Pier 70, San Francisco

Pier 70 in San Francisco, California, is a historic pier in San Francisco's Potrero Point neighborhood, home to the Union Iron Works and later to Bethlehem Shipbuilding. It was one of the largest industrial sites in San Francisco during the two World Wars. Today, it is regarded as the best-preserved 19th century industrial complex west of the Mississippi.[1]

Pier area c. 1918, looking north.
Bethlehem Steel's Administration building.

Physical plant

The pier is 65 acres (0.26 km2) in size.[2]

History

The area around Pier 70 has been used for shipbuilding since the Gold Rush.[3] Since becoming home to the Union Iron Works in 1883, Pier 70 has been occupied by a variety of industrial concerns, including the Pacific Rolling Mills, Risdon Iron & Locomotive, Kneass Boat Works, Union Iron Works, Bethlehem Shipbuilding, and BAE Systems.[4]

After Bethlehem acquired Union Iron Works in 1905, the pier also housed Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation's administrative offices in Building 101.[5]

Bethlehem Steel sold their holdings in the area to the Port of SF in 1980.[4]

Current state and development
USNS Mercy at the Pier 70 BAE dry dock in 2010

As of Jan 3, 2017, the facility is operated by Puglia Engineering, Inc, who operate 2 other ship repair facilities in Washington State. Puglia Engineering purchased the facility from BAE Systems Ship Repair in January, 2017.[6] The two dry docks were formerly operated by BAE Systems San Francisco Ship Repair, employing approximately 200 people.[7]

Most of the pier's buildings have been unoccupied since the decline of shipbuilding in the area.[8] However, some of the pier's historic buildings are still used, one is used for artist studios.[9]

In 2015, the Port of San Francisco started planning to redevelop the pier for mixed commercial and residential use in partnership with Orton Development, Inc. and Forest City Development. The redevelopment was expected to include roughly a thousand housing units and two million square feet of office space.[2][5] In 2013, plans included a "Crane Cove Park" that would feature the historic cranes in the northern part of the pier complex.[10]

A $120 million restoration and rehabilitation effort for the eight buildings in the pier's historic core began in 2015 and is expected to complete in 2017.[1]

Several of the buildings are used as a large-scale event venue operated by Pier 70 Partners.[11]

Historic buildings

Potrero Point is eligible for the National Register as a historic district for its contribution to three war efforts (Spanish–American War, World War I & World War II) and because of the 19th-century buildings that remain. Some of the buildings are individually eligible for landmarking for their architectural and historic merit. Worthy of historical landmark status is the 1917 Frederick Meyer Renaissance Revival Bethlehem office building, the Charles P. Weeks designed 1912 Power House#1, the 1896 Union Iron Works office designed by Percy & Hamilton, and the huge 1885 Machine shops.

References
  1. Flynn, Katherine. "Transitions: Saved—Pier 70 Historic Core". savingplaces.org. National Trust for Historic Preservation. Retrieved 2016-10-08.
  2. Wildermuth, John (April 29, 2014). "Pier 70 project set for presentation". SFGate. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
  3. Wilson, Ralph. "Pier 70: History". Retrieved August 19, 2014.
  4. "Pier 70 Subdistrict Fact Sheet". Port of San Francisco. Retrieved 2014-10-22.
  5. WATERFRONT / Developers face pier pressure / Pier 70 poses complex land-use problems, visions
  6. "BAE Systems sells San Francisco Ship Repair business". Naval Today. Retrieved 2017-03-06.
  7. Byloos, Morgane (September 2012). "Pier 70 Set for Major Renovation". Potrero View. Archived from the original on 26 October 2014. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
  8. Chamings, Andrew (2020-07-16). "Historic San Francisco building to be lifted 10 feet due to rising sea levels". SFGate. Retrieved 2020-07-17.
  9. "About". NOONAN BUILDING ARTISTS. 2013-03-23. Retrieved 2017-03-06.
  10. Bevk, Alex (12 September 2013). "What's Up With the New Crane Cove Park in the Dogpatch?". Curbed. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
  11. "Home". Pier 70 Partners. Retrieved 2017-03-06.
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