John Dennis Portfolio v03-Xsm-2

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTPORTFOLIO

John Dennis ASLA, LEED AP

PORTFOLIO


Landscape Architect

Education:

Master of Landscape Architecture, University of California, Berkeley

Bachelor of Landscape Architecture, University of California, Berkeley

Registration:

Licensed Landscape Architect, State of California

LEED accredited professional

American Society of Landscape Architects

Professional Summary:

Experience working in the field of Landscape Architecture and Urban Design for over 20 years of

which over 14 years has been dedicated to public projects in San Francisco. Experience working at

many of the finest Landscape Architecture firms in the Bay Area including Peter Walker and

Partners, EDAW and the SWA Group. Prior to becoming a Landscape Architect, owned and

managed private landscape design and construction company. Fourteen years ago, joined the San

Francisco Department of Public Works’ Landscape Architecture Section as a designer and project

lead for many large-scale, multi-disciplinary projects.

PARK PROJECTS



Golden Gate Park Carrousel Project | San Francisco Recreation & ParkSan Francisco, CA

Role: Project lead, schematic design, design development,

construction documents, construction support

Project Information:

In 2002, the Recreation and Park Commission approved a

conceptual master plan for the Golden Gate Park Children’s

Playground (Koret Children’s Quarter). The playground

renovation was the initial phase of this project, completed

in 2007. An additional community meeting was held

on December 10, 2008, to re-affirm this carrousel plaza

renovation as identified in the approved master plan. RPD

secured Proposition 40 State Grant Funds for this renovation.

The State of California approved the reallocation of these

funds for this project in the Spring of 2010.

Golden Gate Music Concourse | San Francisco Recreation & ParkSan Francisco, CA

Role: Project lead, schematic design, design development, construction drawings, construction support


The new, highly modern museums surrounding the Music Concourse gave extra impetus to the need to preserve the historic char-

acter of the Concourse. The $9 million rehabilitation project preserved the historic bosque of pollarded trees in the Concourse bowl,

repaved all surfaces replanted turf and shrub areas, and added new benches and other site furnishings. Missing trees were replaced

to fill out the bosque, one of the defining features of the site.

The project was a collaboration of consultant landscape architects and city landscape architects, who worked as a team on the mas-

ter plan, construction document, and construction phases of the project and were responsible for securing project approvals from

the San Francisco Arts Commission Civic Design Review and the Landmarks Preservation Advisory Board.



Guy Place Mini-Park | San Francisco Recreation & ParkSan Francisco, CA

Role: Schematic design, design development


As part of a comprehensive program for the development of Rincon Hill as a dense residential neighborhood, the Rincon Hill

Plan contains policies to acquire sites for open space. 4-8 Guy Place in particular is identified in Policy 4.1 and Map 8 (“Rincon

Hill Public Open Space System”) as a potential acquisition site for a “pocket park”, as it is one of the very few undeveloped

pieces of property in the district. Small in size (4,000 SF), but located a quiet, low traffic side street, surrounded by lower-scale

residential and commercial buildings. The Department of Public Works Landscape Architecture section was contracted to

plan and design a new open space at this location in 2008. That process resulted in a community-supported plan. However

when the economy dipped, funding for the new mini park dried up. With the recent resurgence in construction, funding was

restored and plans for the new mini park dusted off the shelves. At the recent community meeting, continued interest for the

community-supported plan was confirmed. This new mini park is anticipated for completion in summer of 2016. Current fund-

ing for this project comes from the Rincon Hill Community Improvements Fund, totaling $3,100,000.



Golden Gate Park Lakes Restoration | San Francisco Recreation & ParkSan Francisco, CA

Role: Project management


Golden Gate Park’s lakes are an important element of the park’s historic designed landscape. Built between 1882 and 1935, the

lakes suffered from deteriorated water quality and accumulations of sediment. The San Francisco Recreation and Park Department

together with the SF Department of Public Works and Royston Hanamoto Alley & Abey restored three of the largest lakes and their

adjacent landscapes. North Lake, part of the park’s Chain-of-Lakes has had a major $3 million reconstruction with new clay liners,

reconstructed edges, and water quality improvements. Stow Lake improvements, included reconstructed edges, and water quality

improvements totaling $1.5 million, and Spreckels Lake improvements included a repair of it’s concrete liner and water quality

improvements.



Heron’s Head Park | The Port of San FranciscoCargo Way and Jennings Street, San Francisco, CA

Role: Project lead, schematic design, design development, construction

drawings , construction support


In 2006, Mayor Gavin Newsom’s Blue-Greenway Task Force identified

Heron’s Head Park, a 24 acre peninsular open space that provides vital

habitat for birds and aquatic life, as one of the sites that would provide

improved access to the City’s shoreline in the Southern Waterfront. The

Port of San Francisco developed a strategy to redesign the park entrance

as a gateway to the park’s off -the-grid Eco Center and wildlife habitat.

Led by DPW, the Heron’s Head Park Improvements Project, in keeping

with the environmental focus of the existing park, features numerous

sustainable site improvements such as native coastal plants, solar

powered light fixtures, composting toilets, and bioswales capturing

parking lot runoff. The final project better connects the surrounding

neighborhoods to the San Francisco Bay. The improvements to Heron’s

Head Park have made this Blue-Greenway connector an accessible and

sustainable open space that introduces visitors to the rich wildlife of the

San Francisco Bay while ensuring precious habitat is conserved.

John McLaren Rhododenron Dell | San Francisco Recreation & ParkSan Francisco, CA



The Rhododendron Dell is a 20 acre site, located in the heart of Golden Gate Park along Kennedy Drive near the Music Concourse. It

was designed to honor John McLaren, the father of Golden Gate Park, with over 850 varieties of his favorite flower. The area includes

a pathway system by which a visitor can view the collection. The site was severely damaged in 1995 when a strong windstorm

uprooted hundreds of mature trees that protected the plants from the sun. This resulted in the loss of many rhododendrons. The

current pathway system was not accessible and the poor draining system had resulted in problems with erosion.

The scope of this project includes re-grading the pathway to meet ADA standards, installing paving, and providing a new drainage

system with infiltration wells which handle all stormwater runoff on-site. Improvements will also address the irrigation system as

well as plantings and site furnishings. A curving seatwall constructed of historic monastery stones marks the entrance and the his-

toric rhododendron plantings have been restored. s for the adjacent property; Fencing and gated entrance; and Sidewalk bulb-out

with street furnishings.



Mansell Streetscape Improvement Project | San Francisco Recreation & ParkSan Francisco, CA



Bisecting John McLaren Park, Mansell Street provides an important east-west corridor connecting Visitacion Valley to Sunnyside and

the 280 Freeway. The previous condition of the road is unfriendly for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists - with a lack of pedestrian

paths and bike lanes, and fast traffic on aging pavement. The Mansell Streetscape Improvement project, based off priorities of the

community and the city, will greatly improve the connectivity, safety, and natural integration of the street to the park, without

compromising the role of the corridor.

Lombard Reservoir | San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC)San Francisco, CA

Role: Schematic design, design development, construction drawings, construction support


The SFPUC allows public use of the site as two public parks overseen by the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department; Alice

Marble Tennis Courts and George Sterling Park. In addition to the replacement of the reservoir itself, both parks received upgrades

that were the major responsibly of the Landscape Architects. Upgrades included: Four tennis courts, one tennis half-court, one

basketball court, site grading and drainage, design and construction of stone-faced retaining walls, railing, paving, fencing, site

furnishings, erosion control, planting and irrigation. The “winter garden” provides space for the stairs, elevator and horizontal

circulation in an “invisible” glass circulation link so as to minimally interfere with the existing historic 10th Avenue building facade.



Randall Junior Museum | San Francisco Recreation & ParkSan Francisco, CA

Role: Project management, construction drawings, construction support


In 2003, the museum dedicated its Outdoor Learning Environment. The Department of Public Works was responsible for

planning design and construction phases of this Outdoor Learning Environment as well as accessibility improvements, parking

lot improvements, design of a new entry gate, new Art Patio, new Learning Gardens and Native Plant Garden. At its opening on

April 26th, 2003, Mayor Willie Brown dedicated the new $2.3 million Outdoor Learning Environment, and declared it ‘a triumph of

architecture, landscaping, and public/private financing’. The project was made possible by combining funds from the Proposition A

Bond, passed in 2000, Prop C (the Open Space Fund) and private funds secured by Randall Museum Friends.



17th and Folsom Park | San Francisco Recreation & ParkSan Francisco, CA

Role: Project lead, schematic design, design development, construction drawings


Planning for the park began with the adoption of the Eastern Neighborhoods Rezoning and Area Plan in 2008. In the Plan, the site

was identified as a Public land, appropriate for park use, open space or public right of way. In 2009, RPD launched a public planning

process for the new park. Partnering with the Mission based community advocacy group PODER, a series of large community

meetings and small targeted stakeholder meetings were held to develop a concept plan. In March of 2010 RPD applied for a

development grant from the State and in 2010 RPD was awarded a grant in the amount $2,700,000 under the CA Community

Revitalization Program.

The central feature of the park will be a large, open lawn area which may be used for leisure recreation or as a gathering space for

community or permitted events. A multi- level plaza will front the lawn, and may serve as a stage area for theatrical or musical

performances. A shade structure with an arc of seats and tables beneath will provide picnic space or may be used as an outdoor

classroom.

Sue Bierman Park Improvements | San Francisco Recreation & ParkSan Francisco, CA

Role: Schematic design, design development, construction drawings


With stunning views of the Embarcadero, Ferry Building and the Bay, Sue Bierman Park, located between The Embarcadero and

Davis Street and Clay and Washington streets, is an idyllic spot for residents and visitors alike to enjoy the beauty of San Francisco.

The park is also home to the city’s famous Parrots of Telegraph Hill. The 5.3 acres of land previously served as on ramps and off

ramps for the Embarcadero freeway. Demolition of the Embarcadero Freeway took place in 1991. Although the areas below the

freeway ramps were landscaped, they didn’t serve recreational and park purposes. Rather, the parcels were dedicated to highway

use with the landscape oriented to mitigating environmental and visual effects of the off-ramps.

The park design includes newly added lighting, landscaping and irrigation and includes a relocation and restoration of the Korean

Monument and demolition of a derelict pedestrian overpass. The ground’s bumpy topography was smoothed out and 70 new trees

were planted. The park’s namesake, Sue Bierman, was a former member of the Board of Supervisors, a planning commissioner and

an activist in her Haight-Ashbury neighborhood who died in a car crash in 2006. “This is the most expensive piece of property in San

Francisco,” said Mark Buell, president of San Francisco’s Parks Commission. “The idea we would be able to purchase it and develop it

for open space speaks to the value systems we have in the city.”





24th and York Playground | San Francisco Recreation & Park

San Francisco, CA

Role: Construction support


The revitalization of the park started with a grass roots effort of

community activists matched with public dollars by the client,

the SF Recreation and Park Department. The landscape architect

provided vision in leading the design process, walking hand and

hand with both the City of SF and community activists. Multi-

lingual workshops cultivated the concept of the community for a

Latin themed park rich with culture, history, flavor and color of the

Mission district. The community process was just as important as

the built project as a sense of ownership and pride have evoked

watchful eyes on the park, no longer locked behind private doors,

always open to the public.



Victoria Manalo Draves Park | San Francisco Recreation & Park San Francisco, CA

Role: Construction support


Victoria Manalo Draves Park is a two acre park in SOMA, opened

in October, 2006. It is located on Folsom Street between 6th

and 7th streets. The park features a ball field, basketball court,

bathrooms, a childrens’ play area featuring a teepee-style jungle

gym and a slide, a community garden, a landscaped area,

picnic area, and play field. Originally featured in the park was

a remarkable piece of public art: Stan, Submerging Man. The

Friends of VMD Park partnered with Black Rock Arts Foundation

to bring the sculpture into the new park for a few months in

2007. The sculpture, designed by Finley Fryer, is a 18-foot-tall

sculpture of a bell diver, covered with 45 rpm vintage records.

The park also includes a cement lounge furniture that replicates

couches and living room furniture.

The two-acre park was constructed with a budget of $3.6

million. The design is straightforward, adding a sense of nature

with durable shrubs and healthy-looking trees. City landscape

architects took their cues from meetings where neighbors

emphasized their desire for greenery (as well as the need for

an exterior fence to keep out nighttime vandals). The block

originally was covered by Bessie Carmichael Elementary School.

That school now is located in new buildings facing the park,

and students use the park for physical education and recess

during the school year. At the park’s opening Supervisor Chris

Daly proclaimed “The opening of the Victoria Manalo Draves

Park is a milestone in the transformation of this neighborhood

after years of community advocacy to rebuild Bessie and

establish new and much needed open space in SOMA.”

COMPLETE STREETS PROJECTS



19th Ave Streetscape Improvement Project | Department of Public WorksSan Francisco, CA

Role: Project lead, project management, schematic design, design development, construction drawings, construction support


The 19th Avenue Median Improvements Project will implement a recommended element of the 19th Avenue Park Presidio

Neighborhood Transportation Plan. The San Francisco County Transportation Authority (SFCTA) has developed and is working

to implement the Plan in conjunction with partner agencies, including San Francisco Department of Public Works (SFDPW) and

the community. This complex corridor, serving both as California State Route 1 and as a local urban arterial with multiple types of

adjoining land uses, must accommodate bus transit, auto traffic, and non-motorized travel.

The proposed 19th Avenue Median Improvement Project area stretches 15 blocks from Lincoln Way to Wawona Street. With no

changes to the existing curb, the project will remove existing concrete paving within the 5’ median, full length as possible, amend

soil and plant drought tolerant plants meeting Caltrans Design Manual guidelines.

Balboa Streetscape Improvement Project | Department of Public Works San Francisco, CA

Role: Schematic design, design development


Located in the Outer Richmond district, the site of the Balboa Streetscape Improvement Project extends from 34th to 39th Avenue.

Balboa Street serves as a vital commercial corridor for the surrounding residential neighborhood and supports diverse local

businesses. This results in intense local use of the streets by all modes of transportation. The renovation will provide a safer and more

pleasant environment for pedestrians, motorists, cyclists, and transit riders to enjoy these neighborhood amenities.



Belden Place Improvements | Department of Public WorksSan Francisco, CA

Role: Urban design project for SF Planning Department, schematic design, design development, construction drawings,

construction support


Belden Place itself is a one-lane, one block long street running south from Pine Street to Bush Street, parallel to and in between

Montgomery and Kearny streets, immediately under the Bank of America tower. It is roughly between Chinatown and the Financial

District. Locally the street is sometimes called Belden Lane, Belden Alley, or Belden Street. The surrounding neighborhood, which

includes adjacent alleys and several blocks of Bush Street, is sometimes, though not universally, referred to as San Francisco’s French

Quarter for its historic ties to early French immigrants, and its popular contemporary French restaurants and institutions.

In 1990, restaurateurs Olivier Azancot and Eric Klein opened Cafe Bastille, the mainstay that set the modern tone for the area.

Other notable restaurants in the alley itself include Sam’s Grill, Cafe Bastille, Cafe Tiramisu, Plouf, B44, Belden Taverna, and Brindisi

Cucina di Mare. Nearby are the Alliance Française, the French consulate, and the Notre-Dame-des-Victoires Church (where mass is

still celebrated in French) and an affiliated elementary school. The cafes, hotels and restaurants of the area have a distinct joie de

vivre befitting the neighborhood’s heritage. No other neighborhood in San Francisco has a comparable street dining scene. The

street was transformed by Department of Public Works Landscape Architects to be a shared street closed during the afternoon and

evening to vehicular traffic and filled for lunch and dinner with portable chairs, tables, umbrellas, and outdoor heaters. At night the

lively street is lit with candles, lights strung overhead, and light spilling out from the restaurant interiors. Every year, the area is the

site of a boisterous Bastille Day celebration, the nation’s largest.



Bartlett Streetscape Improvement Project | Department of Public Works

San Francisco, CA



The Bartlett Streetscape Improvement Project, situated on

Bartlett Street between 21st and 22nd Street, seeks to provide

a community space for health fairs, events, and markets. The

initiative originated from the Mission District Streetscape Plan, a

community‐based plan developed by the San Francisco Planning

Department in collaboration with other City agencies. The

revitalization of Bartlett Street as a “Complete Street” will serve to

be a gathering space for families, local artists, and merchants.

Broadway Streetscape Project Phases I, II, III, IV | Department of Public WorksSan Francisco, CA

Role: Project management and Project lead, schematic design, design

development, construction drawings, construction support


The Broadway Streetscape Project is a series of four phases of street

improvements on Broadway Street. Phases I and II of the Broadway

Streetscape Improvement project, completed in 2005 and 2008,

provided resurfacing and transit and pedestrian improvements to

two segments of Broadway. Phase III, completed in 2013, continued

the previous efforts and focused on streetscape improvements from

Kearny Street to Montgomery Street . This project will connect the

previous improvements made along the corridor. Additionally, Phase III

enhanced pavement through resurfacing efforts from Kearny Street to

Battery Street. Phase IV will provide a safer and more pleasant walking

experience, with new paving, streetlights, street trees, and street

furnishings inspired by the unique history of the neighborhood.



TODAY

A B

Historic Harvey Milk Residence and Castro Camera

Shop Site mini-plaza.

PROPOSED



Castro Streetscape Improvement Project | Department of Public WorksSan Francisco, CA



Castro Street between Market and 19th Streets is one of the most well-known neighborhood commercial districts in San Francisco,

serving the needs of local residents and being the historic center of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender) community. The

project will enhance the streetscape experience with widened sidewalks, repaving, new lighting, and street trees. These improve-

ments will further elevate the neighborhood experience of an already famous city destination.

CA

Recon gured crosswalks

Maintain and demarcategas station driveway

Convert curb-side PMtow-away lane into permanent parking

lane.

Jane Warner Plaza Improvements,

details TBD

Remove 17th Street-Only LaneExtend Bike Lane

Mid-Block (Both Blocks) South of 18th Street Intersection South of Market Street Intersection

18’ 24.5’SIDEWALK NORTHBOUND

WITH CURB-SIDE BUS LOADING

SIDEWALK

20’SOUTHBOUND

WITH CURB-SIDE BUS LOADING

20’

35 EUREKADiamond Heights

8209K

24 35

C

15’ 19.5’19’SIDEWALK NORTHBOUND

WITH CURB-SIDEBUS LOADING

SIDEWALK

19’ 10’NORTHBOUND

LEFT TURN

SOUTHBOUNDWITH CURB-SIDE

BUS LOADING


8209K

24 35

B

+/-21.25 8’ 12’ 12’ +/-21.258’SIDEWALK SOUTHBOUND NORTHBOUND SIDEWALKPARKING/

LOADINGPARKING/LOADING


8209K

A

PROPOSED DESIGN

Cesar Chavez Streetscape Improvement Project | Department of Public WorksSan Francisco, CA



The Cesar Chavez Streetscape improvement project was designed to ensure that a safe, gracious, inviting, and ecologically

sustainable Cesar Chavez Street emerges as a focal point for one of San Francisco’s most vibrant neighborhoods. Building off the

sewer replacement work being conducted by the SFPUC, Cesar Chavez Street will be reconstructed to align with the community

developed vision for the entire corridor. The goals were to improve both pedestrian and bicyclist safety, enhance greening, promote

natural ecology, and to make the street work better for all users. The project included widening of the existing median to allow for

many more street trees and landscaping, provide left turn pockets for turning vehicles, widen the sidewalk at the corners, install

stormwater planters that will add green landscaping pockets and provide for stormwater management, and upgrade the street

lighting along the corridor to LED, which will provide a brighter, whiter light while reducing energy consumption. LID features such as

pervious concrete paving and bioretention planters integrated into bulbouts will also be part of the street design. This design strategy

fuses infrastructure with urban design, allowing the streetscape to become part of the solution to drainage problems while also

contributing to the quality of the public realm.



Divisadero Streetscape Improvement Project |

Department of Public WorksSan Francisco, CA



Divisadero Streetscape Improvements Project is located on Divisadero Street from

Haight Street to Geary Boulevard. Divisadero is a highly traveled roadway that

connects people to neighborhoods. The improvements include new bus bulb-outs,

widened median with trees, landscaping and irrigation, lighting fixture upgrades,

new street trees, site furnishings, and street resurfacing. These new elements will

help promote economic vitality by making the neighborhood more attractive for

people that visit and frequent the restaurants and retail establishments along this

corridor. With these improvements, community members are more likely to stay

and enjoy sites and destinations Divisadero Street has to offer.



Church & Duboce Trackway Replacement Project | Municipal Transportation AgencySan Francisco, CA



Church and Duboce is the first intersection north of Market Street and Church Street. The intersection holds a confluence of

transportation modes: traffic coming from Market Street, a Muni transit hub, and a vital segment of the city’s bicycle network;

and once experienced delays in transit service, traffic congestion, and danger to cyclists and pedestrians. The Streetscape

Improvement project seeks to alleviate these issues and provide a safe and beautiful community transit hub.

This multimodal transit renovation required the collaborative efforts of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission,

Department of Public Works, City Planning Department, San Francisco Arts Commission and the San Francisco Municipal

Transportation Agency, in addition to local community organizations. This effort helped to set the precedence of future

department collaboration processes and coordination in implementing the City’s Better Streets plan.



22 ft. Two-Way Roadway

(Bikes, Autos, & Other Vehicles)

15 ft. South Sidewalk

15 ft. North Sidewalk

15 ft. (varies) Extension Zone

(Cafe Seating, Business Access, Public Seating, etc.)

The Port of San Francisco | Jefferson Street San Francisco, CA

Role: Schematic design, design development, construction drawings


The Jefferson Streetscape improvement project aims to improve the vibrancy and travel within Fisherman’s Wharf, one of the

city’s major tourist destinations. Jefferson Street has been converted from a one-way to a two-way route, promoting multimodal

sharing of the street and creates a safer street that adds to the aesthetic qualities and history of this landmark neighborhood.

The project includes the installation of a narrowed geometrically patterned street along the two-block esplanade, widened

sidewalks, pedestrian scale street lights, bike parking, and the conversion of a one-way-street to two-way. New landscaping,

street trees, and public seating further energize the public realm. The project helps to solidify the San Francisco Bays, one of the

world’s most beautiful ports. Most importantly, given its location as a core destination for San Francisco’s tourist industry and

being central to the 2013 America’s Cup Events, the project met its ambitious goal of project completion before the opening

series of races for the America’s Cup in the summer of 2013.

Leland Streetscape Improvement Project | Department of Public WorksSan Francisco, CA



Leland Avenue is the civic and commercial heart of the Visitacion Valley neighborhood. The Leland Avenue Streetscape Improve-

ments Project includes: pedestrian lighting, new street trees and other plantings, corner bulb-outs at intersections, sidewalk paving,

crosswalk improvements, street furniture, stormwater management facilities and public art. These improvements have improved

the district’s identity and appearance, increased economic vitality, and enhanced pedestrian safety. The redesign of Leland Avenue,

the commercial center of the Visitacion Valley neighborhood, is an important link in the overall neighborhood revitalization.



Lower Polk Streetscape Improvement Project | Department of Public WorksSan Francisco, CA



The Lower Polk Streetscape Improvements Project improved streetscape conditions on Polk Street from Sacramento Street

to O’Farrell Street. The original condition of the streetscape included sub-sidewalk basements, mixture of existing lighting

types, and various existing tree species. Through the collaborative community planning process, the Polk Street neighbors

and residents agreed that a greener, cleaner, and well-lit Polk Street would greatly contribute to overall quality of life and

aesthetic of the street.



Second Street Improvements |

Department of Public WorksSan Francisco, CA

Role: Schematic design


The planning phase for the Second Street Improvement Project in

March 2012. The key elements of the project are pedestrian safety

improvements, a dedicated bicycle facility, streetscape and repaving.

Additionally, the project will improve Muni travel time making it

easier to get from one destination to the next. The improvements

are guided by several of San Francisco’s existing plans and policies

including the Better Streets Plan, Complete Streets Policy and the

Bicycle Plan. Second Street currently attracts many users because

it is composed of a variety of businesses and restaurants. When the

project is complete, the improved street will make it even more

enjoyable for all users traveling along Second Street.

Masonic Streetscape Improvement Project | Department of Public WorksSan Francisco, CA

Role: Project management, schematic design as Landscape Architect


The Masonic Avenue Streetscape Improvements Project between Geary Boulevard to the north and Fell Street to the south will provide

improvements for pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit riders. The goal of this project is to safely and efficiently accommodate

the needs of all roadway users. The improvements that are proposed are the result a planning process that involved DPW, the Planning

Department, MTA, and Masonic Avenue residents and businesses.

Project improvements include a new landscaped median, new cycle tracks, widening portions of sidewalk, repaving the street,

installing bus bulb-outs, planting new street trees and sidewalk planters, installing new lighting in medians and new pedestrian scale

lighting on sidewalks, and converting a triangular space and road on the southwest corner of Geary Blvd. and Masonic Ave. into a small

park and resident traffic only road, including a public art element.



Valencia Street Corridor | Department of Public WorksSan Francisco, CA



A Renewed Valencia Streetscape between 15th and 19th Streets provides sidewalk improvements on both the east and west

sides of Valencia Street. Improvements include: removal of the striped center median, better spaced and more accommodating

curbside loading zones for trucks, improved traffic/parking and bicycle lane alignment, sidewalk widening, bulb-outs,

pedestrian scale lighting, and art.

Third Street Rail Project | Municipal Transportation AgencySan Francisco, CA

Role: Design development, construction drawings, construction support


During the last half of the 19th century, streetcars traveled up and down “Tree Street”, shuttling riders between downtown and points

along the Bayshore corridor, which helped spur development of the Bayshore Boulevard communities that exist today. Decades later,

Muni, the City and County of San Francisco, and the San Francisco Transportation Authority launched the Third Street Light Rail Project

to reestablish rail service along this corridor.

The project scope consisted of the design and construction of 28 high level boarding platforms and four substations, canopies,

track ways, paving, sidewalk treatment, trees, street lighting, and other elements of urban design and art work enhancement. This

completion of this project provides a safe and environment for public transit passengers.



Van Ness Avenue Streetscape Improvement Project | Department of Public WorksSan Francisco, CA



Van Ness Avenue improvements have brought the Civic Center area to life, from Market to McAllister Streets. Together with raised

planters of blooming shrubs and new street trees, accented by decorative paving and ornamental metal rails—Van Ness Avenue

Enhancement Project has enhanced the grand historic character of this important district.

DPW worked with a multitude of City arts organizations along Van Ness to minimize the impact of construction on their activities—

from the War Memorial and Veterans Building, to the San Francisco Ballet, Opera, Symphony and Conservatory of Music, as well as City

Arts and Lectures. Coordinating with other DPW Bureaus, the Bureau of Street Use and Mapping installed consolidated newspaper

racks in two new locations along Van Ness in the Summer of 2007, reducing the amount of sidewalk clutter and adding to the aesthetic

improvements.

Embarcadero Boulevard Project | The Port of San FranciscoSan Francisco, CA

Role: Construction drawings, construction support


Cut off from the City by the Embarcadero Freeway, the Embarcadero was long perceived as a derelict waterfront with unused

warehouses, abandoned freight rail lines, and few pedestrians. The waterfront has been transformed into a multi-modal transit

corridor invigorated by people and public amenities. DPW landscape architects were responsible for the urban design elements

along the Embarcadero corridor, including the historic type light fixtures, cobblestone and concrete paving, special ADA

crosswalks, and the majestic Canary Island Date Palms that now define the waterfront’s streetscape.

OTHER PROJECTS

San Francisco Better Streets Plan | SF Planning DepartmentSan Francisco, CA


In December 2010, Mayor Gavin Newsom and the Board of Supervisors adopted the Better Streets Plan, including streetscape policies

and guidelines to guide the design of new street improvement projects and streetscape requirements for new development. The

Better Streets Plan creates a unified set of standards, guidelines, and implementation strategies to govern how the City designs,

builds, and maintains its pedestrian environment. The Better Streets Plan process brings together staff of multiple City agencies to

comprehensively plan for streets. The Plan seeks to balance the needs of all street users, with a particular focus on the pedestrian

environment and how streets can be used as public space. The Plan reflects the understanding that the pedestrian environment is

about much more than just transportation – that streets serve a multitude of social, recreational and ecological needs that must be

considered when deciding on the most appropriate design. The Better Streets Plan carries out the intent of San Francisco’s Better

Streets Policy, adopted by the Board of Supervisors on February 6, 2006.



Blue Greenway Design Guidelines| The Port of San Francisco

San Francisco, CA


In September 2010, the San Francisco Port, in collaboration with the Department of Public Works published a first draft of the Blue

Greenway Planning and Design Guidelines. That report proposed site furnishing concepts for the Blue Greenway system. It also

presented open space program uses for Port Blue Greenway sites. The Blue Greenway Planning and Design Guidelines were updated

in May 2011 incorporating refinements in response to public comments received, and presents the following elements: Open Space

Program Uses for Port Blue Greenway sites, Blue Greenway Linking and Connector Streets Design Criteria for the Blue Greenway

Signage and Identity System, Site Furnishing Concepts for the Blue Greenway System and Funding Priorities for Port Blue Greenway

Projects. The Blue Greenway Planning and Design Guidelines present the full program of proposed improvements and implementation

strategies to improve the look, feel and coherence of the Blue Greenway open space system.

Griffith Yard Improvments | San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC)San Francisco, CA

Role: Schematic design


The architectural components of the project are organized in response to physical characteristics of the site, functional and

programmatic relationships, adjacencies of programs and operations, traffic flow, and the inherent industrial urban context of

the site. The programmed architectural functions can be grouped into: processing and disposal of sewage waste material, secure

storage for materials, operational vehicles, and maintenance, and crew facilities and office space.

Three different massing concepts were evaluated for their benefits and the chosen concept is included herein. The processing of

waste material and the secure storage functions are grouped together on the north of the site with the office and crew facilities

on the south. The articulated office building and patio are situated on the corner of the lot facing the Public Art planned for the

Yosemite Slough development. A series of tilted planes and land forms fill the undeveloped area next to the office building and

adjacent to the Yosemite Slough park entrance, providing an opportunity for public art and native landscaping to complement

Yosemite Slough. This arrangement places the project’s industrial functions adjacent to the neighborhood’s denser industrial

zoning and the human scale building and land form elements next to the Yosemite Slough planned development on the east,

south, and west of the site. It also serves to conceal the industrial uses on the site from the Yosemite Slough.



Ohlone Natural and Cultural History Greenway Project | Pro-bonoBerkeley, CA


Created by volunteers in 1999 as one of the 100 Parks for 100 years anniversary celebration for the American Society of Landscape

Architects, the Ohlone Greenway Natural and Cultural History Interpretative Exhibit begins near the intersection of Hopkins and Peralta

Streets in Berkeley. Close to this intersection are three City of Berkeley Community Gardens – the Karl Linn, Peralta, and Northside. The

public is welcome to enjoy the gardens when they are open, usually on weekends. Just outside the Peralta Garden is the beginning of

the history exhibits, an adobe gateway posted with the Spanish history of the area. Walking north, you will see the efforts of California

Habitat Indigenous Activists to transform the borders of the path into the original native Coastal Prairie. These volunteers collect and

plant seeds to create a beautiful native landscape. A bit further on, notice the cow sculptures together with tractor seats, a testament

to the area’s agricultural era. Some of the artwork, done here by contemporary artists, was inspired by the Ohlone Tribe, who were

believed to be Berkeley’s first inhabitants. Note the long mural, from Elk Tracks to BART Tracks, a colorful display of the area’s modes of

transport from pre-history onwards. This one-block section of the Ohlone Greenway, together with the adjacent community gardens, is

a beautiful public space created by many volunteers over the last six years, with funding from the City of Berkeley and BART.





The Falls National AIDS Memorial Grove | Pro-bonoSan Francisco, CA


In the early 20th century, the De Laveaga Dell was a vibrant part of the still very young Golden Gate Park, replete with three

waterfalls cascading into the creek at its western boundary. In an effort to conserve during California’s cyclical droughts,

unsustainable water features throughout San Francisco’s parks were eliminated. In 2011, the National AIDS Memorial Grove set

the goal for restoring the last remaining waterfall and the adjoining Dry Creek. The reintroduction of water, utilizing state-of-the-

art recycling and conservation technology, will improve the natural landscape, restore wildlife habitat and promote a sense of

peace and healing in the Memorial. A new community effort, led by the family, friends and colleagues of Frances McCormick, in

collaboration with the Grove, is seeking to realize this goal.

For nearly 18 years, Frances McCormick served as a mechanical engineer with the City and County of San Francisco, specializing

in the improvement of public water systems. Her tenure with the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission and the Department

of Public Works was devoted to designing water treatment, distribution, conservation and restoration projects. On April 25,

2010, Frances passed away while scuba diving in the waters of Monterey Bay, one of her many passions. In their grieving,

Frances’ wife and daughter, Lisa and Isabel Cohn, visited the Grove in search of a place to remember Frances and to heal. The

desired restoration of the waterfall was recognized as a perfect tribute to Frances – reflecting the spirit of her life’s work and her

dedication to giving back to the community.

Lecturer - LA 112, Horticulture, Plant Identification, and Planting Design |

University of California, Berkeley - College of Environmental Design Berkeley, CA

Background: In the Spring of 2008 I was invited to teach a course at UC Berkeley in horticulture, plant

identification and planting design. Over the course of the 12 week semester, I led field trips with co-instructor

Andreas Stravropoulos to over 20 sites in Bay Area to look at species in botanical gardens, museums, and other

areas of cultural significance. We also invited guest lecturers, like renowned plant pathologist John Rabbe to

come and speak to the class. Many students report that the Plant ID class is one of their favorite classes in the

Landscape Architecture program, and that is tremendously satisfying.

Scope: Landscape Plants: Identification and Use Course Format: Two hours of lecture and six hours of fieldwork

per week. This course is an introduction to the identification and recognition, as well as design applications

and uses, of plants in the landscape. Through lectures, assignments, and fieldwork, the course provides class

participants with an appreciation of the importance of vertical vegetation as a design element. The course

introduces students to a broad range of plant materials for use in the designed landscape. Emphasis is on plant

identification, culture and design applications, backed by instruction in basic horticultural topics. Students learn

to recognize and identify well over 200 plant species common to the Bay Area, focusing on woody plant materials,

including trees, shrubs, vines, and ground covers. LA112 is essentially a field study course, so most class and lab

time will take place outdoors. Field trips will include walks throughout the Berkeley and Clark Kerr campuses,

Blake Garden, UC Botanical Garden, Tilden Regional Park’s Botanic Garden, as well as various other local sites.



Streetmix Street Design Game | Department of Public Works San Francisco, CA

Background: In 2006, the Department of Public Work’s Landscape Architecture Section was asked to work with community

stakeholders on a streetscape redesign for Valencia Street in San Francisco. The project had, up until then, been led by

the Department of Parking and Traffic who had run into a stalemate regarding the streetscape design. After meeting with

stakeholders to assess the problem, it became clear that the stakeholder’s desires simply did not fit within the confines of the

street, but they were having a difficult time understanding that. I devised a game that would allow community participants to

design their own ideal street section using scaled ‘game pieces’ showing features such as travel lanes, street trees, bike facilities,

parking, street lights and transit facilities. The game was very successful and we quickly came to consensus on a street design that

fit within the streets right of way. This design game was so successful that we used it on other streetscape projects on Masonic

Avenue and on Second Street where stakeholders identified a list of wants that would be difficult to fit within existing rights-of-

way

Streetmix: In the Fall of 2012, Lou Huang attended our community meeting for the initiative to redesign Second Street in San

Francisco. Huang, an urban designer, thought the exercise would make for a great website. And began working on the project

at a ‘hackathon’ with colleagues at Code for America, culminating with a website: Streetmix.com. The principle behind Streetmix

is simple: it brings drag-and-drop functionality to a basic street design template. Users select a road width and add or remove

everything from light rail to wayfinding signs, adjusting the size of each feature meet their specifications. The latest version of

Streetmix, which has new features and a slicker design, launched in 2013. In that short time, advocates have used the website to illustrate possibilities for Dexter Avenue in Seattle and

Route 35 on the Jersey Shore. Streetmix has profiled how

people from Vancouver to Cleveland use the website.

Residents of Sioux Center, Iowa, even used Streetmix

illustrations in their campaign to stop the state DOT’s road

widening plan in their town.

Documents

John Dennis Portfolio v03-Xsm-2