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Board committee backs Port–NPS framework to reshape Pier 31½ embarkation site with $33 million investment
Summary
The Budget & Finance Committee recommended approval of a Port–National Park Service general agreement to secure a long‑term Alcatraz embarkation site at Pier 31½, backing a public‑private package the Port says will channel roughly $33 million into improvements and create retail and a public plaza.
Chair Cohen’s Budget & Finance Committee on Sept. 13 recommended that the full Board approve a general agreement between the Port of San Francisco and the National Park Service to establish a long‑term embarkation site for Alcatraz Island at Pier 31½.
Port Director Elaine Forbes told the committee the agreement frames a multi‑party approach for operations, leasing and visitor services and would support a roughly $33,000,000 investment to transform the currently unimproved area into pedestrian plaza, visitor interpretation and retail, improve circulation for embarking vessels and add an additional berth to ease passenger flow. Forbes said the agreement sets the terms among the Port, the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, after which the Park Service will select a concessioner and the Port will enter leases with the concessioner and conservancy.
Laura Joss, superintendent of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, said the Park Service completed an environmental impact statement that considered six pier locations and selected Pier 31½. Joss said the improved gateway will support millions of annual visitors and that the Park Service and its partners are ‘‘very excited to see this project move forward.’’ Greg Moore of the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy also urged approval, highlighting the Conservancy’s role and community programs tied to Alcatraz.
Severn Campbell of the Budget Legislative Analyst’s office told the committee the general agreement and the proposed ferry and conservancy leases contained inconsistent numeric descriptions; the BLA recommended conforming the GA language to the leases. Port staff submitted redline language before the hearing, and Rebecca Benesini walked the committee through those edits, including clarifying that the initial ferry concession lease will be 15 years as advertised while subsequent leases generally conform to National Park Service rules for 10‑year terms unless a longer term is warranted.
Two public speakers — Mark Buell, a former Conservancy board chair who praised the Conservancy’s fundraising record, and Adam Pulitzer, Sausalito’s city manager reading a letter from Sausalito’s mayor — spoke in support. With no objections, the committee accepted the BLA‑aligned redlines and forwarded the item to the full Board with a positive recommendation.
The committee record shows the Port’s financing outline attributes $30,000,000 of the private investment to the ferry concessioner, about $3,700,000 to the Parks Conservancy and a Port contribution for substructure work; Port and BLA presentations included area figures for outdoor public space and historic rehabilitation but the documents presented different attendance and visitor estimates (the Port cited about 1,000,000 ferry passengers annually; Park Service comments cited roughly 1.7 million visitors in their economic estimate). The committee’s action was procedural: amendments to align the GA with lease terms were accepted and the matter will be decided by the full Board.
