Andrew Nash
Vienna Transport Strategies

Civic Center - Upper Market - Castro Neighborhood

Start this tour at BART's Civic Center Station, United Nations Plaza at 7th and Market streets. The photo shows the view from Twin Peaks looking down Market Street towards downtown.

Civic Center - The United Nations was founded in San Francisco in 1945 and the plaza honors this event. There is an active farmers market held in the morning and early afternoon on Sundays and Wednesdays here.

Walk towards City Hall on United Nations Plaza and San Francisco's Civic Center spreads before your eyes. The Civic Center was planned in the popular City Beautiful style after the Great 1906 Earthquake to show that San Francisco was a modern and cultured city. It's unusual for the size and extent of the project - and especially that so much of it has been implemented.

The Civic Center includes state, federal, and city offices as well as many of San Francisco's most famous cultural institutions. The Asian Art Museum is located in the building built for the former main library. It contains an excellent collection of Asian art and is highly recommended (the museum offers free admission on the first Tuesday of every month courtesy of Target stores).

Across the street from the Asian Art Museum is the new main public library. This building was subject to much criticism from people who didn't think its modern design fit in the classical civic center. The main library is full of new technology and includes a used book store run by the Friends of the Library (proceeds go to the library).

The Bill Graham Civic Auditorium is located on the south side of the Civic Center. It's the site of many concerts, exhibitions and civic celebrations. It was named after the famous San Francisco music promoter Bill Graham after his death.

The Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall is located on the corner of Van Ness and Grove. According to the website (2007), tours of Davies Symphony Hall, the Opera House, and Herbst Theater are available every hour on the hour from 10am to 2pm on Mondays (except holidays). Tours of Davies Symphony Hall only are led by Symphony volunteers on Wednesdays by appointment. Tickets are $5 for general admission, $3 for seniors and students. Call (415) 552-8338 for information.

Across Grove Street from Davies Symphony Hall is the War Memorial Complex. This consists of the War Memorial Opera House and the War Memorial Building (which contains the Herbst Theater).

San Francisco's City Hall was recently renovated to repair damage from the 1989 earthquake; the renovation included a complete historic rehabilitation and creation of grand public spaces including an exhibit area for the San Francisco Historical Society, a small restaurant, and a city souvenir shop.

Upper Market Street - Hayes Valley - After visiting City Hall, walk south on Van Ness to Grove, walk west on Grove past Davies Hall, cross Franklin, turn left, walk south to Hayes, turn right and walk west along Hayes Street (we are trying to help you avoid heavy traffic routes).

The Hayes Valley area is rapidly developing into an exciting urban neighborhood. The transition started after the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake when a huge freeway through the neighborhood was damaged beyond easy repair and had to be demolished. Immediately new shops opened, artists moved-in, and the transition was underway. Part of the freeway still existed and neighborhood residents, seeing how much the neighborhood improved with part of the freeway gone, lobbied to eliminate the rest of the freeway.

Three citizen ballot initiatives and years of public involvement led to the freeway's replacement with a new surface level Octavia Boulevard. The boulevard should be finished in mid-2005, although construction of new buildings along the boulevard will continue for several years. The San Francisco Chronicle story on the impact of the Loma Prieta Earthquake on San Francisco Planning offers history of this neighborhood's transition and historic photos of the freeway. The San Francisco Chronicle's Urban Design Critic, John King, wrote a column calling Octavia Boulevard "an urban success story".

Walk south along Octavia Boulevard to Market Street. Turn and look east towards the Ferry Building, try to imagine a 50-foot high two-level aerial freeway blocking the view (see photo). At Market Street you can either catch an "F-Line" historic streetcar or walk west along Market to Castro.

The Castro Neighborhood - The Castro Neighborhood is the center of San Francisco's gay community. Turn to the left down Castro Street, past the magnificent Castro Theater, the interior of which is worth timing your walk to coincide with a matinée from their schedule of classic films. Continue to 18th Street, the heart of the district. The neighborhood is home to many beautifully restored Victorian homes and local businesses. It's a lively and fun place to visit, especially on a warm and sunny weekend day.

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