San Diego Waterfront Park

The County Administration Center Waterfront Park and garage transformed acres of surface parking surrounding the landmark County Administration Center into downtown San Diego’s signature waterfront park. The park celebrates the iconic Administration Center at its heart, with its north-south axis extended across the site as the Promenade and Civic Fountain, a grand gesture of cascading water linking the open expanse of the Civic Green along the park’s waterfront edge, to more intimate garden rooms along the park’s interior.

The Civic Fountain functions as downtown San Diego’s urban beach, an interactive water-play feature scaled to accommodate hundreds of children. East of the Promenade are smaller-scale horticultural gardens in the north, and an active family play area in the south. The family play area includes play structures, picnic tables, bocce, and a hill with a large slide set within an informal grove of flowering trees. The park’s success as a regional destination and event venue provides additional support for ongoing North Embarcadero and downtown revitalization efforts.