UrbanBloc Tree Nursery Project Wins ENR Award for Urban Development Excellence
Engineering News-Record (ENR) California has named San Francisco's SOMA Street Tree Nursery Site Improvements as the Best Project in the Landscape/Urban Development category for 2024. This recognition highlights the innovative transformation of an underutilized freeway parcel into a vital urban forestry center.
Completed in November 2023, the project showcases the potential of reimagining urban spaces for environmental and community benefit. UrbanBloc partnered with project leads San Francisco Public Works and Yerba Buena Engineering & Construction to complete the $6.55 million project under an aggressive schedule, delivering it on time and on budget.
“The SOMA Street Tree Nursery exemplifies our mission to revolutionize how commercial spaces are designed, built, and utilized for community benefit,” said Martha Trela, CEO of UrbanBloc. “The project demonstrates our commitment to sustainable development and community activation through innovative design solutions. By transforming shipping containers into state-of-the-art facilities, we’ve showcased how adaptive reuse of materials can create spaces that serve vital community needs while promoting environmental sustainability.”
Transforming Urban Blight into Environmental Excellence
The SOMA Street Tree Nursery represents a remarkable transformation of a 14,000-square-foot vacant lot between two sections of Interstate 80 in San Francisco's South of Market neighborhood. The facility can nurture up to 1,000 trees destined for city streets, making it an important component of San Francisco's urban forestry program. The project features two custom-designed modular buildings, created from repurposed shipping containers by UrbanBloc, which provide classroom, office, breakroom, and restroom facilities for workers and volunteers. The site is powered by an innovative photovoltaic electrical system mounted on both the building roof and a purpose-built pergola, demonstrating the project's commitment to sustainable design.
Advancing Urban Planning and Climate Goals
The SOMA Street Tree Nursery represents a significant step forward in addressing multiple urban challenges:
Climate Action: By growing trees locally, the facility reduces transportation-related carbon emissions and ensures tree species are adapted to San Francisco's unique microclimates.
Environmental Justice: The nursery brings much-needed green space to the South of Market neighborhood, which has historically faced environmental burdens from freeway pollution and lack of tree coverage.
Urban Canopy Enhancement: The project directly addresses the city’s below-average tree coverage (13.7% compared to the national average of 21.7%).
Workforce Development: The "New Roots" program provides green job training and career pathways in urban forestry for underserved communities.
Local Innovation: The nursery serves as a hub for urban forestry education, volunteer programs, and community engagement.
Sustainable Operations: On-site solar power and efficient design minimize the facility's environmental impact.
An Award-Winning Vision for Sustainable Urban Spaces
This distinguished award validates UrbanBloc's approach to creating spaces that transcend traditional construction methods and foster community connection. The nursery stands as a testament to our belief that thoughtful design and sustainable modular construction can transform the way people work, learn, and interact with their environment, while addressing critical urban challenges like climate change and environmental justice.
The award not only recognizes the technical excellence of the project but also highlights how our innovative approach to space creation can support ambitious urban forestry and community development goals. As we continue to push the boundaries of sustainable design and construction, the SOMA Street Tree Nursery serves as a model for future projects that combine environmental stewardship with community empowerment.
