Nonprofit CAST outlines plan to activate Pier 29 as arts and cultural hub; license terms to return to commission

Community Arts Stabilization Trust (CAST) and partner Art and Water presented a concept to the Port Commission to activate Pier 29 as an arts and culture hub with artist workspaces, rotating residencies and ticketed exhibitions. Port staff described the effort as a nontraditional strategy to animate a large vacant shed and build long‑term tenancy by demonstrating uses and generating sustained visitation.

What was proposed: CAST’s CEO Ken Ikeda described a flexible layout with moveable walls and rolling infrastructure so the 122,000‑square‑foot shed can revert to a blank canvas for larger events. The proposal includes: free artist workspaces and rotating six‑month residencies for emerging artists; exhibition space in the Embarcadero‑facing front of the shed programmed by Art and Water; weekly or near‑weekly evening events; and curated ticketed exhibitions to drive visitation and earned revenue.

Why staff presented it: Port staff said Pier 29 has been vacant and difficult to lease via traditional long‑term leases; a temporary license and an activation strategy are intended to demonstrate demand, attract visitors to the waterfront and support small‑business opportunities. Scott Lancel, Deputy Director of Real Estate and Development, said the port will return with proposed terms for a temporary license agreement if the commission supports pursuing negotiated terms.

Costs, operations and capacity - CAST said it is familiar with arts real estate and has experience stewarding nonprofit-owned arts spaces in the city; CAST representatives said they would fundraise and underwrite early operations but also expected earned revenue from ticketed exhibitions and events. - Art and Water described a mixed program of ticketed large exhibitions and free/low-cost artist programming. David Eggers and JD Beltran outlined a residency and mentorship model with about 20 emerging artists and 10 mentors on a rotating schedule and free studio and exhibition space for participating artists. - CAST expects the program to blend ticketed, free and donor‑supported activities. Representatives said they would initially underwrite operations and seek philanthropic support; staff indicated a temporary license would include performance and event coordination rules and removable infrastructure requirements.

Community and equity commitments - Presenters emphasized accessibility and outreach: CAST said it manages a database of more than 2,000 artists and arts organizations and plans formal outreach to neighborhood arts organizations and historically underrepresented communities. Commissioners encouraged explicit outreach to adjacent neighborhoods, including Bayview and Chinatown, so local artists could access studio and exhibition opportunities.

Public comment and commission response - Several artists and former San Francisco Art Institute-affiliated presenters testified in favor, describing the program as a rare opportunity for free studio space and exhibition access for local artists. - Commissioners welcomed the concept, asked operational questions about year‑one losses and year‑two sustainability, and sought assurances about management capacity. CAST representatives said they own or manage arts properties and can underwrite start‑up risk; they also said detailed fundraising and pro forma work will follow once a license is negotiated.

Next steps Port staff said they will return with a proposed temporary license agreement and terms for the master license holder; no formal vote on a license occurred at this meeting. If the commission agrees to a license, staff said terms would include movable infrastructure requirements to allow the shed to revert to blank slate for port events and accommodate in‑season special events.

Ending: The commission received the informational presentation and will consider proposed license terms at a future meeting.