Community Meeting - March 3, 2018
On Saturday, March 3, 2018, Friends of Harvey Milk Plaza hosted the second of a series of four Community Meetings.
The content presented in this meeting included a recap of the first community meeting which distilled four community determined criteria for a successful Harvey Milk Plaza: Harvey Milk Memorial, Universal Access, Public Space and Public Health/Security/Safety.
Presentation
Agenda
• Welcome
• Recap of Community Meeting #1, January 27, 2018
• Harvey's Legacy: Donna Sachet & Ben Davis
• Criteria: Inspiring Harvey Milk Memorial & Brainstorming Charrette Activity
• Criteria: Universal Access
• Criteria: Public Health, Safety & Security (BART + SFPD)
• Criteria: Successful Public Space & Brainstorming Charrette Activity
• Share
Brainstorming Charrette Activity
The participants were asked to arrange themselves at round tables of 6-10 people per table. Each table had pens, highlighters and an enlarged paper formatted for the brainstorming charrette activity. There were two criteria broken out into 3 questions (see the questions below) and fifteen minutes per criteria to discuss and rank the top three responses per question.
Brainstorming Charrette Questions
Community Meeting #1 on January 27, 2018 distilled four criteria determined by the community as necessary elements for a successful Harvey Milk Plaza. The brainstorming charrette activity isolated the two conceptual criteria for further exploration by the community: (1) Inspirational Harvey Milk Memorial and (2) Successful Public Space.
Brainstorming Charrette Table Notes
Each table synthesized their top responses for each question and one table designee presented to the whole room. The input contributed will help guide the architects from Perkins Eastman in translating these visions into concept design and schematics.
(1) Criteria: Inspiring Harvey Milk Memorial Experience
Table notes transcribed
Table Notes #1
What does Harvey stand for?
1. Openness, transparency, power of truth & hope.
2. Community, equality, courage.
3. Inclusiveness.
How does that make you feel?
1. Courageous, empower.
2. Confidence, hopeful, moved.
3. Connected, grateful.
How do you translate that into an experience?
1. Gathering place, memorializing history.
Table Notes transcribed
Table Notes #2
What does Harvey stand for?
1. GLBT History.
2. Leadership.
3. Assassination.
4. Empowerment of LGBT friends
How does that make you feel?
1. Curious about that history, inspired.
2. Inspired..
3. Grateful..
4. Happy & grateful for my LGBT friends.
How do you translate that into an experience?
1. GLBT History Museum permanent home, a learning experience.
2. Statue (think of Lincoln Memorial).
3. Memorial.
4. LGBT Museum.
table notes transcribed
Table Notes #3
What did Harvey stand for?
1. Hope.
2. Defiance.
3. Equality.
4. Love!!!
How does that make you feel?
1. Pride, power, contemplative.
2. Poignant, enabling, contentment.
3. Hopeful.
4. Sad, joyous.
* Overall: A series of emotions: experience taking you through many feelings.
How do you translate that into an experience?
1. Coordinates with Master Plan / Experience of the intersection, Narrative Quality.
2. A personal journey, go down and leave your sadness and come up to joy, emerging, coming up.
3. A series of emotions, a journey, a rally point, a meeting point.
4. Progressive physical movement a "wow: factor thru space, a celebratory feeling, immersive, many cross generational/cultures.
5. Beautiful, foliage and flowers, for someone who didn't know Harvey.
table notes transcribed
Table Notes #4
What does Harvey stand for?
1. Bravery, courage.
2. Freedom of expression, just putting it out there.
3. Honest, passionate.
How does that make you feel?
1. You don't have to be afraid to stand up for what you believe in, speak out, watch out for other people.
2. <n/a>
3. Makes you feel proud to be LGBT.
How do you translate that into an experience?
1. I got your back experience at the Plaza.
table notes transcribed
Table Notes #5
What does Harvey stand for?
1. Bravery.
2. Persistence.
3. Engagement / inclusion.
4. Humor - activism can be fun.
How does that make you feel?
1. Everybody come out and be brave, inspired, protected, what else could I be doing about civic engagement.
2.Inclusive, everyone struggles, accepting, curious about other stories.
3. Not giving up, feeling of hope, pushing on.
4. Acceptance, comforting, look in/out, knowing oneself, strength, entertained, get through rough times.
How do you translate that into an experience?
1. Timeline of Harvey's battles and contributions, Castro's timeline, a place to share, express, come out, etc.
2. Images of community show diversity, what do we look like, names.
3. Time/clock, video clips of Harvey in action, "touch lights to keep on", capture high tech aspect.
table notes transcribed
Table Notes #6
What did Harvey stand for?
1. Coming out, visibility.
2. Acceptance.
3. Visibility + expression (not limited to gay only).
4. Relating to the entire community, coalition building, uniquely San Francisco.
5. Harvey was a transit advocate.
How does that make you feel?
1. Love, pride, confidence, feeling powerful.
2. Warmth, happiness, comfort, confidence, relief, feeling valued, sense of being accepted.
3. Creative, progress, feeling unique, individual, sad that there are people who are not free, unfinished business.
4. Brotherhood, sisterhood, "people-hood", inclusion, connectedness.
5. Castro is a major transit hub.
How do you translate that into an experience?
1. Something beautiful, big space & small space, SAFE ZONE.
2. Unobstructed space, comfort zones, chairs & tables, warmth & comfort, options for intimate spaces.
3. Lighting, open space, see & be seen, staging area.
4. Dog-shit free zone, programmable space, display, multi-function, various groups, alternative access to area.
table notes transcribed
Table Notes #7
What did Harvey stand for?
1. Connection to community.
2. Positivity & inclusivity.
How does that make you feel?
1. <n/a>.
How do you translate that into an experience?
1. Connection with Jane Warner Plaza, tunnel?, painted crosswalk (like 18th & Castro), open, accessible meeting space for small groups or larger groups, table & chairs for eating?
2. Art within the station, e.g. Soul Cycle wall, beautification of the station, have a mural (painted or tiled) that honors Harvey Milk.
3. Do something to make the sunken garden less depressing/filthy & more beautiful with more vegetation, color and art installations.
4. Utilize wall space to create memorials, art above ground, white wall along path with alcoves, opportunity to create memorials/memorializing history.
Table notes transcribed
Table Notes #8
What did Harvey stand for?
1. Community bringing together diverse voices.
2. LGBTQ history, first openly gay elected official.
How does that make you feel?
1.Hopeful, a part of something greater, included.
2. Empowerment, inclusion into Castro, orientation point, "history empowers hope".
3. "The American dream starts with neighborhood".
How do you translate that into an experience?
1. Collaborates with entire intersection, represent diversity of community, show other people in office/celebrate elected officials.
2. Honors & educates, timeline of events (guideposts), preserving 70's feel for station (keep it authentic), introduction/welcome to the Castro history (more than just Harvey, like the Tom Nolan plaque).
Table notes transcribeD
Table Notes #9
What did Harvey stand for?
1. Be the change (ref work in Florida).
2. Community empowerment.
How does that make you feel?
1. Inspiration, participate, pride.
How do you translate that into an experience?
1. Anchor, art installations.
2. Universal access, focus on the project as a transportation need and add decor to honor Harvey but by no means a memorial. This project is too dwarfed and too utilitarian to be a true memorial.
Table notes transcribed
Additional input on reverse of card:
1. Put a face on it.
2. Partnerships outside our community.
3. Memorial: "Got to give them hope"/ history empowers hope.
4. Ben Ackerman.
5. Look at existing memorials: simplicity, open, versatile, lighting, impact.
6. Not a plaza / shoe horned into subway station. To pretend be a memorial is - memorial subway station.
Table notes transcribed
Table Notes #10
What did Harvey stand for?
1. Inspirational / mentor / magnet, he gave a face to the movement, local & national.
2. Take off a mask, be yourself, self honesty, you gotta come out.
3. Galvanized bringing people together for a common good.
4. Guiding star, legacy.
5. Acceptance & understanding.
How does that make you feel?
1. Want to see his face, infectious feeling, if he can stand up, we can stand up.
2. Need to feel safe - amplify, free, honest, dangerous - empowered.
3. Supported - encouraged, joy - celebration.
4. Legacy.
How do you translate that into an experience?
1. Holographic face, flowing colors.
2. Masks & mirrors, come out of small place to large.
3. Sense of community, connection - mirror of yourself, among many people, assembly, stop traffic, be seen.
4. Star goes forever, mention supporting foundation.
Table notes transcribed
Table #11
What did Harvey stand for?
1. Coming out, inclusiveness in the community.
2. Safety in your own community.
3. Threatening the status quo.
4. Fearlessness and tenacity in the face of adversity.
How does that make you feel?
1. Tearful, cathartic, personalizes the experience.
2. Commonalities with people, no longer having to hide.
3. Rebelliousness, we still need to be stirring up shit.
4. Pensive, reflective, optimistic.
How do you translate that into an experience?
1. Interactivity - chalkboard, another type of activity everyone can participate in.
2. "Welcome home" or "You belong here" signs.
3. Making the plaza into a starting point for rallies, parades, etc.
4. Providing examples of fearless people in our movement - keep it current with digital tech.
Table notes transcribed
Table #12
What does Harvey stand for?
1. Harvey Milk = The power of disruption, empowering people.
2. Fighting for the minority.
3. Community Service.
4. A better future.
How does that make you feel?
1. Empowered, stronger, motivated.
2. Connected, decent, aligning with something else.
3. Involved, proud, invested, sense of belonging, stewardship.
4. Hopeful.
How do you translate that into an experience?
1. Words, reading text, quotes at top (closer to Market Street where people will see it), sculpture of bullhorn, soap box (or quotes from people about how empowered they were).
2. Seeing the juxtaposition between what Harvey said with what other leaders have said and done, ladders / elevating people.
3. Something interactive, contributing stories, ring a bell / ring to declare your true self.
4. A community "offering" such as food / clothing lockers where community can leave items for others in the community who need them.
(2) Criteria: Successful Public Space
Table notes transcribed
Table #1
What are some successful public spaces?
1. Union Square (SF).
2. Plaza behind Apple Store & Hyatt (Union Square, SF).
3. TKTS Plaza (NY) - seating & stadium.
4. Highline (NY), different areas / diff experiences.
What do you enjoy about that space that you could envision in Harvey Milk Plaza?
1. People watching, room for all, versatility.
2. <n/a>.
3. People watching, meeting before performance.
4. Difference experience, get closed at night / protected.
What activities could you envision happening in Harvey Milk Plaza?
1. Performance, meeting, coffee, diverse activities!!
2. Quiet near Collingwood (Street), noisier towards Castro (Street), activity zones.
3. Learning about the community and Harvey Milk.
Table notes transcribed
Table #2
What are some successful public spaces?
1. Multi-Purpose.
2. Highline (NY).
3. Dolores Park (SF).
4. Market/Castro Streets (SF) when shut down for public gathering (protests and celebration).
What do you enjoy about that space that you could envision in Harvey Milk Plaza?
1. Vibrant, activities.
2. It is basically just a park, tries to be nothing more than a park.
3. <n/a>.
4. Real grassroots reaction to pos. or neg. events - SF tradition.
What activities could you envision happening in Harvey Milk Plaza?
1. Music, speakers, meeting place.
2. Walking, people watching.
3. Having a bottle of wine with friends outside.
4. Please don't limit protests nor celebrations to the "plaza" - let the streets continue to be part of this - as they have been traditionally.
Table notes transcribed
Table #3
What are some successful public spaces?
1. Bryant Park (NY), Place de Bourgogne (France) / Centre Pompidou (France), Savanna Parks (GA), Redwood Park (Transamerica Bldg, SF).
2. Piazza Navona (Rome).
3. Hyde Park (London), Central Park (NY) - the various experiences.
4. Copenhagen small courtyards, Dolores Park (SF), little intimate spaces, Trafalgar Square (London).
What do you enjoy about that space that you could envision in Harvey Milk Plaza?
1. Programming, carousel, food, coffee, wifi, owned by the immediate community, accountability, cozy, waterfall, enclosure, protection, green grass, well maintained, one big room.
2. Open - yet enclosed, legible, defined, human scale, water, sound, little rooms, serpentine ponds.
3. Safety from cars.
4. Many nodes leading to and through the public space, grade differential, kids - diversity of ages, bathrooms, human scale, grand, small groups gather, a room within the space.
What activities could you envision happening in Harvey Milk Plaza?
1. Table & chairs, goats.
2. Spontaneous public art, cultural activities, concerts, Gay Men's Chorus.
3. Yoga.
4. Memorial pilgrimage, plaques, storyline, sculpture garden, people watching.
Table notes Transcribed
Table #4
What are some successful public spaces?
1. Yerba Buena Park (SF).
2. Dolores Park (SF).
3. Sproul Plaza (UC Berkeley).
What do you enjoy about that space that you could envision in Harvey Milk Plaza?
1. Lawn and greenery, MLK Memorial, seating, performances area, yet overall simple.
2. Open space, sloping, easy access.
3. Open, archway, where traditionally people have gone to speak, speakers.
What activities could you envision happening in Harvey Milk Plaza?
1. Performance, walk in the grass, picnics, water.
2. Performance, tennis, picnics, rallies, meeting point.
3. Water, soap-box, ability or speakers, rotating exhibit space (for quiet, etc.).
4. Chagall (in Chicago), art installations in the station (international).
Table notes transcribed
Table #5
What are some successful public spaces?
1. Yerba Buena Gardens (SF) / MLK.
2. William Paley Plaza (NY).
3. Parklets (SF).
4. Noe Valley Town Square (SF).
What do you enjoy about that space that you could envision in Harvey Milk Plaza?
1. Multi-use, variety of accommodations, seating, paths, etc., clear sight lines.
2. Sanctuary / pause, quiet, reflection, strong, natural elements.
3. Personality, all different / variety.
4. Convertible, community developed, open sight lines.
What activities could you envision happening in Harvey Milk Plaza?
1. Views of Twin Peaks, transparent escalator canopy & elevator surround.
2. Variety of places to accommodate seating, storage onsite for seating.
3. Individual seating / single use, better acoustics for events, photo opportunity space / "Harvey Milk Memorial" backdrop.
4. "Think Big" public art, Harvey's gift to people, programs for blind/accessible, <door> "Come out, come out where ever you are".
table notes transcribed
Table #6
What are some successful public spaces?
1. Millennium Park (Chicago).
2. Huntington Park (SF), (NOT Hallidie Plaza, SF).
3. Union Square (SF), Dolores Park (SF), Washington Square Park (SF).
What do you enjoy about that space that you could envision in Harvey Milk Plaza?
1. (NEW PLAZA WISH LIST): Active & energized, people watch, open + sunny - mix of sun and shade, greenery. Clean & safe, lighting, sunshine.
2. Include Jane Warner Plaza, Pottery Barn, (Pink) Triangle Park.
3. Future transit access, accessibility, activated, go to plaza whether or not you are going to Muni.
4. Intersect with Rainbow Honor Walk, community information post.
5. Unique paving, glitter sidewalks, modular tile pavers (could be sponsored with donor name).
What activities could you envision happening in Harvey Milk Plaza?
1. Food vendors, trash cans available, recycle/compost, dog cleaning supplies.
2. Water feature, water bottle filling station.
3. Public exercise space, tai chi, boot camp.
4. Connect to community history, connect to Rainbow Honor Walk, connect to Triangle Park, other communities share & educate.
table notes transcribed
Table #7
What are some successful public spaces?
1. Buy the gas station next to Jane Warner Plaza.
2. Green wall at SF MOMA.
What do you enjoy about that space that you could envision in Harvey Milk Plaza?
1. Water feature in the center?
2. Low maintenance / nature.
What activities could you envision happening in Harvey Milk Plaza?
1. Coffee / sandwich cart, places to sit, moveable tables & chairs.
table notes transcribed
Table #7 REVERSE side:
1. Lots of opportunity within the existing blue print:
a. Utilize wall space - art & green walls & create opportunities to learn.
b. Improve the sunken garden with more vegetation.
c. Theme or art to come down to train platform from either street level or sunken level - immediately recognize you're at Castro (station) not Church (station).
2. Real opportunity is creating a larger plaza around Jane Warner. Buy the gas station & you'll have a large, sunny, flat space. Water feature?
3. Real opportunity is connecting all corners including Pink Triangle (Park) - painted crosswalks like 18th & Castro.
table notes transcribed
Table #8
What are some successful public spaces?
1. Pike Place Market (Seattle) & SF Ferry Building.
2. Food Truck Courts.
3. Noe Valley Town Square.
4. Millennium Park (Chicago).
5. Levi's Plaza (SF).
What do you enjoy about that space that you could envision in Harvey Milk Plaza?
1. Serves both tourists and a welcoming place for locals to shop and hang out.
2. Variety of food, seating options, bathroom, both busy & quiet, places to choose from kinetic.
3. Serves as a neighborhood center, gathering space and farmers market.
table notes transcribed
Table #9
What are some successful public spaces?
1. Boston's South End Corridor.
2. Boston Common & Commonwealth Ave.
3. Gate Way.
4. Caution: Blind Space.
5. Incremental Planning.
What do you enjoy about that space that you could envision in Harvey Milk Plaza?
1. Simple, safe, green.
2. Well lit, safe, seasonal, easy maintenance, not over do.
3. Connection of concourse to main level / street.
What activities could you envision happening at Harvey Milk Plaza?
1. I don't feel this is an engagement space, but more of a walk thru or a pass thru.
2. Dog walking, neighbors engaged, conversation.
3. Transportation, walking, not sitting.
table notes transcribed
Table #10
What are some successful public spaces?
1. Washington DC mall.
2. Vietnam Memorial.
3. Boston redline, reflections.
4. Times Square (NY), arch, doorframe, threshold.
What do you enjoy about the space that you could envision in Harvey Milk Plaza?
1. Seamless extension.
2. World class thematic spirit.
3. History integration with walk of history sidewalk, prismatic reflecting extending light.
4. (Future) expansion / inclusion of Prink Triangle, Jane Warner + Pottery Barn + gas stations for larger vision.
What activities could you envision happening in Harvey Milk Plaza?
1. Public rally allowing access.
2. Face of Harvey to neighborhood.
3. Connect Harvey Milk Plaza to camera store + neighborhood - something to brighten.
4. Respect legacy.
table notes transcribed
Table #11
What are some successful public spaces?
1. The terrace at SF MOMA w/living wall.
2. MLK Memorial in DC.
3. Guanajuato Plazas (Mexico).
4. Yerba Buena Gardens (SF).
What do you enjoy about that space that you could envision in Harvey Milk Plaza?
1. Calming, beautiful, reflective.
2. A big focal point with lots of things to look at.
3. Music, performance, tons of seating, people watching.
4. Well-maintained, stewardship, physical beauty.
What activities could you envision happening in Harvey Milk Plaza?
1. Activated, low-maintenance.
2. Appreciation of Harvey + other historical factors.
3. See prior!
4. Setting the space up for success by making a plan.
table notes transcribed
Table #12
What are some successful public spaces?
1. Union Square (SF).
2. Hayes Valley (SF).
3. Steps outside Montgomery Street Station (SF).
4. Yerba Buena (SF).
What do you enjoy about that space that you could envision in Harvey Milk Plaza?
1. Significant opening, greenery, but in better spots, amenities.
2. Energy, flow & configuration between park space & amenities.
3. Seating - but not comfy so really more temporary.
4. Trellis, Martin Luther King / Wall of quotes.
What activities could you envision happening in Harvey Milk Plaza?
0. Canopy over the escalator - rather than a predictable roof, what about a green roof?
1. Music, read a book (a place that is open to everyone but also feels safe).
2. Coffee / food / snacks.
3. Outside this station there is a class or a gathering of people teaching / learning sign language, mimes, a small "stage" or pedestal for poetry readings or leading others, Soap Box!
4. Rallies.
5. *White lights to symbolize the candlelight vigil.
Next Step
Join us April 7, 2018 for the next stage of "participatory" concept design!
