What are the signature elements of the North End Project?

Who designed the project?

Who is constructing the project?

What is the project’s timeline?

How will construction affect the Greenmarket?

Who maintains Union Square Park?

Does the project include adding two new lanes of traffic

along 17th Street?

What are the signature elements of the North End Project?

The improvements include building a new playground to replace two smaller ones, tripling their total size from 5,135 square feet to 15,307 square feet; planting trees along the northern and western perimeters of the park; repaving the public plaza in a decorative hex-block pattern; rehabilitating the historic Pavilion; electrical and water connections for the Greenmarket farmers, avoiding the need for noisy, fume-emitting generators, and new public restrooms for park users.

Who designed the project?

The design team is led by two firms, Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates (Landscape Architect) and Architecture Research Office (Architect). The landscape architect is primarily responsible for the plaza and playground design, while the architect is primarily responsible for the pavilion renovation and restroom facility.

Who is constructing the project?

The Department of Parks and Recreation is managing project construction through their consultant, Hill International. Padilla Construction Services is the General Contractor.  As a major stakeholder and project funder, the Union Square Partnership works in cooperation with the Parks Department and with the community to resolve issues that arise during construction.

What is the project’s timeline?

The project is expected to be substantially complete after approximately eighteen months. Construction has been phased in a manner that will allow portions of the development area, once complete, to be reopened to the public.

How will construction affect the Greenmarket?

The Greenmarket is fully operational and accommodated on site during the construction period as the work is phased between the north and west sides of the park. The market operates year-round every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. The market itself will first relocate to the western and southern plazas for a number of months, then, as work is completed on the north plaza, switch back to the north side of the park for the remainder of the construction period.

Who maintains Union Square Park?

Through a successful public/private partnership with the Parks Department, the Union Square Partnership coordinates closely with the agency to set goals and meet the growing demands of this vibrant public space. While the Parks Department bears primary responsibility for the park, the Partnership has collaborated with the agency on a number of annual projects to maintain, upgrade and beautify the park. In recent years, the Partnership planted new bulbs, cleaned flower beds, pruned shrubs, aerated the soil, treated the lawn and provided general maintenance, transforming the park into one of the City’s most exciting public spaces.

Does the project include adding two new lanes of traffic along 17th Street?

No. In fact, prior to the finalization of the North End construction plans, the Parks Department and the Union Square Partnership asked the Department of Transportation (DOT) to conduct a study to determine if we could eliminate roadway to give back to the park. The DOT study found that we could transfer 5 feet from the roadway to the plaza along the entire stretch of 17th Street, which will increase plaza space. Additionally, plans include the removal of all Muni-meter parking along the west side of the park, which will create even more park land space for pedestrian and Greenmarket use. When work on the north plaza is complete, there will be no reduction of plaza space for the Greenmarket and they will return to the north end.