14 Dec Hidden Places in SF – POPOS

Hey, have you ever heard about POPOS of SF?

Privately-owned public open spaces (POPOS) are publicly accessible spaces in forms of plazas, terraces, atriums, small parks, and even snippets which are provided and maintained by private developers. The only thing is that there places are neither obvious or clearly marked, so they are difficult to find. POPOS mostly appear in the Downtown office district area and there are dozens of them scattered around the city’s core. Prior to 1985, developers provided POPOS under three general circumstances: voluntarily, in exchange for a density bonus, or as a condition of approval. The goal was to “provide in the downtown quality open space in sufficient quantity and variety to meet the needs of downtown workers, residents and visitors.” But not all POPOS are created equal. From lush rooftops and sunny indoor atriums to redwood mini-forests and free Wi-Fi. I want to list some of these oases which are ideal for lunch, meeting a date, or just relaxing within the frenzied confines of the FiDi.

1. Sansome Roof Garden: The terrace at 343 Sansome Street features tables, benches, planters filled with flowers, and views of the bay.

2. Citigroup Center: This is the Paris-London Bank building and hollowed out to make way for public space at the base of the Citigroup Center. The public atrium encloses a fountain, seating, and more than a dozen queen palms. A quite place for having a lunch, studying or a just relaxing.

3. Crocker Galleria Roof Terrace (close to Citigroup Center from above): The rooftop garden filled with shrubbery, benches, flowers, and a fountain is accessible from the the top floor of the Crocker Galleria, and features great views of the surrounding skyscrapers.

4. One Kearny Rooftop: The well-appointed garden is located on the building’s 11th floor, and features sweeping views of downtown, and a close-up look at the mansard roof of the building next door.

5. Linkedin: This is a good spot for all people who want to work in fancy, chill atmosphere. The first-floor plaza inside 222 Second Street is for everyone, not just LinkedIn employees. It is an open, bright room, with ceiling windows and doors, and can be access via the street-level lobby.

Well, that is only a short extract of all POPOS in SF, there are many more secret spots outside!

Feel free to discover them!

Anja