2018-12-11 01:37:50
SAN FRANCISCO’S MOSCONE CENTER REOPENED WITH GREAT FANFARE ON JAN. 3, 2019. IT RANKS AMONG THE MOST SUCCESSFUL CONVENTION CENTERS IN THE UNITED STATES — AND IT ALSO HAPPENS TO BE ONE OF THE BUSIEST. To accommodate growing demand and continue attracting the best and the brightest to the City by the Bay, The Moscone Center recently completed a massive $551 million expansion project. WHAT’S NEW Anchored in the heart of SoMa/Yerba Buena, the new highly-flexible design creates an iconic sense of arrival, enhancing its presence on Howard Street while reconnecting with the streetscape and surrounding neighborhood. Here are some of the most exciting new features: • The North and South buildings feature more than 504,000 square feet of contiguous exhibit and meeting space — almost double the space previously offered in its largest hall. • Light-filled pre-function lobbies offer dramatic views of the city and neighboring Yerba Buena Gardens. Expanded lobbies in the North and South buildings total approximately 60,000 square feet. • Two new floors of column-free meeting space include a 50,000-square-foot ballroom. • More than 80 meeting rooms. • More than 25,000 square feet of secure outdoor terraces, perfect for open-air events and receptions, boast dramatic city views. • A new on-site Visitor Information Center, staffed by the San Francisco Travel Association, is open to attendees and visitors. • Sustainable features designed to achieve LEED® Platinum certification, the highest level established by the U.S. Green Building Council. • Behind-the-scenes benefits include an expanded kitchen, expanded freight access and built-in show offices. Designed by noted architecture firms Skidmore, Owings and Merrill in association with Mark Cavagnero Associates, the Center’s eastern entrance offers ample access to lush gardens, abundant shopping and outdoor dining. Attendees also have the option of moving between Moscone North and Moscone South via two pedestrian bridges, lessening street-level congestion along Howard Street. The enclosed East bridge allows attendees to access the upper levels of Moscone North and Moscone South without returning to ground level, and features Point Cloud, a public art piece by Leo Villareal, who also designed the iconic Bay Lights on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. The West Bridge is a public access bridge connecting the Yerba Buena Gardens on either side of Howard Street, and features landscaping and public art. The location of The Moscone Center continues to be an asset in itself, just a few minutes’ walk from two-thirds of the city’s 34,000-plus hotel rooms, as well as world-class dining, shopping and cultural venues. GREEN INITIATIVES Sustainability is at the heart of The Moscone Center’s recent expansion, with a focus on innovative resource efficiency, cutting-edge technology and practices that lessen the environmental impact while benefitting the local community. The Center also celebrates San Francisco’s natural environment, with its strikingly light, luminous design and additional outdoor spaces. Sustainable Features The Moscone Center has been designed to achieve LEED® Platinum certification, the highest level established by the U.S. Green Building Council. It uses less space per visitor than any major convention center in North America, saves more than five million gallons of water annually and generates clean energy with the largest rooftop solar installation in San Francisco. The Center also hopes to hit another green benchmark: to maintain less carbon emissions per delegate than any major convention center in North America. Here’s a look at some of its other notable eco-friendly features: • Net-positive on water, featuring an on-site water treatment plant with recovery of 15 million gallons of groundwater annually for reuse in The Moscone Center, as well as for irrigation at neighboring parks and street cleaning. • Rooftop photovoltaic (solar panels) generating up to 19.4 percent of the building's energy needs. • Demand control mechanical system. • Zero-emissions electricity. • Daylight harvesting to offset artificial lighting. Expanded Green Spaces Another important element of the recent expansion is the emphasis on outdoor surroundings. The Center now has more than 25,000 square feet of secure outdoor terraces boasting dramatic city views that are perfect for open-air events and receptions. The welcoming plazas and the pedestrian bridges that connect Moscone North and South include landscaping and public art. The appreciation for the outdoors even continues indoors, as the significant use of transparent and translucent materials brings ample natural light to interior spaces. MOSCONE CENTER ART INSTALLATIONS Both The Moscone Center and Yerba Buena Gardens house a large collection of public art, including works by Keith Haring, Stephen de Staebler, Viola Frey, Jim Dine, Terry Allen and John Roloff. Meeting attendees should be sure to check out these new (and almost new) must-see pieces between events. Untitled (Three Dancing Figures), Version A, Edition 2/3 by Keith Haring After a brief sojourn at the de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park during The Moscone Center expansion, Keith Haring’s joyous Three Dancing Figures has returned to the corner of Third and Howard streets. Point Cloud by Leo Villareal Head to the East bridge, which allows attendees to access the upper levels of Moscone North and Moscone South without returning to ground level. There, you’ll find Point Cloud, a public art piece designed by Leo Villareal, who also designed the iconic Bay Lights on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. Point Cloud is composed of more than 50,000 color LEDs arranged in a three-dimensional display that glimmers over the heads of people on the bridge. Approximately 1,300 mirrored steel rods hang from the ceiling to support the LED matrix and produce an ephemeral optical effect. Double Horizon by Sarah Sze Artist Sarah Sze created a series of sculptures that draw visitors dynamically up to and across the West Bridge. Composed of several sculptures which resemble giant boulders, the largest of which is approximately 10 feet in diameter, the installation marks a trail that offers moments of contemplation mixed with surprise. Some of the boulders have been split, revealing a full-color image of the sky at different times of the day. The same image will be mirrored in the pavers of the bridge. Geneses by Christine Corday Part of the Civic Art Collection, as overseen by the San Francisco Arts Commission, Geneses weighs in at 20,000 pounds and will be located on the north plaza, near Howard and Fourth streets. Corday’s work can also be found at the National September 11 Memorial at One World Trade Center in New York City. WHERE TO EAT, DRINK AND HAVE FUN NEAR MOSCONE When attendees are ready for a break, the area around The Moscone Center is packed with great bars, restaurants and places to have fun. WHERE TO EAT • Barcha (28 Fremont St.) is a chic Mediterranean-style bistro and popular option for private events. • Carnivores should head to Fogo de Chao Brazilian Steakhouse (201 Third St.), which recently introduced a convenient take-out market offering breakfast starting at $4 and lunch starting at $5. • Chef Corey Lee has reimagined the fine-dining experience at In Situ (151 Third St.) by curating a menu of dishes by more than 90 chefs from around the world. The Michelin-starred restaurant accepts walk-in guests and reservations. WHERE TO DRINK • ThirstyBear Brewing Company (661 Howard St.) is known for its organic ingredients and Spanish influence. • The Grand (520 Fourth St.) is an energetic bar and club with more than 10,000 square feet of event space. • Bibliophiles will love Novela (662 Mission St.) for its creative cocktails and library-inspired décor. WHERE TO HAVE FUN • The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) features modern and contemporary artwork , with no ticket needed for certain exhibits. • Lucky Strike San Francisco (200 King St.) is a fun restaurant/bowling alley with dancing, drinks and DJs. • The nearby Yerba Buena Gardens includes the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, the Contemporary Jewish Museum, Museum of the African Diaspora, Children’s Creativity Museum and more. 747 HOWARD ST. (BETWEEN THIRD AND FOURTH STREETS) SAN FRANCISCO 94103 415-974-4013 | Fax: 415-974-4073 | moscone.com bsauter@moscone.com | Contact: Bob Sauter BOOKING INQUIRIES San Francisco Travel Association One Front St., Ste. 2900, San Francisco 94111 415-227-2616 | Fax: 415-227-2646 | sftravel.com lysa@sftravel.com | Contact: Lysa Lewin GREEN FEATURES: Moscone North and South recover 15 million gallons of foundation water for reuse for toilets, irrigation and street cleaning. A new solar array, one of the largest of its kind in San Francisco, blankets Moscone South's roof. San Francisco is one of the world’s premier destinations, famous for drawing record-breaking attendance and fostering new ideas. The city is always changing and now The Moscone Center has, too. LOCATION The Moscone Center is just four blocks from Union Square, the Powell Street cable car to Nob Hill, Chinatown and Fisherman’s Wharf. Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) and Muni Metro stations are within two blocks. The nearby Salesforce Transit Center, a terminal for buses that service the city and the Bay Area at large, makes access to the Center even easier. NEW FEATURES EXHBITION LEVEL 500,000+ square feet (Halls A-F) LOWER MEZZANINE 6,744 square feet LOBBY LEVEL 69,432 square feet UPPER MEZZANINE (Moscone South) 57,805 square feet LEVEL TWO (Moscone South) 69,206 square feet LEVEL THREE (Moscone South) 64,078 square feet SERVICES • At SAVOR … San Francisco, chefs draw on San Francisco specialties and global cuisines alike. As the Center’s exclusive caterer, they offer services for show management, booth hospitality services for exhibitors and both on- and off-site catering. Enjoy the full range of services, from elegant banquets to custom concessions. Read about services and browse sample menus at moscone.com/mtgplanners/facsvcs/catering.shtml. • Telecommunications services are available at each booth, including WiFi, high-speed internet, telephone, fiber optic and virtual private networking (VPN). Order online. • The facility’s Theatrical Services Department offers lighting, rigging, carpentry, props and full production services to facilitate every staging need. • The Business Center features computer usage and online time, gifts and souvenirs as well as fax, copy and UPS shipping services. • Moscone’s security system is monitored from a central control room, and the facility is equipped with fire safety, state-of-the art life support and security surveillance systems. To download the Public Safety and Fire Management Plan, go visit moscone.com/site/do/mtgplanner/guideline/list. MOSCONE WEST 800 HOWARD ST. (BETWEEN FOURTH AND FIFTH STREETS) SAN FRANCISCO 94103 415-974-4013 | Fax: 415-974-4073 | moscone.com bsauter@moscone.com | Contact: Bob Sauter BOOKING INQUIRIES San Francisco Travel Association One Front St., Ste. 2900, San Francisco 94111 415-227-2616 | Fax: 415-227-2646 | sftravel.com lysa@sftravel.com | Contact: Lysa Lewin GREEN FEATURES: All lobbies are equipped with brightly colored composting and recycling stations, allowing attendees to participate in a highly visible green program while helping to divert materials from landfills.. LOCATION Moscone West adds more than 300,000 square feet to San Francisco’s already enviable inventory of meeting and exhibition space. Surrounded by hotels, restaurants, gardens, museums and attractions, Moscone West’s gleaming glass exterior reflects the power of its dynamic setting. Rising at the corner of Fourth and Howard streets, just steps away from Moscone North and South, Moscone West anchors and defines the western perimeter of the award-winning Yerba Buena Gardens district. Answering the powerful design of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), Moscone West is a landmark structure for San Francisco’s uniquely urban fabric. SPECIAL EVENT FACILITIES The building design emphasizes flexibility in use, allowing for easy conversion between the exhibit and meeting uses, as well as efficient adjustment to room sizes. Three levels offer nearly 100,000 square feet of dedicated function space on each floor and a total of 75,000 square feet of elegant, usable pre-function space distributed between the three levels. In the best Moscone Center tradition, Moscone West offers the advanced technology and building systems to support the most sophisticated and cutting-edge meetings. The first floor lobby is ideal for registration and pre-function uses, leading to the main floor exhibit hall. Elevators and escalators are carefully positioned to move attendees to the additional 200,000 square feet of flexible space above. SPACE Second-Level Swing Space: Finished meeting and banquet space or fully serviced exhibit space — how you use it is up to you. Virtually anything is possible with highly flexible airwalls. In meeting configuration, 19 individual meeting rooms make for small conference settings in theater or classroom style. In exhibit configuration, the space is a fully opened tradeshow floor for more than 500 10 x 10-foot booths. Third-Level Swing Space: Mirrors the elastic capabilities of the second level, but with one important difference: a column-free ballroom of nearly 60,000 square feet that can seat more than 6,000 for general session or flexible dining space for anywhere from 600 to 3,500 guests. Supporting this space is a freight system below street level with ample loading docks and a staging area. The two nodes of freight and service elevators allow quick and convenient delivery to both exhibit and pre-function spaces simultaneously.
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