Potrero Power Station Transformation Enters New Phase
The 21-acre site will eventually host 2,300 homes and new public access to the waterfront.
Updated on Oct. 20, 2026 in Commercial
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After 150 years of being closed off, the waterfront at the former Potrero Power Station is reopening to the public. This transformation of the 21-acre site includes a long-term plan for 2,300 new homes, parks, and office spaces.
Why it matters
The project is working to turn a century-old industrial site into a neighborhood hub that reconnects the city to the San Francisco Bay shoreline. With 30 percent of the planned housing set aside as affordable, the development aims to balance new growth with historic preservation.
The redevelopment spans 21 acres and will eventually deliver 2,300 homes, with 30 percent designated as affordable housing. While 105 affordable units opened in autumn 2025, the full timeline for the 30-year project remains subject to future planning commission approvals.
The players
University of California, San Francisco
The institution is expanding its footprint in the district with a new life sciences facility.
The details
The site blends modern construction with the preservation of industrial relics, including the iconic 300-foot boiler stack and the Station A building. Public access is a major component, with 6.9 acres of new open space and 1,000 linear feet of shoreline becoming available. Development is occurring in phases, with a UCSF life sciences building having broken ground in 2026. Future progress remains dependent on ongoing city planning and approval cycles for each remaining phase.
Timeline
1876: The waterfront area became inaccessible to the public.
2011: The Potrero Power Station officially closed.
Autumn 2025: A building with 105 affordable homes opened on the site.
2026: Construction began on a UCSF life sciences building.
Across the Bay
The Potrero Power Station project follows the neighborhood-transformation pattern established by the nearby Pier 70 redevelopment. Both sites represent a broader city trend of converting former industrial waterfront land into mixed-use residential districts.
Residents can now access 1,000 linear feet of previously restricted shoreline near the site. Further housing and office space will continue to emerge in the area over the next three decades as construction phases move forward.
The takeaway
The transformation of the Potrero Power Station is a decades-long project that will redefine the eastern waterfront. Keep an eye on city planning updates for future construction phases to see how the district evolves.
Further reading
Learn more about local development updates at San Francisco Commercial.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Times of India.
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