From Zoo to Dune: A Shared Vision for the SF West Side Corridor

An MKThink Salon on envisioning what a coordinated plan for the SF Zoo, Sunset Dunes, and Ocean Beach as one connected corridor could be.
About this Event

San Francisco's western edge holds three significant public assets within a two mile stretch: the San Francisco Zoo at Sloat Boulevard, the newly opened Sunset Dunes Park, and Ocean Beach. Each carries a strong and worthy vision. They have rarely been considered as one.

MKThink works at the level where those visions meet. We convene the people involved in shaping a place and invite the conversation to relate to the system that holds them together, so distinct ambitions can be seen and coordinated into a corridor for our city.

We are bringing conservation, coastal, design, civic, and community leaders into one room to consider the corridor as a whole, inviting you to a space of co-creation of a common vision.

When and where:

• Wednesday, August 26, 2026, 5:30 to 7:30 PM PT.
• Ocean Plant, 800 Great Highway, San Francisco, CA 94121
• Format: welcome reception, panel discussion and audience Q&A, networking

Panel:
- Cassandra Costello, CEO, San Francisco Zoo & Gardens (co-host)
- Bob Battalio, Coastal Engineer, ESA
- Patricia Fonseca, Principal, CMG Landscape Architecture
- Sean Elsbernd, President and CEO, SPUR
Moderated by Emilio Goldenhersch, Director, MKThink

What we will explore

• The corridor as one connected whole, from Sloat through Sunset Dunes to Ocean Beach.
• The distinct visions already in play, and where they can align rather than compete.
• How coordination is more than siloed plans: shared value, funding, and public trust.
• A changing coast, and the ecology and access questions that shape what is possible.
  

Who should attend
West side residents and neighborhood groups, conservation and environmental leaders, planners and designers, civic and agency staff, funders and institutional partners, and anyone invested in the future of San Francisco's western shoreline.

What you will take away
A clearer picture of the corridor as one system, a sense of how the separate visions can be coordinated, new connections across conservation, civic, design, and community voices, and context on how we could engage a vision of the corridor together.

Space is limited. Reserve your spot and help shape the west side corridor before the plans set.

Agenda

🕑: 05:30 PM - 06:00 PM
Arrival and Welcome
🕑: 06:00 PM - 07:00 PM
Panel + Discussion
🕑: 07:00 PM - 07:30 PM
Networking