A Proxy-esque food-and-retail development in the parking lot behind AT&T Park called The Yard will greet baseball fans in the 2015 season, as the Chronicle is reporting. Like Proxy in Hayes Valley, it will have a beer garden, this one sponsored by Anchor Steam, and like Proxy, it will be a temporary structure built out of shipping containers.
The project comes about because the Giants' development plans for the parking lot at China Basin/Mission Rock, which includes 650 housing units and 1.7 million square feet of commercial space, will be mired in bureaucracy and Planning approvals for the foreseeable future, and the team's real estate arm, China Basin Ballpark Co., wants to "activate" the space ahead of time and provide some more food and socializing options for new residents and USCF workers in this burgeoning neighborhood.
Also in the mix will be a coffee shop, some retail, a stepped seating area for screenings and concerts, and a new outpost for the ever-growing 4505 Meats, showcasing their delicious burgers and barbecue.
The Anchor Steam team is also excited to move into the area because they have plans to relocate their brewing operation from Potrero Hill to Pier 48 when the full development is finally built.
The Giants are pitching the idea to the Port Commission today, as the Business Times reports, so there's still a chance it will be shot down. But that doesn't seem likely.
Look for The Yard to debut before the Giants' home opener this spring, which is scheduled for April 13. And it's set to stick around at least two years, with an initial lease through March 31, 2017.