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The Portsmouth Square pedestrian bridge is a bridge and skate spot in Chinatown, San Francisco, California that spans over Kearny Street from Portsmouth Square to the third floor of the Hilton San Francisco Financial District hotel, which houses the Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco.[1]

While the bridge is ostensibly meant for pedestrian access to cross the road to the Chinese Culture Center, it is rarely used as such,[2] and gets denigrated by some locals as a "bridge to nowhere."[3] However, it is also an internationally famous skate spot, colloquially called "China Banks" by skateboarders.[4]

History

Portsmouth Square pedestrian bridge, facing west towards Portsmouth Square
Hilton San Francisco Financial District hotel tower and bridge

From 1959 until 1963, Portsmouth Square was redesigned as a public park for the Chinatown community.[5] Meanwhile, the Holiday Inn was built across the street (which later became a Hilton and was designated as an historic place). The city gave the initial approval to build the bridge to connect the two in 1970.[6] Construction on the bridge began that same year, and it was opened in 1971.[3] The bridge was created as a privately-owned space that allowed for public access. The air rights for the bridge are owned by Justice Investors, one of the companies that owns the Hilton Hotel.[7]

A second redesign of the square began in a first phase the 1980s and a second phase in the 1990s. During the second phase of that redesign, a community room was built which was connected to the bridge on the underside of the east side. It was opened to the public in 2001.[8]: 93 [9][6]

A redesign of the bridge was announced in 2015, where it was announced that the bridge would go from being a semi-private to fully-public space. New benches and planters were to be built on the bridge.[10] However, this plan was only partially realized.

Proposed demolition

In 2014, the San Francisco Recreation & Parks Department conducted a feasibility study for redesigning and upgrading Portsmouth Square.[2][11][12] Designs were drawn up and in 2021, it was publicly announced that the bridge would be removed as part of the redesign.[3][13] A survey found that 77% of residents of Chinatown never use the bridge, and some people have said that the Hilton hotel sometimes treats it like a private space, despite it being semi-public, and closes it on Sundays and during private dining events.[14][3]

It was estimated that it would cost $2.1 million project to dismantle the bridge.[6][3] Some people support the removal of the bridge (especially the local Chinese community), but some oppose it (including skateboarders and appreciators of Brutalist architecture).[14][3] Meanwhile, better pedestrian access for that area are necessary as the street intersections on either side of the bridge are some of the most dangerous for pedestrians.[15]

If the redevelopment proceeds, the historic skate spot would be lost.

Use

Skate spot

Not too long after it was built, the bridge became a local skate spot. Thrasher Skateboard Magazine made a skate video called "The Story of China Banks" documenting the site, with Mike "Arco" Archimedes discussing the "discovery" of the site in 1979.[16][17] It is also used by freestyle BMX riders.[18] Danny MacAskill filmed a Red Bull video at the spot in 2022.[19][20] Skateboarder Joe Valdez did an ollie on the ledge of the bridge over the street below, a 35-foot drop, in a famous skate stunt in 2014.[21] Finnish Olympic skateboarder Jarne Verbruggen skated the site.[22] The skate spot is one of the most famous in the world and has been called "iconic", a "San Francisco staple", "skate mecca", and skateboarding's "most hallowed ground."[23][24][25][26] Duncan McDuie-Ra, a professor of Urban Sociology at The University of Newcastle, has published books on famous skate spots and has documented China Banks.[27]

The location has even inspired a new skate feature, called "China banks," which is a sloped quarter pipe-like bank with ledges in front and is featured at a number of skateparks and skate competitions around the world.[28][29][30] For example, South Eveleigh Skatepark in Eveleigh, New South Wales, an inner-city suburb of Sydney, includes a china banks feature.[31] As does Scantlebury Skate Park in Dixwell neighborhood of New Haven, Connecticut.[32] Skate company Vans opened a skatepark and event center in Chicago, Illinois, called the House of Vans which has a recreation of the China Banks, and other famous skate spots.[33][34][35] A popular skate spot in New York's Chinatown also has a similar feature and is called China Banks in reference to this one.[36] When Thrasher opened their brick-and-mortar store on 6th Street, it was meant to partly serve as a commemoration to the history and culture of skateboarding in San Francisco; as part of that, it featured photos and clothing featuring China Banks.[37][38]

The skate spot has been featured in many skate videos, such as the influential The Search for Animal Chin.[39][40]

In response to skateboarders using the bridge, security and police presence was stepped up in the 90s and hostile architectural elements were installed, such as skatestoppers on the benches, and an additional railing on the ramp part of the staircase.[16] Skateboarders were initially deterred for a bit, but continued to use the site.

Community room

The Portsmouth Square Clubhouse is a community room connected beneath the bridge, although it is rarely used.[6]

As an art space

The Chinese Culture Center began having temporary projects and performances on the bridge in the 2000s.[1]

In 2015, an art exhibit was installed on the bridge called "Sky Bridge." It consisted of reflective mylar on the bricks.[4]

In media

In video games

The first skateboarding video game, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, had a level of San Francisco which featured the bridge.[41]

The bridge is a location in the skateboarding video game Session: Skate Sim.[42][43]

The bridge is present in the game Driver: San Francisco.

In music

Rock band Hot Lunch has a song about the skate spot called "China Banks."[16]

References

  1. ^ a b "Bridge Project to Put Chinatown on the Public Art Map". KQED. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  2. ^ a b Existing conditions report San Francisco Planning Department and San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department. December 2014. Retrieved 15 December 2022
  3. ^ a b c d e f Whiting, Sam (27 September 2021). "Demolishing a 'bridge to nowhere' is first step in $66 million redesign of S.F.'s Chinatown park". Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Dazzling 'Sky Bridge' Transforms Chinatown Pedestrian Bridge". KQED. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  5. ^ "Portsmouth Square Community Based Transportation Plan". SFCTA. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  6. ^ a b c d It is literally our living room fight over controversial Chinatown Bridge heats up SF Examiner [dead link‍]
  7. ^ https://www.kqed.org/news/11818661/i-smell-a-rat-peskin-wants-investigation-into-why-chinatown-park-project-stalled
  8. ^ Matthews, Laurie; Carroll, Madeline; (MIG, Inc.) (August 2014). Portsmouth Square Historic Resource Evaluation (PDF) (Report). San Francisco Planning Department.
  9. ^ Kim, Ryan (31 January 2001). "Chinatown Reopens Portsmouth Square / Community gets its 'living room' back". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 12 November 2007.
  10. ^ https://hoodline.com/2015/12/bridge-from-hilton-to-portsmouth-square-to-become-public-mini-park/
  11. ^ "Portsmouth Square Area Project | SF Planning". sfplanning.org. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  12. ^ "Rec and Parks Gets Ripped Off for $4.5 Million In Cost Overruns on Portsmouth Square Parking Garage". SFist. 2 August 2022. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  13. ^ "Plan to demolish unattractive, little-used Chinatown bridge in Portsmouth Square moves forward". hoodline.com. 13 January 2022. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  14. ^ a b "Questions Surround Fate of Pedestrian Footbridge in SF's Chinatown". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  15. ^ https://hoodline.com/2016/02/peskin-pushes-for-pedestrian-scramble-at-dangerous-kearny-clay-instersection/
  16. ^ a b c "Thrasher Magazine - The Story of China Banks". Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  17. ^ "Learn the Story of San Francisco's Toughest Skate Spot in New 'Thrasher' Video". KQED. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  18. ^ "China Banks Skate Spot - Skateboarding Magazine". skateboardingmagazine.com. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  19. ^ Thomas, Gregory (4 December 2022). "These famous San Francisco streets are shown in new film with death-defying bike stunts". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  20. ^ Brian Ferguson (29 November 2011). "Danny MacAskill: Daredevil biker reveals new video shot on streets of San Francisco". The Scotsman. Retrieved 15 December 2022. (subscription required)
  21. ^ "Skateboarders who escaped death". 18 December 2014. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  22. ^ "The Follow Up: Jarne Verbruggen". Thrasher Magazine. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  23. ^ https://quartersnacks.com/2018/08/shit-to-sugar-a-history-of-trying-to-make-new-yorks-chinatown-banks-work/
  24. ^ http://m.espn.com/general/blogs/blogpost?blogname=skateboarding&id=7600867&wjb=
  25. ^ "How Tony Hawk and the Bones Brigade Made the Most Legendary Skate Video of All Time". GQ. 15 August 2017. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  26. ^ "Jake Wooten skates the "Big Sky" in Montana". RedBull. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  27. ^ "The future of Asian skate spots with Professor Mcduie-RA". 29 September 2021. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  28. ^ https://www.jenkemmag.com/home/2019/02/28/meet-skate-park-designer-turning-backyards-perfect-spots/
  29. ^ https://www.tampabay.com/news/pasco/2022/03/11/pasco-skatingboarding-event-to-benefit-cancer-patients/
  30. ^ https://coconuts.co/bangkok/lifestyle/bangkok-board-lords-preduce-open-phra-khanong-skatepark-photos/
  31. ^ "Playground". southeveleigh.mirvac.com. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  32. ^ "Dixwell Dream Delivered". New Haven Independent. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  33. ^ "Inside House of Vans Chicago, New Indoor Skate Park In West Loop". DNAinfo Chicago. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  34. ^ "House of Vans Chicago Grand Opening". Vans. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  35. ^ "House of Vans Chicago with Future Islands, Digable Planets, Noname". 25 January 2017. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  36. ^ https://quartersnacks.com/2018/08/shit-to-sugar-a-history-of-trying-to-make-new-yorks-chinatown-banks-work/
  37. ^ https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Thrasher-skateboard-culture-s-hot-spot-on-13496440.php#photo-16694185
  38. ^ https://shop.thrashermagazine.com/shirts/china-banks-t-shirt-black.html
  39. ^ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0378720/locations
  40. ^ https://quartersnacks.com/2018/08/shit-to-sugar-a-history-of-trying-to-make-new-yorks-chinatown-banks-work/
  41. ^ "The 10 Best Tony Hawk's Pro Skater Levels | BOARDWORLD". www.boardworld.com.au. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  42. ^ Douglass, Sean (15 November 2022). "Session: Skate Sim — The 10 Best Maps". TheGamer. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  43. ^ Square, Push (29 August 2022). "Skate Sick New Spots in Session's Depiction of Iconic San Francisco". Push Square. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
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