Ghirardelli Square facts for kids
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Pioneer Woolen Mills and D. Ghirardelli Company
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Andrea, the fountain in Ghirardelli Square by Ruth Asawa
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 Location in San Francisco County
Location in California
Location in the United States
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| Location | San Francisco, Calif., U.S. |
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| Architect | William S. Mooser, Sr., William S. Mooser |
| NRHP reference No. | 82002249 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | April 29, 1982 |
Ghirardelli Square is a famous public square in San Francisco, California. It has many shops, restaurants, and even a fancy 5-star hotel. This special place is in the Marina area of the city. In 1982, part of Ghirardelli Square was added to the National Register of Historic Places. It was recognized for its history as the Pioneer Woolen Mills and D. Ghirardelli Company.
The square used to have over 40 unique shops and places to eat. Some of these original businesses are still there today.
Contents
History of Ghirardelli Square
In 1893, Domenico Ghirardelli bought the entire city block. He wanted to make it the main office for his Ghirardelli Chocolate Company.
In the early 1960s, the Ghirardelli Chocolate Company was sold. The new owners moved the main office to San Leandro. They then decided to sell the square.
In 1962, a San Franciscan named William M. Roth and his mother, Lurline Matson Roth, bought the land. They wanted to stop the square from being torn down and replaced with apartments. The Roths hired a landscape architect named Lawrence Halprin. They also hired the company Wurster, Bernardi & Emmons. Their job was to turn the square and its old brick buildings into a place with restaurants and shops. This was the first big project in the United States to reuse old buildings in this way. It opened in 1964.
In 1965, another company, Benjamin Thompson and Associates, updated the lower floor of the Clock Tower. They kept the old building style. Today, the main Ghirardelli chocolate shop is in the lower floors of the Clock Tower.
To help protect Ghirardelli Square for the future, the Pioneer Woolen Mills and D. Ghirardelli Company was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. This helps make sure its history is saved.
In 2008, part of the old clock tower building became the Fairmont Heritage Place hotel. This hotel has 53 rooms that feel like small homes. It is one of the few 5-star hotels in the Fisherman's Wharf area.
Design and Special Features
Ghirardelli Square is located at the eastern end of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. It connects the waterfront area to natural parks like the Marina Green and Crissy Field.
Lawrence Halprin had a special idea for Ghirardelli Square. He wanted to save the open space in the city. He also wanted it to be an example for other cities in the U.S. This was a new idea at the time.
Ghirardelli Square had many unique features when it was created. For example, Halprin designed all the street benches and lights. This was not common back then. Also, a special ramp was built for William Wurster, who used a wheelchair. This was also a rare design choice for that time. Finally, the square's underground parking garage was new. Instead of connecting the garage to the road, shops were placed at street level. This was done to encourage people to interact and enjoy the area.
The statue in Ghirardelli's Plaza is called “Andrea.” Artist Ruth Asawa created it. It shows a mermaid with her children. The statue was made to connect the square to the ocean nearby. It also aimed to highlight the image of women.
One challenge for the design was that Ghirardelli Square was at the bottom of the Pacific Heights Neighborhood. People living there wanted the giant Ghirardelli sign removed. It was very bright at night. Instead of taking down the sign, Halprin had it turned around to face the waterfront.
Over the years, some changes were made to Ghirardelli Plaza. These changes moved away from Lawrence Halprin’s original design. This made the plaza less attractive and harder to access. Before 2017, a project was started to make the plaza better. This project focused on making it easier for people to visit. It also aimed to make it busy all year, be better for the environment, and look nicer. The project used Halprin’s old design plans. They worked with the City of San Francisco’s Historic Preservation Commission. They combined Halprin’s original planting ideas with local plants. This new design won an award for historic preservation.
There is some discussion about how much of the repurposed design was truly Halprin's idea. The project was first thought of by Caree and Stuart Rose. They had pushed for shops in reused buildings. Also, in the 1940s, activists Jean and Karl Kortum had argued for saving the waterfront. They wanted it to be a mix of history and shops.
Architects of Ghirardelli Square
The main architects who worked on Ghirardelli Square were Lawrence Halprin and William Wurster.
Current Shops and Restaurants
- Bank of America
- Compass
- Broadway Coffee
- Culinary Artistas
- Elizabeth W.
- Gameday VR
- Ghirardelli Chocolate Manufact
- Ghirardelli Chocolate On The Go!
- Ghirardelli Chocolate Marketplace
- Gigi & Rose
- Gigi & Rose Children
- Imperial Parking, LLC
- Jackson & Polk
- Lola of North Beach
- Mashka Jewelry
- McCormick & Kuleto's
- Palette
- Pico
- San Francisco Brewing Company
- Subpar Mini Golf + Arcade
- Succulence
- The Cheese School
- The Pub
- Vom Fass
- Wattle Creek Winery
- Yap Designs
