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Context

Leland Avenue is the commercial hub for the Visitacion Valleyneighborhood, located in southeastern San Francisco. Stretchingapproximately four blocks from Bayshore Boulevard to Rutland Avenue,the Leland Avenue commercial district is an economically struggling strip.Although some new businesses have recently opened on Leland Avenue,

there are still many vacant storefronts, and the street retains an overallundistinguished and cluttered visual environment, with few pedestrian orstreetscape amenities.

However, there are a number of upcoming opportunities and assets thatLeland Avenue can build upon. The City has created the Visitacion ValleyRedevelopment Survey Area encompassing the 20-acre Schlage Lock site

and the adjacent commercial areas on Leland and Bayshore. Newdevelopment on the Schlage Lock site could bring up to 600 to 800 newhousing units to the immediate area, increasing the market base forLelands businesses.

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The San Francisco Public Library intends to build a new Visitacion Valley

branch library at the intersection of Leland Avenue and Rutland Street,

anchoring the west end of the commercial district.

Finally, the Third Street Light Rail, scheduled to open in 2006, runs alongBayshore Boulevard in this area, with stops two blocks on either side of

Leland Avenue, improving access to Leland. Through these efforts, the City

is working towards the creation of a Visitacion Valley/Schlage Lock Village

Center to serve the Visitacion Valley community.

This streetscape design project is one piece of a multipronged effort toimprove conditions on Leland Avenue.

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Identified issues

Vacancy and litter problems making the street stark, drab and uninviting,

with neither color nor green; the streets look is perceived as rundown.

The produce store is highly used and the residents enjoy its outdoor

display but still the street is not perceived as a place to stroll down or hang

around.

The public resources such as the library or Hans Schiller plaza are seen as

often unavailable; according to most people, library hours should be

longer and the plaza should be more open to the public.

Lack of safety.

Businesses close too early and there are no destinations to attract peopleat night.

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Project objectives

Improve the districts identity and appearance through streetscape design

Increase the economic viability of small businesses on Leland Avenue byproviding an attractive, pedestrian friendly street environment

Enhance pedestrian safety and conditions, particularly at the intersection ofLeland Avenue and Bayshore Boulevard

Promote increased transit use by providing better pedestrian connections tothe Third Street Light Rail

Involve and educate Visitacion Valley community stakeholders in the designand planning for Leland Avenue

Build upon and connect to the Visitacion Valley Greenway, a series of smallparks connecting Visitacion Valleys residential neighborhoods to LelandAvenue.

The overall idea for the design was the use of a creative and artisticapproach to create a village feel with little pockets of activities along theavenue.

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DESIGN PROCESS ADOPTEDThe City and several community based organizations led a public planning process for

Leland Avenue.

The is process identified economic and physical strategies and preliminary design

concepts for Leland Avenue, and led to the creation of a formalized coalition of

community groups, known as VVBOOM, to focus on revitalizing Leland.

Several workshops were carried out.

The first community workshop :The participants (approximatel 40) received a visual

presentation by the consultant team and then broke into 7 groups for hands-on exercises

with facilitators. Workshop participants developed several concepts for the physical improvement of

Leland Avenue

The overall idea for the design was the use of a creative and artistic approach to

create a village feel with little pockets of activities along the avenue.

Participants identified desirable elements in the plan as follows:

- Native plants and trees with light canopy- Sidewalk extensions (bulb outs) at intersections

-Pedestrian lighting and safer crosswalks

- Art workexpressing uniqueness of place

- A gateway feature visible from the train

- Undergrounding of overhead utility wires

-Encourage businesses to stay open later

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At the beginning of Workshop #2 the following alternatives were presented to the community:

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Alternative #2: Village Promenade scheme

Emphasis on hardscape elements such as pedestrian lighting and seating; vertical trellis

structures alternating

with pedestrian light fixtures; large trees planted at intersections.

Alternative #3: Hybrid Scheme

The hybrid scheme was the preferred approach: it proposes to introduce alternating

pedestrian scale lighting

and small trees; intersections are green public places with pedestrian amenities.

Participants generally preferred Alternative 3: Hybrid Scheme, which proposes to add smalltrees and lighting equally spaced at 25 intervals along the length of Leland Avenue, and larger

trees at intersections.

WORKSHOP 3:

REFINING THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE During workshop 3 participants had the chance

to review the preferred alternative for Leland Avenue.open house was followed by a discussion about future implementation

strategies for the design. Comments from Workshop #3 were incorporated by the design

team into the final preferred design.

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The preferred design consists of:

alternating pedestrian lighting and street trees along the length of Leland Avenue,

with special plantings, seating, and corner bulb-outs at intersections.

Typical midblock and intersection treatments .

The design also focuses specific attention at two locations: at Bayshore Boulevard -the

gatewayto Leland Avenue, and at Peabody Street where the Visitacion Valley Greenway

intersects with Leland.

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Design elements and principles adopted

1. GREENING : Trees are a primary feature.

a. Mid-block trees - Flowering Pear

b. Intersection trees - Southern magnolia

c. Accent treesGingko

Storm water management :

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Design elements and principles

adopted

2. HARDSCAPE :

a. lighting

b. seating

c. customized elements

The customization of some of the proposed elements could introduce alocally-based design vocabulary that ties into the existing public spaces.

Customized elements could include :

1.curvilinear benches, located at the entrance gateway.

2. bollards at specific intersections.

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Achievements

The commercial district is well connected to the surrounding neighborhoodand creates gathering places

Public transit is easily accessible for residents to travel between thecommercial district and their homes as well as connections to the rest of thecity, and reasonable parking opportunities are also available.

The entrance to the commercial district is distinctly marked to give a sense ofarrival and pride of the Valley

Improved traffic flow via corner bulb-outs, installation of 30 new ADAcompliant curb ramps and improved sidewalks has made the village center islively and pedestrian-friendly.

Introduced new public art and lighting into the neighborhood made it visually

appealing environment for eating, shopping and socializing during thedaytime and into the early evening hours.

Installed nine bioretention planters (1,400sq ft), landscape planters (1,300sqft)and planted 63 new street trees increasing the greenary in the avenue.