Buena Vista Park – San Francisco, CA

Buena Vista Park was established in 1897 and is purported to be the 2nd oldest park in San Francisco. It is a one-of-a-kind urban park known for its forested setting that provides a space of respite for wandering and relaxing. Visitors enjoy recreation facilities within the park, the sounds of resident and migrating bird species, and are afforded broad views of the city and nearby region through windows of mature foliage. The 34-acre open space park has various entry stairs and perimeter walkways and becomes a densely vegetated space with an intricate network of paved and rustic interior pathways from within.

Responding to a call from Buena Vista Neighborhood Association, an advocacy group dedicated to the protection and preservation of Buena Vista Park, Miller Company was selected to lead a community process to create a Needs Assessment and Cost Analysis Plan. The goals of the planning project included identification of physical problems focused on declining infrastructure, forestry, and erosion issues. The plan provides schematic designs for restoration, repair, and development of sustainable amenities throughout the park. Cost estimates associated with infrastructure needs and opportunities for improvement projects are provided in the final report to help prioritize projects and support ongoing financing and fundraising efforts. Following an extensive series of community meetings, workshops, and guided walks through the park the Plan was finalized and adopted by the city’s park commission. Restoration efforts have begun and will be phased in over many years resulting in the restoration of this magnificent urban paradise.

Year Completed: 2020
Client: San Francisco Recreation & Parks
MCLA Team: Jeffrey Miller, Maya Nagasaka, Sarka Volejnikova
Consultant Team: M. Lee Corporation [cost estimator], Habitat Potential [ecologist], Urban Forestry Associates [arborist], Sherwood Engineers [civil].