Persia Triangle in the Excelsior Welcomes Two Parklets

Persia Triangle, in the Excelsior, now has two parklets and other streetscape paint treatments that enliven the prominent but otherwise dreary intersection. The improvements were unveiled, with a ribbon cutting, at Sunday Streets last week.

The temporary sidewalk expansions, which feature planters similar to those at Jane Warner Plaza in the Castro, replaced parking spaces on two corners of the easternmost block of Ocean Avenue, where it intersects with Persia Avenue and Mission Street. A drab parking lot currently sits in the middle of the triangle, but the parklets and brightly colored paint on the surrounding sidewalks and crosswalks may help make the area more attractive pending future developments.

The project, the latest in the Planning Department’s Pavement to Parks program, was preceded last year by temporary painted sidewalk extensions, also first demonstrated at Sunday Streets. Ilaria Salvadori, project manager for the Pavement to Parks program, said permanent concrete bulb-outs will replace the temporary ones and some other parking spaces next spring. The current, temporary parklets designed by Fletcher Studio were originally slated to be installed in spring of this year.

Salvadori said future efforts will include pedestrian-scaled lighting, and possibly a coffee kiosk to help activate the corner. “I think it’s going to a be a natural progression of change,” she said.

The Excelsior Action Group said it hopes the improvements will not just “help to beautify the neighborhood and generate more foot traffic,” but also calm motor traffic and provide a more inviting public space to gather in.

See more photos after the jump.