Fisherman's Wharf facelift plans means Alioto's gets bulldozed
Bulldozing SFs Aliotos part of plan to revitalize Fishermans Wharf
The plan to revitalize San Franciscos Fishermans Wharf was presented to the public at the citys Port Commission. Part of those plans includes bulldozing the historic Aliotos restaurant site to make way for a better view and an open-air portal where the boats would be the center of a new marketplace.
SAN FRANCISCO - The San Francisco Port Commission officially received the Port's proposal to remake the very heart of Fisherman's Wharf into a more viable and attractive center of the world-famous tourist site.
It involves bulldozing one famous restaurant, possibly rehabbing two others, creating a new pedestrian plaza and making historic fishing boats the centerpiece.
Revitalizing Fisherman's Wharf
What we know:
First and foremost, the plan calls for tearing down the long-closed Alioto's Restaurant and converting the space into an open-air portal with spectacular western-facing vistas within a year.
Sal Alioto, captain of the fishing boat Golden Gate, is a member of the famed Alioto family.
"So, once they open up the total view of Fisherman's Wharf, the Golden Gate Bridge and visualize the sunset at night this will be a gorgeous view," said Alioto.
"It's always sad to lose something that's iconic and Alioto's the first restaurant on the wharf, the first building on the wharf," said third-generation San Francisco Lana Costantini of the SF Historical Society. She adds, "I think it gives us an opportunity to rethink parts of our city and how we reuse it and how we engage with the space there."
Another major goal, is to vastly improve the Inner Lagoon docks and lighting for historical fishing vessels; one of the wharf's most iconic attractions and the largest fishing center on the California coast.
"And that's what the port wants to do is to keep it viable. They want people to come down here and buy fresh fish off the boats which is a good thing," said Alioto.
Another goal: improve business conditions and requirements to get both long-term and pop-up businesses to attract tourists and locals to the wharf.
Dining mecca
Don McFarland is one of five generations who own and operate Salbella and Latorre Italian Restaurant and crab stand, and says the wharf can again be a dining mecca.
"In the heyday, we used to generate over 30% of revenue for the city just on this block from Gardino's down to Grotto's place," said McFarland.
Historic Fisherman's Grotto and Tarantino's could find new owners. But it all must maintain the Fisherman's Wharf legacy.
"If they're gonna keep the history, it will be wonderful. It's all about keeping the history of Fisherman's Wharf," said Alioto.
With Alioto's, Fisherman's Grotto and Tarantino's all empty now, The Port of San Francisco and the City of San Francisco have an enormous opportunity to turn this into something unimaginably successful in the center of one of the most important tourist areas on Earth.
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