Settled within the beautiful expanse of Presidio National Park in San Francisco, Presidio is a historic redevelopment right at home in its surroundings. The 220,000 square foot building had previously been used as the local Army base and a Public Health Service Hospital, treating soldiers when they arrived home from WWII. The hospital was abandoned in 1981, and eventually the Army deeded the building—and the vast green land surrounding it—over to the city. Today, the parkland—which spans from the base of the Golden Gate Bridge to residential neighborhoods of San Francisco—is self-sustaining, open for public use, and operated by a local park authority.

Forest City had worked with a military hospital plan in the past—which eventually became Central Park Denver. Having that project in mind, the team translated aspects of the Central Park Denver urban plan into designs for Presidio. With the goal of reusing and repurposing much of the original building materials, Forest City worked with architects Perkins + Will and Page & Turnbull to restore marble elements in the lobby and stairwells, repair the brick exterior and retain aspects of the original hallways throughout. Thanks to strategic and innovative execution, the historic landmark was transformed into 154 luxury apartments and achieved LEED Gold certification.

Presidio (now known as Presidio Landmark) remains the only apartment building within Presidio National Park. True to the hallmarks of Forest City, Presidio is known for its sustainability, aesthetic and economic success. Views of both parkland and cityscape are accessible to all Presidio residents, and environmentally-conscious features like solar panels and energy-saving appliances contribute to the “green” ethos at its core.