We are so proud to announce that the Lower Polk Alleyways District Vision Plan has won an Honor Award from the American Society of Landscape Architects Northern California Chapter in the Research, Planning, Analysis, and Communication category. This is a huge win for the Lower Polk Community – we truly could not have done this without your input.

Congratulations and a big thanks to INTERSTICE Architects for their hard work in putting this document together!

About the LPA-DVP:

The Lower Polk Neighborhood is a distinct and vibrant part of the unique collection of neighborhoods that characterize San Francisco’s celebrated urban heritage. It is a diverse, richly textured mixed-use neighborhood with an unusually porous fabric of Alleyways that are underutilized midblock open-spaces. This “found ground” was the impetus for the Alleyway District Vision Plan. By reframing the perception of these alleys from “backstreets” into active contributors, these smaller streets are re-scripted and physically re-programmed to support the busy street-life activity that extends late into the evenings. Six alleys extend outward from the Polk Street commercial spine forming a finer urban grain at the core of this changing neighborhood, which has no access to open space. Reclaiming them as “living streets” was a crucial component to creating enjoyable civic places dedicated to high-quality pedestrian experience within the neighborhood, as well as contributing to a healthier city. The Alleyways now take front stage, shifting the focus from “back of house” access-ways to a new green infrastructure of ‘place’ at the heart of the district.

You can view the document in its entirety HERE.