Overview
- The San Francisco Arts Commission voted 8–5 to authorize taking the 1971 Brutalist fountain apart and storing the pieces for up to three years.
- Recreation and Parks plans to spend about $4.4 million on disassembly and storage after deeming the structure a safety risk confirmed by engineers and the Department of Building Inspection.
- Officials cite corroded concrete arms, repeated fence breaches, and lead and asbestos concerns; the fountain was drained in 2024 and has been fenced off since June.
- Preservation groups dispute an immediate hazard and fault city stewardship, noting a recent finding that the work is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.
- Estimated costs compare restoration at roughly $29 million with disassembly and storage at $4.4 million and destruction at $2.7 million, as a $32.5 million plaza renovation led with a private partner moves forward.