Since 1976, this iconic graphic art signage has stood along Third Street at Evans Avenue.   The cultural significance as an artwork/asset in the neighborhood is clearly recognized and valued. This piece represents a moment in time (40 years worth) and has become an identifier in the Northern Gateway.

In order to provide for the expanded landscape design around the new Community Center at 1550 Evans, the  the letters were to be removed and either discarded or relegated to memory.

Following outreach by the Southeast Facility and BMagic,  the India Basin Neighborhood  Association, Bayview Historical Society and artBayview quickly collaborated  on a plan that included communication with the original artist for the work, Michael Manwaring, the lead  fabricators-Western Art Stone, and others.  An immediate response in support of retaining or re-purposing the artwork came from a cross section of Bayview leadership and long-time advocates.

Beginning in July,2020, the SFPUC will begin removing the letters for purposes of safe storage through May, 2021.  A current goal of the working group of advocates is a re-purposing and adaptive reuse of the letters contained in the original signage.  It has been suggested by many that a portion of the sign - 'India Basin Park' - be reinstalled at the India Basin Shoreline Park area, now under rehabilitation and expansion.  The remaining 'Industrial' lettering may be realized for use at the ART colony on HuntersPoint Shipyard, or portions used along the Bay Trail, etc.  Efforts are underway to relocate and creatively reuse the letters within the community.

“ Here is the history as I remember it. Landscape architect Bob LaRocca called me in 1976 and asked if I was interested in doing a simple Identification sign for an industrial park. I said yes. He sent me a site plan; I visited the site and did a drawing and sat on it for a couple of days because I knew that it was going to look small out there. So I did a Plan B sign (large free standing letter forms painted red).  I met with Bob and two people from the city and showed them a posts and panel sign. It was about 4x8 or 5x10, Red with white typography, clean and snappy looking. They liked it and said they would get back to me. At that point I pulled out my Plan B sign drawing.   They were silent at first, but then asked me what were the letters made of, and what did I think they would cost.  They asked me to leave both drawings with them.

Bob called me a few days later and said they wanted to go with Plan B, and to get him the graphic artwork as fast as possible. During fabrication I made a trip out to Western ArtStone to look at the first pieces. They were beautiful! It was at that point, I started to have doubts about painting them red. It turned out that Bob was also having some doubt about the Red. So that was the end of the Red. Bob took care of all the technical, engineering, construction, installation, meetings, etc. It was pretty simple for me.

In 1976 the font was called Helvetica bold. "

Michael Manwaring

Original participants:

Michael Manwaring - Graphic Designer

Jill Manton - San Francisco Art Commission

Robert LaRocca of Larocca Associates Landscape Design and Urban Planning 

Gene Mariani  WesternArtStone  (now DURA ART STONE)

Bayview Art and Architecture Site:
www.artbayview.org

Candlestick Point Cultural Park 1985-1993

George Hargreaves, environmental artist Doug Hollis, and architect Mark Mack collaborated together to create the Candlestick Point Cultural Park, an eighteen-acre park on San Francisco Bay from 1985 to 1993 and which once was a gravel bed.
Sponsored by the Office of the State Architect, the Department for Parks and Recreation, and the California Arts Council, this project was awarded in November of 1985 to Hargreaves Associates, Mack Architects, and Doug Hollis. In selecting this team and establishing this collaborative effort, the sponsors began a process that took a fresh approach to architecture, landscape, and art.

This park is entered through the “wind gate”, a narrow opening that is secured by 130-foot-long concrete walls.A visitor can feel a strong wind from behind and hear a whistling sound from the “wind gate’s” walls while he is walking toward the bay through the “wind gate”.
The ‘U’ shaped paths to the shore are bounded by aeolian mounds and wet tidal channels.24 The landforms’ “backslope”concaving toward the wind and the “slip face” convexing on the leeward create a habitat for varied plant growth.

The wind is the theme of the park. When the wind blows, it feels like a welcome signal to attract people. This park possessed a series of interactions, movements, and engagements with the environment and a force that engages visitors’ motions by changing boundary between land and water.  Visitors can focus more on its spatial view and the connection with natural power rather than beautiful scenery, as Hargreaves has said "various elements such as water, wind and gravity can enter and affect the landscape". Three factors, earth, wind and water, interact together to form a "environmental Theatre" that focuses on the contrasts between cultivated and the natural view. When visitors are walking through this "environmental Theatre", they can veiw the different pictures created by former, mowed and green plants and the latter, rough and tawny plants.
LA Times 1993

More on this project:
http://www.hargreaves.com/candlestick-park/

Although Candlestick Park Stadium is no more, the landscape project at Candlestick Point Park endures, yet needs restoration and maintenance. Will you join us in recognizing and protecting this Bayview asset?

Contact us at: Bayview Historical Society and artBayview.
bvhpwatch@mac.com
www.bayview-hunterspoint.com
www.artbayview.org
Thank you.

Bayview Art and Architecture Site:

 www.artbayview.org

Ndebele  1987

Artist:  Fran Martin

"The Zimbabwean Ndebele language, also called Northern Ndebele, isiNdebele, Sindebele, or Ndebele is an African language belonging to the Nguni group of Bantu languages, and spoken by the Ndebele or Matabele people of Zimbabwe.  

isiNdebele is related to the Zulu language spoken in South Africa. THE ARTIST: Fran Martin received her M.A. in Art in 1973. She fabricated and exhibited sculpture until 1995. Since 1994, she has been co-founder of and ardent worker at the Visitacion Valley Greenway Project (VVGP). Commendation from San Francisco Board of Supervisors: December 8, 2001 WHEREAS, Fran Martin is a Visitacion Valley community leader and activist on land use, planning, and environmental protection issues, and has demonstrated commendable civic mindedness in her continued efforts as a strong advocate of planned growth for her neighborhood while preserving its unique community; and, WHEREAS, Fran Martin has shown exemplary leadership in her community through her work with the Visitacion Valley Planning Alliance and the Greenway Project; and, WHEREAS, Fran Martin has been a persistent advocate, visionary artist, and active citizen in the Visitacion Valley neighborhood, now, therefore, be it, RESOLVED, That the Board of Supervisors commend Fran Martin's commitment to protect and enhance her neighborhood and for her continuing efforts to strengthen the neighborhood voice in San Francisco; and, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the San Francisco Board of Supervisors salutes Fran Martin for all her hard work by proclaiming the 8th of December Fran Martin Day."

http://i1.wp.com/www.artandarchitecture-sf.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DSC_3262.jpg

Additional information on this work can be viewed on the artBayview mapping site. Scroll to the location and click to view details. There is no need to sign in or subscribe to utilize this mapping.

https://artbayview.carto.com