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Public Health Service Hospital, The Presidio of San Francisco (Presidio), California; Combined Notice To Initiate Public Scoping and Prepare an Environmental Assessment

Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.

 [Federal Register: September 9, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 174)]
[Notices]
[Page 53205-53206]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr09se03-146]

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PRESIDIO TRUST

Public Health Service Hospital, The Presidio of San Francisco
(Presidio), California; Combined Notice To Initiate Public Scoping and
Prepare an Environmental Assessment

ACTION: Notice is given, in accordance with the provisions of the
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), that
the Presidio Trust (Trust) is proposing to rehabilitate and reuse
historic buildings in the Public Health Service Hospital district (PHSH
district or the district) of the Presidio of San Francisco (project).
The project also includes the possibility of demolition and limited new
replacement construction to accomplish the rehabilitation and reuse of
the district's historic buildings. The Trust is commencing preparation
of a project-specific environmental assessment (EA), and is inviting
the participation of the public and interested agencies as part of the
scoping process for the EA.

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SUMMARY: The project is an important component of the Presidio Trust
Management Plan (PTMP), the Trust's comprehensive land use plan and
policy framework for Area B of the Presidio, adopted in August 2002. In
the PTMP, the PHSH district was identified as an area for reuse as a
residential and educational community. Its centerpiece would be the
rehabilitation and reuse of the historic Public Health Service Hospital
(PHSH or Building 1801) and of the other historic structures in the
district. Future consideration would be given to demolition and new
replacement construction up to specified limits.
    The district includes the PHSH and its complex of nearby
dormitories, offices, residences and recreational buildings on the
lower plateau, possibly Battery Caulfield on the upper plateau at the
north end of the district, and several outlying building premises. The
project is needed to arrest the physical deterioration of the
buildings, protect the National Historic Landmark District and
rehabilitate the district's structures consistent with the Secretary of
Interior's Standards; improve the appearance and vitality of some or
all of the district; reuse the buildings consistently with the PTMP
land use options; and generate revenue for the long-term operation and
improvement of the Presidio. In connection with the project, the Trust
will adopt planning and design guidelines, approve a development
agreement and lease for buildings and premises within the district,
approve associated building

[[Page 53206]]

and district improvements, and make conforming changes to the PTMP, if
any are required.
    Building space within the district totals approximately 400,000
square feet (sf). Building 1801 includes a historic structure of
approximately 173,000 sf and non-historic additions (or ``wings'')
totaling approximately 124,700 sf. Pursuant to draft planning and
design guidelines, non-historic portions of the hospital building may
be removed. Although not required, replacement construction up to an
amount equivalent to the square footage removed, not to exceed 130,000
sf, may be considered within the district.

Proposed Alternatives

    The following four project alternatives are being considered for
evaluation in the EA. These include a ``no action'' alternative
required by the NEPA, which in this case will constitute the land use
scenario analyzed in the PTMP EIS. Three action alternatives, each with
differences in the treatment of Building 1801 and in the proposed
amount and location of demolition and new replacement construction,
will also be evaluated. The Trust's selected action at the conclusion
of the environmental review process may combine various elements of the
alternatives, or fall within the range they represent.
    Alternative 1: Rehabilitation/No New Construction (PTMP or No
Action Alternative)--This alternative would rehabilitate buildings
within the PHSH district to accommodate residential (i.e., a mix of
senior housing/assisted living and market rate housing) and educational
uses. No building demolition or replacement construction would occur,
and therefore the existing total building area of 400,000 sf would be
maintained. The historic concentration of development would be retained
on the lower plateau (i.e., the PHSH complex). The three-acre Battery
Caulfield site, on the northern end of the district on the upper
plateau, would remain in the short term as a Trust maintenance/
corporation yard. The historic portion of Building 1801 and its non-
historic additions (including the seven-story end wings and large one-
story connector in front of the original main entry) would be
rehabilitated for residential use (approximately 200 units) together
with the historic housing on Wyman Terrace (approximately 11 units).
Other ancillary buildings in the district would be rehabilitated for a
variety of educational and supporting uses. Outlying buildings
(Buildings 1450, 1818 and 1819) would remain as Trust maintenance
facilities.
    Alternative 2: Rehabilitation/Infill Construction--This alternative
would rehabilitate historic buildings within the PHSH district, and
would concentrate development on the lower plateau primarily for
residential use (between 300 and 390 units total). Both the historic
portion and non-historic wings of Building 1801 would be rehabilitated.
Approximately 17,000 sf of non-historic buildings, including the front
connector and the two-story additions at the rear of Building 1801,
would be removed and replaced with an equivalent amount of compatible
infill construction at locations on the lower plateau that conform to
the draft planning and design guidelines. No new buildings would be
constructed on the Battery Caulfield site, which would remain in the
short term as a Trust maintenance/corporation yard. This alternative
may also include a new underground parking facility beneath Building
1801 to increase landscaped open space on the lower plateau.
    Alternative 3: Rehabilitation/Demolition--This alternative would
rehabilitate historic buildings within the PHSH district, remove the
wings of Building 1801, and provide no replacement construction at
Battery Caulfield or elsewhere within the district. Total square
footage in the district would decrease to approximately 275,000 sf.
Buildings would be rehabilitated primarily for residential use (between
210 and 230 units total). The Battery Caulfield site would remain in
the short term as a Trust maintenance/corporation yard, and outlying
buildings would remain as Trust maintenance facilities.
    Alternative 4: Rehabilitation/Relocated Construction--This
alternative would rehabilitate historic buildings within the PHSH
district, remove the non-historic wings and provide for replacement
construction within the Battery Caulfield site primarily for
residential uses. Several non-historic buildings including the wings
and connector in front of Building 1801, the addition to Building 1802,
and Building 1803 would be removed and replaced with an equivalent
amount of compatible new residential construction (up to 125 units, not
to exceed approximately 115,000 sf) within the lower plateau and within
Battery Caulfield (approximately 90 units) for a total of 300 to 350
residential units.

Proposed Scoping and Environmental Review

    The EA will tier from the PTMP Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
by incorporating by reference, as appropriate, the information and
analysis in the PTMP EIS, and will focus the EA on issues specific to
each proposed project alternative. The Trust encourages all interested
individuals, organizations and agencies to provide comments on the
nature and extent of issues, potential impacts and alternatives to be
addressed in the EA. As part of the scoping process, the Trust will
conduct a public Trust Board meeting in October or November, at a time
and location to be announced, at which the Trust Board will accept oral
scoping comments from the public on the proposed action described
herein, the alternatives to be studied under the NEPA, and the scope of
the EA. For those unable to attend this meeting, an information packet
is available upon request (see Contact information below). The Trust
will provide informal information updates and notices concerning the
project through postings on its Web site at www.presidio.gov, Exit Disclaimer 
or through its bi-monthly publication, the Presidio Post. The Trust will
announce the release of the EA by notice in the Presidio Post, as well
as via direct mailing and other means. At this time, it is expected
that the EA will be available for public review in January 2004.

Contact

    To request the information packet, provide comments or obtain
information on meeting locations, please contact John Pelka, NEPA
Compliance Coordinator, the Presidio Trust, 34 Graham Street, P.O. Box
29052, San Francisco, CA 94129-0052 (fax: 415/561-2790) or 
phsh@presidiotrust.gov. NEPA scoping comments must be postmarked or
transmitted not later than November 26, 2003.

    Dated: September 2, 2003.
Karen A. Cook,
General Counsel.
[FR Doc. 03-22886 Filed 9-8-03; 8:45 am]

 
 

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