San Francisco’s iconic Pier 39 is celebrating it’s 45th anniversary. It’s long been a must-see destination for city visitors but there have been questions as it looks to recover from the pandemic and navigate the city's challenges.
On Thursday, tourists and local leaders joined in on the celebration.
“People talk about the Golden Gate Bridge. But second to that is pier 39 because of the experience because of the sea lions because of happiness and joy in everything it represents,” said San Francisco Mayor London Breed.
With shops, restaurants and attractions back open in full force, they are trying to move forward post-pandemic.
“We have have rebounded actually pretty nicely at to this point. We are up to 96% of pre-COVID levels from a sales standpoint so there are tourists that are actually here and they want something to do and they want to have a great experience,” said Scott Gentner, president and CEO of Pier 39.
Pier executives say they’ve worked hard to keep the area safe, clean and a big draw.
“I think there are pockets of San Francisco that obviously have a lot of struggles. But there are also pockets that are vibrant and this is one of those pockets,” Gentner said.
They have invested resources in security with some of the city’s struggles in mind. This includes familiar challenges like vacant storefronts and car break-ins.
Randall Scott of Fisherman’s Wharf Community Benefit District, says on his end foot traffic is good but they’re working on content.
Get a weekly recap of the latest San Francisco Bay Area housing news. Sign up for NBC Bay Area’s Housing Deconstructed newsletter.
“The content is reimagining some of the spaces looking at the different restaurant mix,” he said.
Scott says there is also excitement about the possibility of a giant Ferris wheel transplanted from Golden Gate Park.
In the meantime, Pier 39 is preparing for more visitors for their anniversary celebration this Saturday.
