After shutting down in June of 2016 and $3.8 million in renovations, San Francisco’s oldest park is showing off its ultra-modern new upgrades. South Park is located just 0.4 miles from Jasper, at 64 South Park Ave, bounded by Second, Third, Bryant and Brannan streets. Entrances are located at Second and Third Streets. South Park has the distinction of not only being the city’s eldest park, but also being used in Hollywood movies. It doubled as the New York City’s East Village for the musical Rent and set the stage for Cate Blanchet’s emotional breakdown in the finale of Blue Jasmine.

South Park now boasts completely new landscaping including drought-resistant trees and plants, benches, tables, swooping meadows and cement walkways. The old wooden jungle gym and 1970s-era swings were taken out and replaced with a custom universal state-of-the-art children’s play area that boasts undulating forms both in structure and in the mounded surface. A new stage area will be used for performances.

Designed by San Francisco-based, award-winning design firm Fletcher Studio, South Park is a sight to behold and was recently opened to the public and celebrated with a re-opening picnic and ribbon cutting ceremony.

This hidden gem of a park and its surrounding houses were developed in 1852 as an exclusive residential community and modeled after a square in London. It also once featured a windmill in the center of the park, which pumped water to nearby homes.

“Neighborhoods simply aren’t complete without open, accessible, green space for everyone to enjoy from our families and residents to the people who make San Francisco work every day. This park has been a long time in coming to fruition and would not have been possible without the commitment and persistence of so many,” said Supervisor Jane Kim, via 7×7.

Plan your visit to this welcoming, sunny spot in the heart of SOMA where you can enjoy your choice of cafes and restaurants on the park’s perimeter or pack a picnic and bring a play date! Check out photos featured from the new park here: 7×7 and CurbedSF.

#RentJasper
Jasper is a convergence. Of structure and imagination. Of the classic and the eclectic. Of art and life. This 400-foot highrise crowns San Francisco’s fabled Rincon Hill and stands as an iconic addition to the city skyline. Residences from studios to three-bedrooms feature interior architectural design by Stanley Saitowitz and open to sweeping views of Downtown, SoMa and San Francisco Bay. It’s a statement about elegance in a place where elegance really means something. Be sure to follow Jasper on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google+ and Instagram as we share news and updates about our exciting new community.  #rentjasper It’s a heck of a place to call home.

image credit: http://sfrecpark.org/project/south-park/