San Francisco, California has held three international expositions the most recent of which was
the Golden Gate International Exposition 1939-1940. Sited on a mostly manmade island in the
San Francisco Bay which was originally planned to accommodate the future San Francisco
Airport, the event celebrated the completion of two of the region’s major bridges, the San
Francisco Bay Bridge and the renowned Golden Gate Bridge. Upon the conclusion of the
exposition the plans for converting the site to an airport were shelved as the country entered
World War II and the island was transformed into a Naval Station which remained in operation
from 1941 until 1997. As the City of San Francisco was the designated future owner of the
Island, several options for its reuse were considered including the idea of hosting a second
International Exposition. Gordon Linden acted as Study Manager for a study to determine the
feasibility of such an interim use. The facilities and services remaining after years of military use
were considerable, consisting of housing, warehouses, medical center, and even a jail.
However, upon study, the upgrades and new investments required to accommodate a world-
class Expo were substantial and the project did not move forward. Given the potential market
supports for such an event other sites in the Bay Area were also studied – the Port of Oakland,
the Port of San Francisco, etc. but in each promising case, time and financing requirements
were not to be easily met and the idea did not progress.
After a lengthy community-based planning process, long term plans for the redevelopment of
the Island were finalized in the past several years and redevelopment has been undertaken
which will eventually include:
- Up to 8,000 homes
- 140,000 square feet of new commercial and retail space
- 100,000 square feet of new office space
- 500-room hotel, and
- 300 acres of parks and public open space
As part of the redevelopment program a Museum, dedicated to the Treasure Island legacy, has
been active for several years and as part of its ongoing program of events and exhibits, Gordon
Linden was a featured speaker on the topic of “Exploring Expos” which took place in the
Museum’s facility which is the former Administration Building. The presentation touched on the
Past, Present, and Future of Expos. In the presentation, Linden sought to provide an overview
of the United States experience with Expos, providing some answers to the question:
“Whatever happened to Expos (in the US)”. Treasure Island’s legacy as a former Expo site
appears secure as it settles in to a legacy stage which should provide many years of successful
operations as a New Town in Town, becoming a new neighborhood in the City of San Francisco.