The Tidelands, a campus housing community at UC San Francisco’s Mission Bay campus, recently celebrated its five-year anniversary. UCSF Housing marked the occasion with a birthday party filled with food and games.
Located at 590 and 600 Minnesota Street, The Tidelands is known for affordable efficiency, studio, and 1-bedroom units that are priced about 25% below market value. The property has an inspiring origin story and sustainable practices.
When The Tidelands was in the planning stages, a committee was formed to survey name ideas for the new building. The name “The Tidelands” emerged from the history of the Dogpatch neighborhood, which, prior to urban development, was known as the salt marsh tidelands.
“They [the naming committee] decided that The Tidelands seemed to be [a name] that not only recognized the native habitat of the area and the neighborhood but also created a sense of open air, sunshine, water, wellness, peace of mind. It is a place that could be restorative and lend itself to rest from work and a place where people could be creative and community-oriented,” Director of Housing Administration Todd McGregor said.
The theme of tidelands can be seen in the decorative touches all over the property, from the interior color schemes to its onsite conference rooms, named Pelican and Sandpiper after native bird species.
“There were certain elements in the exterior of the building that were designed to evoke a tidal environment and a historic environment from the early days of San Francisco — the 1700s and 1800s. [For example], design elements like benches in the courtyard that resemble piers. There are certain grasses, trees, and flowers that are in the gardens that are coastal natives. Some sculptural artistic elements are made from rusted metal and pipes that recall the history of that area being a fisherman's wharf…a matching of name and aesthetic,” McGregor said.
In addition, The Tidelands was UCSF’s first residential development to earn LEED-Gold Certification, and with 97 percent carbon-free power, it is still UCSF’s most sustainable housing community.
“The university was improving sustainability at the time that The Tidelands was designed, and it also brought in the UCSF values of care for the environment,” McGregor said.
The history of The Tidelands is also a comeback story. The units first opened in November of 2019, just prior to the COVID-19 pandemic that plummeted occupancy. However, over the years, it has more than bounced back, becoming the number one preference that people put on their applications when they apply to UCSF Housing.
Today, The Tidelands is home to a vibrant community of 779 students, postdocs, staff, residents, fellows, faculty, visiting scholars, their partners, and family members. McGregor was pleased to see so many of these residents at the birthday celebration.
“It’s fulfilling to see the huge turnout from residents at this event. The Housing Services staff, including former team members, worked for years to bring this dream to fruition. From planning, land acquisition, architectural design, proposing financing to the Regents, then all the way through construction and opening the front doors, a lot of people were involved in creating an awesome living community,” McGregor said.
