New India Basin Park Reclaims a Slice of San Francisco’s Industrial Shoreline

We don’t get to share good news about waterfront development in the Bay Area very often, but a new open space in southeast San Francisco is being called “one of the most significant park developments in [city] history.”

Wedged into San Francisco’s postindustrial south shore, India Basin Waterfront Park, in the Bayview/Hunter’s Point neighborhoods, sits north of Candlestick Point and south of the rapidly developing Mission Bay neighborhood — home to Chase Center, the Golden State Warriors’ new arena. The new park will be up to 22 acres and include a new boathouse, a recreational dock for fishing and kayaking, a bikeway and two public piers — amenities that will open next year, according to the The Standard; the rest of the park will be finished in 2026.

The project, which has included a decades-long cleanup from heavy industrial use, pollution and neglect, will “open up 1.7 miles of continuous open space — the last bit of undeveloped waterfront in San Francisco,” The Standard said.

It’s not clear if India Basin will be a potential destination for day cruisers on the leeward side of San Francisco. Given the Bay’s propensity for silting along the shoreline, and the Herculean efforts required to dredge, it’s unlikely that the basin will be able to accommodate sailboats with significant drafts. There is currently a small motorboat docked at a small pier at India Basin, but it’s not yet clear what new docks and piers will look like. Kayaks and paddleboards will surely be featured in the calm waters of the basin.

There are already plans to provide swimming lessons for the community. Will one of the Bay Area’s exceptional sailing nonprofits provide a few dinghies and lessons for local kids?

Non-boating amenities, which were crafted with feedback from local residents, “include oversized porch swings to look out on the water, a food pavilion with rotating aspirational restaurateurs, basketball courts, trails and restrooms.” India Basin will also close a gap in the 350-mile loop that makes up the San Francisco Bay Trail, linking the S.F. Embarcadero to Candlestick Point.

We made a quick stop at India Basin in early July. Tucked away from the freeway and set against the industrial backdrop of southeast San Francisco, the basin is presently just a small outcropping of dried grass, sparse trees, and a few scattered playground structures. Still, it was encouraging to see a slice of open space carved out into the Bay Area waterfront.

Historically, residents of Bayview have not been able to access the shoreline at all, as India Basin was gated off, polluted and reserved for industrial use. Kudos to the City of San Francisco for reclaiming part of the shore for hyper-local use.