[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 174 (Tuesday, September 9, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53205-53206]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-22886]


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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, 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 
[email protected]. 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]
BILLING CODE 4310-4R-P