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Port Commission approves TMG for Pier 38 bulkhead rehabilitation
Summary
The Port of San Francisco voted to award the development opportunity for the Pier 38 bulkhead building to TMG Pier 38 Partners after staff and an evaluation panel found TMG’s lighter-touch approach would return higher near-term rent to the port; commissioners asked staff to return with follow-up on possible full Pier 38 redevelopment.
Port staff recommended and the Port of San Francisco Commission approved awarding the Pier 38 bulkhead rehabilitation opportunity to TMG Pier 38 Partners on a voice vote.
John Dahl, planning and development staff, told commissioners the RFP sought a developer to rapidly retenant the historic bulkhead building and generate revenue while preserving flexibility for any future redevelopment. Dahl said the port received two qualified proposals and that "staff concurs with the evaluation panel scoring and recommends that the Port Commission award the development opportunity ... to TMG." He described TMG’s approach as a lighter-touch strategy that defers some improvements and allows higher near-term rent to the port, citing TMG’s proposed investment of about $6.9 million and estimated net annual port revenue of roughly $150,000.
Supporters from the neighborhood and nearby businesses spoke in favor of the selection at the meeting. John Kane, owner-operator of the nearby Hi Dad restaurant, said retenanting the building would "be great" for activity in South Beach and on game days. Corinne Woods, a community member who said she had worked with one of the principals, told commissioners she supported the selection.
Commissioners questioned staff and the BAE consultants about how the two proposals differed financially and whether a later "phase 2" — a total Pier 38 redevelopment — was feasible. Janet Smithheimer of BAE explained that Waterfront Partners proposed a larger upfront investment (about $10.6 million) with somewhat more public access while TMG proposed less initial investment and quicker reuse, producing a different revenue profile. BAE also provided a theoretical financial analysis for a total redevelopment, and staff and the consultant noted preliminary retrofit estimates for full redevelopment were on the order of hundreds of millions of dollars.
After discussion, the commission moved, seconded and approved Resolution 13-51 to authorize staff to initiate lease negotiations with TMG for the Pier 38 bulkhead building. Commissioners also asked staff to return with a feasibility timeline and options for any full-Pier 38 redevelopment so the commission could consider next steps.
The commission’s action covers only the bulkhead portion identified in the RFP; any larger redevelopment of Pier 38 would require separate planning, community advisory input and compliance with waterfront land-use procedures.
