Photo courtesy of: Katherine Delmar Burke School
Media Contacts
Anna Yatroussis
Friends of Lincoln Park
[email protected]
www.lincolnparksteps.org
William Duff Architects
415-371-0900
[email protected]
Anna Yatroussis
Friends of Lincoln Park
[email protected]
www.lincolnparksteps.org
William Duff Architects
415-371-0900
[email protected]
May 28, 2015, 4pm
LINCOLN PARK STEPS TO BE OFFICIALLY INTRODUCED
A PUBLIC/PRIVATE VENTURE
ARTFULLY DELIVERING FORM AND FUNCTION
SAN FRANCISCO, May 27 -- On May 28 at 4 p.m., Friends of Lincoln Park, SF Recreation and Parks’ General Manager Phil Ginsburg and San Francisco Parks Alliance will officially introduce the Lincoln Parks Steps with a ribbon cutting by San Francisco Supervisor Eric Mar. The short ceremony will recognize this unique public/private effort that has resulted in a magnificent set of tile art steps. This project truly represents how the community and the City can partner to bring a public project to realization and success.
The idea for a complete design and structural renovation of the Lincoln Parks Steps was conceived by Anna Yatroussis and Meg Autry, parents with children attending the Katherine Delmar Burke School located immediately adjacent to the steps. Although relatively new to pushing a community project through the City process (the two were key in kicking off the Lincoln Park Playground renovation), Yatroussis and Autry did their homework. They founded Friends of Lincoln Park to act as an entity to spearhead the project and quickly engaged local artist Aileen Barr to provide sketches of a tile art design to present while they maneuvered through community meetings, City approvals, grant applications, private fundraising and project management of this seven-year project.
“Once the idea for the project was vetted with the neighborhood, and approved by the City, we applied for several SF Rec and Park grants in order to help fund the structural repairs needed to lay the tiles on the stairs, benches and columns,” said Yatroussis. “Because the tiles and their application had to be paid for through private fundraising, we contacted San Francisco Parks Alliance to provide the needed fiscal management and expertise in the realm of City public and private projects.”
With SF Park and Rec funding and the San Francisco Parks Alliance on board, Yatroussis and Autry tapped into their network of fellow Katherine Delmar Burke School parents to provide pro bono services. Jim Westover of William Duff Architects was brought on board in 2009 to determine the extent of structural, cosmetic and ADA improvements required for the project and to provide architectural drawings for city review and contractor bidding as well as construction administration through completion. Gerry Agosta of BV Builders provided construction management for the early stages of the project including the initial tiled bench at the top of the stairs.
“Once we had our extended team in place, our Board of Friends of Lincoln Park began fundraising in earnest to cover the cost of the art tiles,” Yatroussis said. “Our first substantial gift came from the Katherine Delmar Burke School. With that gift in hand, we went into the neighboring community appealing to both neighbors and small businesses who were hugely supportive of the project. This beautiful gift to the City would not have been possible without all of our partners and the support of our community.”
About the Lincoln Park Steps
The Lincoln Park Steps sit at the edge of Lincoln Park on the Western end of California Street and date back to the early 1900’s. In 2007, Friends of Lincoln Park founders, Anna Yatroussis and Meg Autry, had the vision for a complete design and structural renovation of the steps that had seen decades of neglect and decay. The complete design and renovation of these beautiful beaux arts-inspired steps was completed in 2015 and serve as a beautiful example of a successful public/private public art project.
# # #
LINCOLN PARK STEPS TO BE OFFICIALLY INTRODUCED
A PUBLIC/PRIVATE VENTURE
ARTFULLY DELIVERING FORM AND FUNCTION
SAN FRANCISCO, May 27 -- On May 28 at 4 p.m., Friends of Lincoln Park, SF Recreation and Parks’ General Manager Phil Ginsburg and San Francisco Parks Alliance will officially introduce the Lincoln Parks Steps with a ribbon cutting by San Francisco Supervisor Eric Mar. The short ceremony will recognize this unique public/private effort that has resulted in a magnificent set of tile art steps. This project truly represents how the community and the City can partner to bring a public project to realization and success.
The idea for a complete design and structural renovation of the Lincoln Parks Steps was conceived by Anna Yatroussis and Meg Autry, parents with children attending the Katherine Delmar Burke School located immediately adjacent to the steps. Although relatively new to pushing a community project through the City process (the two were key in kicking off the Lincoln Park Playground renovation), Yatroussis and Autry did their homework. They founded Friends of Lincoln Park to act as an entity to spearhead the project and quickly engaged local artist Aileen Barr to provide sketches of a tile art design to present while they maneuvered through community meetings, City approvals, grant applications, private fundraising and project management of this seven-year project.
“Once the idea for the project was vetted with the neighborhood, and approved by the City, we applied for several SF Rec and Park grants in order to help fund the structural repairs needed to lay the tiles on the stairs, benches and columns,” said Yatroussis. “Because the tiles and their application had to be paid for through private fundraising, we contacted San Francisco Parks Alliance to provide the needed fiscal management and expertise in the realm of City public and private projects.”
With SF Park and Rec funding and the San Francisco Parks Alliance on board, Yatroussis and Autry tapped into their network of fellow Katherine Delmar Burke School parents to provide pro bono services. Jim Westover of William Duff Architects was brought on board in 2009 to determine the extent of structural, cosmetic and ADA improvements required for the project and to provide architectural drawings for city review and contractor bidding as well as construction administration through completion. Gerry Agosta of BV Builders provided construction management for the early stages of the project including the initial tiled bench at the top of the stairs.
“Once we had our extended team in place, our Board of Friends of Lincoln Park began fundraising in earnest to cover the cost of the art tiles,” Yatroussis said. “Our first substantial gift came from the Katherine Delmar Burke School. With that gift in hand, we went into the neighboring community appealing to both neighbors and small businesses who were hugely supportive of the project. This beautiful gift to the City would not have been possible without all of our partners and the support of our community.”
About the Lincoln Park Steps
The Lincoln Park Steps sit at the edge of Lincoln Park on the Western end of California Street and date back to the early 1900’s. In 2007, Friends of Lincoln Park founders, Anna Yatroussis and Meg Autry, had the vision for a complete design and structural renovation of the steps that had seen decades of neglect and decay. The complete design and renovation of these beautiful beaux arts-inspired steps was completed in 2015 and serve as a beautiful example of a successful public/private public art project.
# # #
