The Exploratorium Relocation Project

The Exploratorium Relocation Project

The Proposed Project is the relocation of the Exploratorium from the Palace of Fine Arts, at 3601 Lyon Street, to Piers 15/17, along The Embarcadero, on the waterfront. The Project Site, owned by the Port of San Francisco, is comprised of the 136,145-gross-square-foot (gsf) Pier 15, 110,615-gsf Pier 17, 11,773-gsf Connector Building, a paved parking area ("Valley"), and a 1,579-gsf office shack in the Valley. Piers 15 and 17 are contributing resources to the San Francisco Embarcadero National Register Historic District. The Exploratorium proposes to lease from the Port Pier 15, the Connector Building and Valley, plus a portion of the east apron (which is the walkway between the building and water edge), for use as a museum. The use of the new space would be commensurate with the program at the Exploratorium existing location, but 38 percent larger. Under the Expanded Project, it is currently contemplated that The Exploratorium would have an option to expand the museum into Pier 17 in the 17th year of its lease. Until then, the Port would continue to lease Pier 17 to commercial and light industrial users and proposes to lease approximately 5,000 gsf within Pier 17 for restaurant or other retail use. The impacts of expansion into Pier 17 by The Exploratorium are evaluated in the Initial Study and referred to as the Expanded Project. Overall, the Proposed Project would increase Project Site floor area by approximately 65,929 gsf by adding a second level within the Pier 15 shed: total post-construction floor area in Pier 15 and the Connector Building would be approximately 215,426 gsf of which 200,000 gsf is to be occupied by The Exploratorium and the total building floor area would total 326,041 gsf. The existing office shack and much of the Valley paving would be removed to expose the water and would feature an outdoor exhibit area and provide public access to the Bay front. A current on-site maritime use in Pier 15 would remain, either in Pier 15 or Pier 17. The project also would include temporary and ceremonial berthing of ships and a water taxi landing.

San Francisco

San Francisco

California Coastal Commission (CCC), California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Bay Delta Region 3 (CDFW), California Department of Parks and Recreation, California Department of State Parks, Division of Boating and Waterways, California Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC), California Regional Water Quality Control Board, San Francisco Bay Region 2 (RWQCB), California State Lands Commission (SLC), Department of Toxic Substances Control, Department of Water Resources, Office of Historic Preservation, Resources Agency, California Department of Transportation, District 4 (DOT), San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC)

California Department of Transportation, District 4 (DOT), San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC)

Other (Institutional Use/200,000 gsf/4.6 acres/330 employees)

Redevelopment, Coastal Permit