As we move into 2019, San Francisco is gearing up for the much-anticipated debut of the Moscone Center expansion, scheduled for Jan. 3.
The three-building complex’s two major convention spaces (Moscone North and South) have been closed since April 2017, leaving the standalone Moscone West space as the only one in town. Once the $551 million expansion debuts, it will essentially connect the Moscone North and South via the new East Bridge, which will help the center achieve its key goal in providing more contiguous square footage to planners—about 504,000 sf to be exact—compared to the previous cap of 260,000 sf. The expansion will also tout a new, 50,000-sf ballroom that features terraces overlooking the city.
Of course, being in San Francisco, you better believe the center’s expansion has environmental goals. In an effort to achieve LEED Platinum certification, it will include the largest solar panel array in the city, which will provide up to 20 percent of the center’s power. Plus, it will recover 15 million gallons of water each year to be used in landscaping and street cleaning, and it will offer facility-wide recycling and composting.
There will also be curated art throughout the center, including art pieces that were already previously in the center as well as a new series of sculptures and a large-scale mural. Lastly, the Moscone Center expansion will incorporate 12,000 sf of open public space with open-air plazas as well as pathways that lead from the onsite gardens into the community.
