History
The Downtown Waterfront District surrounding Embarcadero Center boasts a rich and dynamic history. Dating back to the Gold Rush, a rough-and-tumble era that ignited when gold was discovered in California during the 1840s, the waterfront is one of San Francisco's most storied areas. From April to December 1849, more than 700 vessels steamed through the Golden Gate filled with fortune seekers hoping to strike it rich. Many of these ships were beached in their berths and converted to warehouses, offices and saloons, creating the first commercial enterprise. Embarcadero Center stands near this very location today. When urban renewal laws took hold in San Francisco in the 1950s, city planner M. Justin Herman spearheaded a plan to redevelop the site where Embarcadero Center now stands into a mixed-use