'Skybridge on Stevenson' festival brings hope of recovery to San Francisco SoMa neighborhood
SAN FRANCISCO -- The Skybridge on Stevenson outdoor festival returned Thursday night to San Francisco's SoMa as a series of evening block parties to encourage more people to visit the Stevenson and 6th Steet neighborhood, an area that has tried to fight the perception of being unsafe and dirty for years.
"We're trying to make people feel comfortable to come to this part of town and enjoy themselves like they would any other part of town," said Gianluca Legrottaglie, the owner of Montesacro. "Events like this are only going to bring more beautification and safety to the neighborhood."
He opened the restaurant in 2015 and says the situation has improved over the years. He was able to survive the pandemic, which inspired the event in 2020. Taking place outdoors, it was a way to have people gather safely from a distance and enjoy live music. As an anchor business on Stevenson, he sees many customers come in to dine on Thursday nights for the festival.
"A lot of unwanted activity happening on the street from drug dealers to prostitution to using the alley as a bathroom," he told KPIX 5 about the situation when he first started this pizza shop. "With the help of everybody, we can really turn things around regardless of its reputation, regardless of its history."
The SF Park Alliance is the nonprofit organizing the five-week celebration with dance and music in the middle of a closed-off section of Stevenson. Art installations help to beautify the area including lanterns hanging over the block right by an old skybridge, which has become a landmark in the neighborhood.
"This is part of a larger vision to kind of bring attention back to 6th Street, to this neighborhood," said Laura Rothman, with the nonprofit. "This neighborhood is in need of a little bit of love and attention."
A capital improvement is one long-term goal of the Alliance. They hope to renovate streets in the area while also creating work for artists and musicians with the event. Getting more businesses and an after-school program involved are also part of the effort to expand their reach in this community.
"I think I feel extremely hopeful, it's clear that this event has taken hold of a lot of people's heart," Rothman told KPIX 5 on Thursday. "Bring that attention back to the kinds of people who live here and to remember that every part of our small city is worthy of the same amount of attention and advocacy that we can offer."
On some nights, they've seen around 100 people come together. It's a sign that more interest is growing to support this section of the city. Legrottaglie is motivated to keep his commitment and hopes others will join him.
"They say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, and we feel exactly that way," he told KPIX 5. "This is a beautiful part of town, it's the heart of San Francisco, which deserves a lot more attention and it can only get better if everybody participates."
