San Francisco’s Treasure Island is undergoing a massive makeover. The island is being redeveloped into a new community that will house around 20,000 residents. The development is a joint project between the city and private developers.
The plan envisions 8,000 new units, both affordable housing and luxury apartments. One of the first highrise projects, a 22 story 250 unit apartment high rise, is opening in August of 2025. Over 1,300 new homes will be available by the end of 2025.
But it’s not just housing; the developers are creating an entire community. They’re putting in stores, restaurants, hotels, and even a ferry terminal to give residents an easier means of commuting to and from the city. The island will also have lots of green space, with 300 acres of new parks in the pipeline.
“We’re not building just homes; we’re creating a very vibrant community where people can live, work, and enjoy the beautiful views of the San Francisco Bay,” said Bob Beck, one of the project developers.
The project faced a couple issues however luckily resolvable. The ground needed to be strengthened to make it more earthquake resistant, and because it’s a manmade flat island, it has been raised to protect against the rising sea level.
All the housing will be within a 10 minute walk of amenities, public transport will also be provided. There’s even a suggestion of a 20 acre organic farm on the island.
“This project is a great example of how we can grow and be sustainable,” said former Mayor London Breed. “We’re not just building new housing; we’re creating a model for sustainable city-building that other cities can follow.”
The project will take around 20-30 years to complete and cost around $6 billion. Its an expensive project, however city officials are hoping it will help with San Francisco’s housing shortage. The new housing on Treasure Island will provide about 10% of the new housing the city needs to build by 2031.
The redevelopment of Treasure Island is a long term project that’s reimagining the face of San Francisco Bay. As it takes shape, it could become a model for the entire bay area on how to grow for the better.