Port Approves Budget, Parking Fixes as Fisherman's Wharf Reinvention Takes Shape

The San Francisco Port Commission moved swiftly through its biennial budget and a pair of parking code changes at Pier 70, then spent the bulk of its Feb. 24 meeting debating how to fill the vacant storefronts left behind by the demolition of Alioto's — and whether Fisherman's Wharf should chase tourist dollars or win back locals.

• Biennial budget for FY 2026-28 adopted alongside travel and contracting resolutions on a unanimous consent vote

• Pier 70 parking rules rewritten to help a bakery's early-morning staff and open metered spots near Crane Cove Park

• Four tenant proposals received for the new Fisherman's Grotto Cafe space, with a summer 2026 opening targeted on a percentage-rent-only lease

• Commissioners clash over signage revenue vs. neighborhood character at the Wharf, with President Gilman warning against a "Las Vegas" feel

• Dry Dock 2 emergency repairs running ahead of schedule; pump usage dropped dramatically after temporary patches

• Hyde Street Harbor fuel dock cleanup complete; Port negotiating to reopen fueling with gasoline added for the fishing fleet and recreational boaters

• SF Giants and Golden Voice launch Club Dark at Pier 48; General Catalyst signs 12-year lease at Pier 70

The longest and most spirited discussion of the meeting centered on how to repopulate Fisherman's Wharf after the Alioto's demolition cleared the way for a new public plaza and a cluster of smaller retail spaces — a strategy staff calls Fisherman's Wharf Forward.