Boeddeker Park

Boeddeker Park is the largest open space in the Tenderloin—San Francisco’s poorest, most dense and diverse neighborhood. Before the renovation this 1-acre park was undesirable and unsafe for the 50,000 people that live nearby, but the new community-driven design transformed the space into a safe and inviting space for all. The rebuilt park is a signature urban park that includes a state-of-the-art clubhouse, basketball court, walking path, adult fitness equipment, children’s play area, lawn and plazas for community gatherings and a garden. Sustainable systems were a priority from the beginning and are integrated throughout the site and building. Together, the Trust for Public Land, the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department, landscape architect John Northmore Roberts & Associates, and architect WRNS Studio, conducted extensive community outreach, holding public meetings and forums at the site as well as at nearby youth centers, senior centers and churches—wherever local people were likely to come. The team worked closely with many local partners to ensure that the park is safe and open every day, providing a range of programs and activities for all. Key design and programming decisions were made through these community forums. The result is a new landmark park and clubhouse that serves as a mod¬el of civic engagement, inspiration, resource conservation and adaptability. photographs by: Jeremy Beeton, Matthew Millman