Port Commission outlines Pier 27 cruise terminal plan, $60 million budget and public plaza

Port staff on Item 10 presented a conceptual design basis for a Pier 27 cruise terminal and associated open space, describing a program that balances cruise operations with public amenities and revenue-generating uses.

Project Director Kim Von Blahn told the Port Commission the effort seeks to convert the Pier 27 shed into a multiuse facility that meets industry standards while creating public open space. “We have a $60,000,000 budget, which is a challenge for such a large project,” Von Blahn said, adding the team is pursuing high environmental standards and plans to aim for LEED gold (minimum LEED silver required). The planning team has completed programming and will move to conceptual design this summer.

Marine staff described key operational drivers. John Davey said shore-side power and mobile elevated gangways are central design constraints: vessels must be sited so shore-power hookups and gangways align, and gangways must self-adjust for tidal range and meet ADA slope limits. Davey summarized performance goals the team adopted during programming workshops: disembarkation cycles should complete within about 3–3.75 hours, embarkation within 5 hours, and 90% of passengers should move from street to ship within 30 minutes; on embarkation 90% of passengers should be in the terminal no more than 15 minutes.

Planning staff said the existing pier shed totals about 220,000 square feet; preliminary programming assumes an ~80,000-square-foot cruise terminal with up to 164,000 square feet retained overall and roughly 56,000 square feet removed to create a two-acre Northeast Wharf Plaza between the Embarcadero and the terminal. The team described options to retain as much of the existing shed as possible and to use northern portions of the shed for provisioning and special events when cruise ships are not berthed.

Kim Von Blahn and John Dahl said the project team will conduct docking simulations, further structural and seismic work, and evaluate whether rehabilitation or replacement is more cost effective. The presentation listed a conceptual schedule: preferred conceptual option by fall, schematic design and engineering to follow, construction start targeted for 2012 and operations by 2014, subject to design and approvals.

The commission and presenters discussed how the terminal could host special events and ancillary retail when ships are not in port, and how security fencing and federal requirements will limit public use on days vessels are berthed. Staff said there will be substantial public input, a steering committee meeting (May 6), and a series of public workshops over the summer before the commission sees conceptual designs in July and returns with preferred options in the fall.

Next steps: staff will advance conceptual designs, hold public workshops and steering-committee meetings, and return to the commission with design options and a preferred conceptual alternative later in 2010.