House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee were among the dignitaries celebrating the reopening of a newly renovated federal building adjacent to the city’s United Nations Plaza.
The building at 50 United Nations Plaza will house the Pacific Rim regional headquarters of the General Services Administration and was seismically renovated via federal stimulus funds.
The GSA provides and manages workplaces, transportation and other supplies for federal workers.
Pelosi noted the history of the site, where AIDS activists held a decade-long vigil in the 1980s and 90s, and the green technology featured on the renovated building, which has solar panels and a living roof and will be Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) certified platinum.
“It’s a signal of our prosperity and vision and a stark reminder of the struggles of many Americans,” she said.
Mayor Lee said the reopening of the building comes as the city is working to revitalize the nearby Mid-Market neighborhood, where Twitter and other tech companies have recently moved in along Market Street.
“This building will complement everything we’re doing,” he said.
The renovation of 50 United Nations Plaza, which first opened in 1936 was funded by $122 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
Dan McMenamin, Bay City News
