Presidio's First Green Neighborhood Receives Unique Honor

Presidio of San Francisco (March 18, 2013) — The Public Health Service District, the first “green” neighborhood in the Presidio, has become the first neighborhood in the nation to be awarded Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND 2009) certification by theU.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The honor solidifies the Presidio Trust’s position as a pioneer in applying green building practices to historic preservation.

“This is an exciting milestone for the Trust,” says Craig Middleton, the Trust’s executive director. “We take great pride in our track record of applying ‘green’ building and design practices to historic preservation to create welcoming and beautiful contemporary spaces.”

Established more than a century ago, the district — where compassionate, free medical care was once given to merchant mariners from around the world — has been re-imagined as a mixed-use neighborhood featuring 172 housing units, office space, a pre-school, upgraded trails, a new scenic overlook that opens onto spectacular views across Lobos Creek Valley towards the Pacific, and 25 acres of open space and native habitat. Tucked into a corner along the park’s southern edge, the 36-acre site features drought resistant landscaping, a unique water recharge system that captures rainwater and reduces run-off, and streetlights that emit low levels of illumination so they do not block the sky’s natural light.

The neighborhood also boasts three individually LEED certified buildings, including the Presidio’s largest historic building, the former Public Health Service Hospital, which after a meticulous rehabilitation by Forest City Enterprises, re-opened in 2010 as thePresidio Landmark apartments. The nearby Belles Townhomes, the only newly constructed residential buildings in the Presidio, were built by Forest City to the highest environmental sustainability standards, and achieved the USGBC’s highest certification, LEED-Platinum. And the rehabilitation of the historic nurses’ dormitory was awarded LEED-CS (Core and Shell) Gold certification.

In addition, seven historic homes on Wyman Avenue, which once housed physicians and their families, have been carefully rehabilitated by the Trust, preserving the homes’ historic character but with modern, energy efficient heating, plumbing and electrical systems and appliances. In all, each of the district’s 14 buildings was a contributing factor to the neighborhood’s LEED-ND (2009) certification.

The district is the eleventh project in the Presidio to receive LEED certification, six of which have been at the gold or platinum level. Another eight Trust projects are awaiting certification. For more on the Trust’s green building program and a complete list of LEED certified projects in the Presidio, visit Green Building Rehabilitation.

The Presidio Trust is a distinguished federal agency created to save and transform the Presidio of San Francisco, an historic American place steeped in service. The Trust was established by the United States Congress in 1996 to administer the Presidio, a former army base and new urban national park site located at the base of the Golden Gate Bridge. Today, over 2,700 people live in the park’s former military housing, and more than 200 organizations have located in Presidio buildings, attracted by the Presidio’s beauty and historic significance. Under the Trust’s management, the Presidio has been transformed into a stunning visitor destination with an extensive system of trails and scenic overlooks; rehabilitated historic buildings; programs that teach about the Presidio’s military history and natural resources, and tenants and residents who help to sustain the park. To learn more about the Trust visit Presidio.gov.