behind the redevelopment has limited residential and commercial construction plans across the islands. 50% of Treasure Island and 75% of Yerba Buena Island will be dedicated to paying respect to nature, thus ensuring that an interactive connection to the natural world is a vital part of everyday life.
Treasure Island is now preparing to open its doors to the first wave of residents since The Bristol at Yerba Buena Island welcomed residents in early 2022. The homes being built here come from some of the world’s most foremost architects, each building embodying a forward-looking modernity to set a template for the world. Reflecting today’s evolving spectrum of families, the blend of varied home designs and high-rise living is very much of our time, dramatic yet contemporary, surrounded by unique gathering spots and easy pathways to all the needs and wants of daily living — a wholly distinctive place that feels miles from the city, yet is only minutes from downtown. The coming year will see the unveiling of the much-anticipated introduction of premier parks and public realms, including Infinity Point Park, The Rocks Dog Park, and Clipper Cove Beach.
“It’s a place where people that aspire to really show what our future could be can come together,” says Chris Meany, Managing Partner of Wilson Meany. “They can make a community that, 50 years from now, will be an ideal for the world.”
That’s the quintessential spirit of San Francisco. From the dreams that beckoned pioneers to the causes that spawned a modern movement, San Francisco has always looked at the world as it is, with all its problems and imperfections, and thought, there must be a better way.
The future is in this city. It always has been.
Get involved in the “It All Starts Here” campaign and take action on behalf of the city we love to call home. You can write a love letter, request a window sign, or donate to Avenue Greenlight, a philanthropically funded initiative to fund new community-based projects, such as public realm improvements, neighborhood pride campaigns, merchant resiliency, clean and safety services, beautification, and a variety of cultural events.
