Fisherman’s Wharf Advisory Committee (FWAC) - September 2, 2026

3. Announcements and Project Updates (9:10 – 9:45am) 

   1. Executive Director Introduction – Michael Martin, Port Executive Director 

   2. Fisherman's Wharf Forward (FWF) Project Updates – Chris Horiuchi, FWF Port Project Team 

   3. Real Estate Updates – Harold George, Port Real Estate 

   4. Maritime Updates – Becca Gross, Port Maritime 

   5. Fisherman’s Wharf Revitalized Project Updates – Seth Hammalian, Mission Bay Development Group 

4. Port of San Francisco Blue Economy Initiative: Informational presentation on the Port’s efforts to grow the blue economy along our 7.5-mile waterfront by offering discounted lease rates and other assistance for qualifying, blue economy organizations. The blue economy includes organizations that sustainably use the Bay and coastal resources to deliver economic, environmental, and community benefits for Bay Area residents. – Shannon Alford, Port Planning and Environment (9:45 – 10:15am) 

5. Seasonal Ice Rink at Fisherman’s Wharf: Pete Mott (10:15 – 10:30am) 

6. Agenda Setting for Future Meetings (10:30– 10:45am)

Agenda 

Item #1 – Ground Rules for Meetings 

A Port representative stated participation ground rules for providing public comment both online and in-person, including respectful participation. An announcement was made that this meeting was recorded for note‑taking purposes. 

Item #2 – Approval of Draft Meeting Notes 

Draft minutes from the July 8, 2026 FWAC meeting were reviewed and approved, with no objections.  

Read the July 8 meeting minutes here. 

Item #3 – Quick Announcements & Project Updates 

Executive Director Introduction (Michael Martin, Port of San Francisco Executive Director) 

Michael Martin introduced himself in his newly appointed permanent Executive Director role. His remarks emphasized partnerships across all waterfront users, the Port’s commitment to strategic investments in public realm and infrastructure, such as Alioto’s Plaza, pile work in the Inner Lagoon, progress on the fuel dock, and new retail activations such as Woods Tavern and Everett & Jones.  

Fisherman’s Wharf Forward (FWF) (Chris Horiuchi, Port Waterfront Resilience Program) 

Chris Horiuchi, the project manager for Fisherman’s Wharf Forward, shared that there would be a public ribbon cutting for Alioto’s Plaza at noon the same day. Construction was expected to slow down after the plaza opening, with a series of day-two updates related to safety repairs and utilities around the Inner Lagoon planned for after Fleet Week. 

With the plaza opening, the project is now focusing on larger resilience improvements. The second public meeting for this stage of the project will be held on September 9 at the USS Pampanito Museum space. The goal of the meeting is to present and solicit feedback on preliminary design concepts for the Inner Lagoon and Taylor Street shoreline. A corresponding online survey will be distributed for those unable to attend. 

Questions/Comments: 

Question: What is the timeline for Woods Tavern, and where will it be located? 

Answer: Woods will be opening in the southern, lower level of Fisherman’s Grotto, including outdoor patio space that faces the plaza. This area is referred to by Port staff as the Grotto “café space.” They are starting with outdoor pop ups while interior improvements are finishing and hoping to open fully in September 2026. Owner, Jim Woods, will be at the ribbon cutting. 

Real Estate Updates (Harold George and Amy Cohen, Port Real Estate) 

Port Real estate provided a series of updates. Tenant improvements will soon be completed for Everett and Jones. Tenant improvements are starting for Dylan’s Tours, and will be followed by improvements at Chasca Rio’s. The plaza overlook at the former Smokehouse is now open. 

Amy Cohen, from Port Real Estate, will be going to Port Commission on September 15 to present a proposed extension to the Port’s grant with the FWCBD. The grant amendment would extend the FWCBD’s grant for an additional year, through December 2027, with an additional investment of $1.9 million. If approved, the extended grant would result in a total Port investment of $8.2 million through the FWCBD since 2023. The CBD would continue to provide the same services, such as the recently installed vinyl wraps on the windows of Tarantino’s.  

Maritime Updates (Becca Gross, Port Maritime) 

Over the summer, the Port completed a series of waterside improvements: 

• Repairs to the Tarantino’s breezeway paving 

• J4 conduit replacement 

• Pile driving in the Monterey and front-row areas, with upcoming solicitations for new berths coming shortly 

Boats in the Inner Harbor will be able to move back to their home slips once Alioto’s Plaza is opened. Port staff thanked waterside tenants for accommodating construction impacts and encouraged attendance at the Alioto’s Plaza opening and September 9 community meeting. 

Questions/Comments: 

Question: The paving at Tarantino’s and fresh paint on Nick’s Lighthouse look really nice. Are these spaces not leasable?  

Answer: The buildings themselves have significant structural and code‑compliance issues, making them unsuitable for new leases at this time. For now, the Port has focused on aesthetic upgrades to improve the visitor experience and intends to revisit short‑term pop‑up uses at Nick’s and the roll up door facing Jefferson Street at Tarantino’s, depending on the timeline of the Fisherman’s Wharf Forward Phase 2 project. 

Comment: Some sort of temporary façade would be great on the back side of the old Nick’s where there is exposed piping and plumbing. 

Answer: The Port acknowledged the concern, noting that the existing planters are insufficient and that additional screening or signage may be added later. The area will continue to be evaluated for improvements, while being mindful of wind conditions in the area. 

Question: Will there be lighting improvements? 

Answer: Safety lights have been improved, all the goose neck lights have been painted and repaired, and the new plaza has string lighting. Additional decorative lighting around the lagoon is expected to be installed for the holiday season.  

Question: Is there any effort being made to control street performers and musicians? 

Answer: Street performances are currently managed through a waterfront-wide program that is dated. The Port and the FWCBD are evaluating improvements to the performance‑permit process and potential new management strategies and will bring updates back to FWAC. At a minimum, several activation locations will need to be reconsidered now that new plaza and open spaces have changed pedestrian flow. 

Fisherman’s Wharf Revitalized Project Updates (Seth Hammalian, Mission Bay Development Group) 

Seth Hamalian reported that his team has been refining plans for Pier 45 and is close to settling on a workable and sensitive configuration that aligns with tenants’ operational realities. He stated that the team would meet with Pier 45 tenants throughout September before sharing the revised concepts publicly. He encouraged FWAC members to contact him directly at shamalian@mbaydevelopment.com and noted that future presentations would be circulated through the FWAC mailing list.  

Item #4 - Blue Economy Initiative (shannon Alford, Port Planning and Environment) 

The Port’s Blue Economy Initiative is a new program designed to support early-stage, undercapitalized companies that use the Bay’s natural and built resources to advance environmental, economic, and community benefits. The initiative, which was adopted by the Port Commission in July 2026, joins with over 180 Blue Economy incubators/accelerators across the world, and also aligns with the Mayor’s priorities and 2026 Climate Action Plan goal to help climate tech move to scale.   

Through the initiative, emerging blue economy companies can receive incentives to help them test and scale their ideas. Incentives include access to waterfront space, regulatory guidance, and the following leasing incentives: 

Tier 1: Up to 25% rent reduction (cap $25k) 

Tier 2: Up to 50% reduction for land + water access (cap $50k) 

Tier 3: Tenant‑improvement matching (cap varies) 

Total annual cap: $250k 

Applicant interest since launching has been strong, with thirteen applicants already proposing projects ranging from harmful algal bloom monitoring and lost‑gear recovery tools to 3D‑printed seawalls and innovative wastewater reuse. Companies that fall into one of the seven focus areas are encouraged to apply through the Port’s webpage: sustainable seafood, clean energy, bay health, ecotourism, digital transformation, workforce development, and cross-sector partnerships. The initiative is structured to grow over three phases, eventually building toward a dedicated innovation hub as momentum increases. 

The team’s next steps include looking for third party operator, processing applicants, and spreading the word at conferences such as the Restore America’s Estuaries Conference in September 2026. The team will also return to FWAC to share updates as the initiative develops. 

Questions/Comments: 

Question: How do people apply to the initiative? 

Answer: There is a short online intake form on the Port’s website: sfport.com/blueeconomy. Once a form is submitted, the Port’s interdivisional Blue Economy Advisory Committee reviews it and set up a call with the applicant to discuss their proposal. After an applicant has been decided to be a good fit, the Real Estate team then begins looking for space for the applicants on the waterfront.  

Question: How does this program apply to existing tenants? For example, Red & White Fleet is doing whale watching tours with the Pacific Whale Foundation on a hydroelectric boat, which fits into the program areas of ecotourism and clean energy. Is there a way to roll in that work to wider communications about the Blue Economy, if not through leasing incentives?  

Answer: Right now, the purpose of the initiative is to seed start-ups, not give benefits to existing tenants. The team agreed to take this suggestion back to the Port’s executive and communications teams. 

Question: What is the envisioned sustainability ecosystem for this work? Will there be a physical central spot for all the businesses to be? It would be great if there were an overarching vision of how all the pieces complement each other rather than everyone doing their own thing. I.e., vessel electrification and a mechanic, so there’s a multiplier effect. 

Answer: The vision is there’s enough momentum to establish a central physical hub where there are shared resources. Out of the gate, the goal is to be responsive to leasing application inquiries. The program will evolve, however, and the Port would love to eventually have a physical incubator and a sustainability ecosystem. The Port of San Diego does not have a brick-and-mortar incubator facility – its blue economy incubator is primarily a financial model. The Port of San Francisco is looking at a mix of that and a centralized facility as a long-term objective. The program is very new, and all feedback is welcomed. 

Question: Have you looked at Prop 4 funding for this? There’s a whole section of Prop 4 that is dedicated to Port efforts on sea level rise and sustainability.  

Answer: This suggestion will be passed along to the Port’s legislative affairs manager. 

Comment: A lot of these things directly affect the fishing fleet. This sounds like a great program, and we are excited to hear more. 

Seasonal Ice Rink 

A new seasonal attraction, “San Francisco on Ice – Fisherman’s Wharf,” will debut this year at the Triangle Lot beneath the SkyStar Wheel. The 6,300‑square‑foot open‑air rink—slightly larger than Union Square’s—will open with a kickoff celebration on November 4 and remain in operation daily for a 76‑day season through January 18. This will be the first ice rink in Fisherman’s Wharf. The rink is expected to draw roughly 55,000 skaters, including both regional visitors and tourists. Operated by a Napa‑based team that also runs a holiday rink in San Mateo, the project is currently moving through the Port’s permitting process. Sessions will accommodate up to 125 skaters and will offer two pricing tiers, with standard and value‑day rates.  

Pete Mott described how visitors would check in at the cashier building, receive skates from repurposed shipping containers, and then enter the open‑air rink, which was designed to frame views of the Bay and Alcatraz. Todd Barbee shared renderings illustrating the rink layout, including tents for skate changes, the queue line, lockers, and circulation paths. The rink would not sell food or beverages; instead, the operator hoped to support nearby restaurants and cafés.  

Renderings are available upon request from pmott@onicerinks.com. 

Questions/Comments: 

Question: What happens when it’s raining? 

Answer: Light rain would not interrupt operations, although heavy rain or wind could require temporary closure. 

Question: Will the little Embarcadero be closed down during the time period or will traffic still be open? 

Answer: The rink is fully contained on site – no road closures. 

Comment: From the Port’s perspective, we are very excited. This will bring families and locals and add to the holiday feel.  

Agenda Setting 

Parking was suggested as a future agenda item. David Beaupre, Port Planning and Environment, explained that new parking signage and enforcement—particularly for fire‑lane areas—will roll out in phases during the fall, and that an email notice will be sent to berth holders.  

Additional suggested agenda items included updates on the Fisherman’s Wharf Forward Phase 2 community feedback, Embarcadero Connectivity Plan milestones, and a year‑end presentation from the CBD.  

Red & White fleet representatives shared an update about their upcoming fundraising cruise with the Pacific Whale Foundation, scheduled for September 26 aboard the En-Hydra.  

With no additional comments, the meeting concluded at 10:23.