Port Backs $2M Wharf Grant, Restructures Pier 70 Tax District

The San Francisco Port Commission moved unanimously on two financial instruments shaping the waterfront's future — extending a multimillion-dollar grant to keep Fisherman's Wharf revitalization on track and restructuring a tax district at Pier 70 to protect tenants in a brutal office market while funding Crane Cove Park in perpetuity. Commissioners also got their first look at a sweeping five-acre redesign of Embarcadero Plaza and Sue Bierman Park, a project that could reshape the gateway between downtown and the waterfront by late 2027.

• $2M bridge grant extends Fisherman's Wharf CBD funding to $8.3M total as the Port negotiates becoming a permanent assessment-paying member
• Pier 70 tax district restructured to drop a $2.73/sqft infrastructure levy, easing pressure on tenants like Y Combinator and Astranis while creating a perpetual Crane Cove Park funding stream
• Five-acre Embarcadero Plaza and Sue Bierman Park redesign unveiled, with stormwater gardens, nighttime activation, and demolition slated for December 2026
• Former Commissioners Gail Gilman and Steven Lee honored with extended tributes for steering the Port through the post-COVID crisis
• Port plans formal drone policy after Pokemon World Championships drone shows drew up to 20,000 spectators nightly

Why it matters: The Port's largest revenue-generating neighborhood is getting another lifeline — and a structural overhaul in how it's funded. But commissioners want to see the receipts.