Rachele Sullivan Park Project

Project Update: Construction documents are now complete. We are now working to identify sufficient funding to move forward with this project. For more information, please see our project update from August 2025.

Scope of Work

The new park will include a half-basketball court, fitness area, children’s play area, tables and seating throughout, and many ways to comfortably enjoy a respite from the dense, urban environment among lush plantings. The design takes into consideration the needs of the rapidly growing neighborhood in the context of other new open spaces being developed by public and private developers in the area. RPD is also working with the Arts Commission on a plan to include a highly visible arts component which will add much needed character to the 11 th Street corridor.

Background

Over 100,000 new households are projected to move into San Francisco by 2040, with much of the coming growth to be concentrated in SoMa. This dense, urban area is expected to see significant population growth northwest of the project site with the proposed Hub initiative within the Market & Octavia Plan. District 6, especially the southwest end of the district, is especially limited in parks and open space for its residents. To provide more open space in the neighborhood, Rec & Park has acquired a half-acre property on 11 th Street, between Natoma Street and Minna Street, to develop a new park.

After an extensive public comment process, done in partnership with community organizations from the SoMa neighborhood, San Francisco Recreation and Park Commission voted on July 18, 2024 to name this future park at Rachele Sullivan Park. The community was tasked with selecting a meaningful and appropriate name that resonated with the park’s location, historical significance, or honors an individual’s contributions to the South of Market community. Rachele Sullivan played instrumental roles in the establishment of the city’s district celebrating leather and LGBTQ culture at its leather street fairs. A cis straight ally and native San Franciscan who was a traditional Filipino healer, Sullivan passed away in 2022 at the age of 54.

Location

11th St. and Natoma St.

19,570 square feet (.48 acre)

Funding

Funding for this project comes from Eastern Neighborhood Development Impact Fees, Market Octavia Development Impact Fees, Natoma Properties Revenue, and the Open Space Acquisition Fund.

Estimated Project Schedule

Planning , 2022-2023

Design , 2023-2025

Construction begins , TBD

Open to the Public , TBD

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Contact

Alex Schuknecht

Project Manager Email Phone: 628-652-6631 More Information