Studios for Rent
Islais Creek Studios



Join a community of artists sharing the newly renovated Islais Creek buildings.

This location offers studio
space for painting, drawing,
mixed media, and the metal arts: Welding, blacksmithing
and metal crafts.

Contact Us
info@thepointart.com
415.822.9675

The Point - Main Office
Hunters Point Shipyard
Building 101
P.O. Box 883753
San Francisco, CA 94188

The History of thePoint
Prior to decommissioning in 1974, the shipyard was a Navy repair station. In 1976, a private contractor leased the yard and began subletting buildings to civilians, including The Point's founder, Jacques Terzian. His business fabricated found-object based furniture and wall installations. He saw the possibility of transforming several of the neglected buildings into affordable workspaces for artists. With co-developers Paula Terzian and David Terzian (daughter and son), The Point was soon home to 300 artists.

When the Navy did not renew the contractor's lease in 1985 in anticipation of the USS Missouri Home porting, the artists and other civilian tenants formed an effective alliance to protect their shops and studios. This group was joined by a broad coalition of community leaders and environmentalists. The coalition stalled evictions from the shipyard for numerous years. Artists' donations of artwork for auction raised thousands of dollars for this effort. Finally in late 1989, the Missouri home porting was cancelled and existing tenants were allowed to stay.

Today, with the transfer of the Shipyard to the city of San Francisco in process, there is still work being done to insure Hunters Point Shipyard will become an even more vital part of the City's fine arts community through groups such as Hunters Point Citizens Advisory Committee (C.A.C.) , Shipyard Trust for the Arts (S.T.A.R.) and Shipyard Artist Alliance (S.Y.A.A.).

A Document about the Point PLAY MOVIE

ThePOINT is grateful to Beth Shannon for creating a wonderful documentary film called "Making the Point". It tells the story of how Jacques Terzian, thePOINT's founder, kept thePOINT going in the face of political, environmental and financial obstacles.

In addition to the 22 minute film, the DVD also includes a photo archive and maps of thePOINT's changes over a period of 23 years. The DVD is for sale. All profits benefit the Shipyard Trust for the Arts (STAR).

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

www.thepointart.com/film/film.html
email: makingthepoint@mac.com.

Hunters Point Shipyard History
"Hunters Point" came from the family name 'Hunters', who lived on the San Francisco Bay in the 1800s. In 1870, the area was established as a commercial shipyard and was acquired by the Navy days before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

San Francisco Naval Shipyard, at Hunters Point, San Francisco, subsequently known as Hunters Point Naval Shipyard (HPNSY) is located on 638 acres of waterfront. In the 1950's the base employed 8,500 civilians.

After ceasing active operations in 1974, the Navy leased most
of the shipyard to a commercial ship repair company that operated until 1986. They subleased to small businesses, including Patterns LTD. whose owner, Jacques Terzian, created thePOINT. As an artist himself, he understood the need for studios. Initially he converted abandoned and dilapidated Navy barracks into studios for artists and musicians who had been evicted from their warehouse studios and lofts on Battery Street iwhich were being torn down to make way for Levi Plaza.

Over time thePOINT community flourished. Additional barracks were converted to studios and workshops and small businesses, artists and musicians worked along side the Navy.

Shipyard Redevelopment
The Navy Shipyard continues to be occupied by artists. The Navy is in the process of finalizing the transfer of the Shipyard
to the city of San Francisco. The first phase of the Hunters
Point Shipyard redevelopment is now underway. For current information see the related links listed below.

Hunters Point Shipyard Citizen Advisors
The Citizen's Advisory Committee (CAC) is a group of community residents and business owners who are selected by the Mayor to oversee the redevelopment process. Convened in 1993, the CAC was instrumental in the development of the Redevelopment Plan as well as the planning process for the reuse of the Hunters Point Shipyard.

The CAC holds public meetings monthly at the Southeast Community Facility in the Bayview District.

Related Links

* Bayview Hunters Point Project Area Committee (BVHP PAC)
* Hunters Point Community
* CitizenÃs Advisory Committee (CAC)
* Hunters Point Shipyard Cleanup information clearing house
* Environmental Protection Agency
* SF Board of Supervisors
* San Francisco Redevelopment Agency

info@thepointart.com


2011 Copyrights belong to the individual artists.