Buchanan Street Mall

In the heart of San Francisco’s Fillmore District sits a five-block park originally envisioned as a welcoming space for the community to gather. But decades of crime and violence have left the park’s playgrounds, paths, and lawns empty as it has become unwelcoming to nearby residents. With the help from the Fillmore community and our partners like the Green Streets, Citizen Film, The Exploratorium, and the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department, Trust for Public Land is rejuvenating the park into a vibrant green space that better fits the needs of the surrounding community.

Since 2014, TPL has been deeply rooted in the community engagement process to better understand the community’s vision for this space. Their voices are clear: the renovated Buchanan Street Mall should cater to every generation, with a new fitness area, playgrounds, and multi-purpose sport courts in addition to much-needed green space to relax and watch the world go by. Community members also voiced a need for the space to better reflect the area’s history with the creation of a “Memory Walk.” This path will be a well-lit, accessible walkway that weaves through the entire mall, connecting the blocks together into a safe passage with an Afro-Centric design and public art that reflects the story of this community.

Buchanan Street Mall isn’t just about creating a beautiful new park. It’s also about giving the Fillmore community a place to celebrate the rich history of their neighborhood and a place to inspire hope for a healthier, safer future. The park stretches five blocks between Eddy and Grove streets, and in 2022, Buchanan Street Mall was awarded a $3.9 million federal grant to begin revitalization efforts on two of its blocks. In 2023, a $8.1 million federal grant was awarded to renovate the remaining three blocks. Once complete, this community-driven project will restore this park to its original purpose: a dynamic, equitable, and safe neighborhood gathering space for 29,860 people that live within a 10-minute walk.