Builder
In San Francisco’s Mission District, Zach Klein and his family turned roughly 800 square feet of concrete sidewalk into a drought-tolerant garden.
The project began with a simple observation: the strip of pavement outside their home could be doing much more for the neighborhood.
Planning started in 2015. Construction followed in 2016, and planting began in January 2017. Getting there required permits, concrete removal, a new sidewalk, clean soil, street trees, and a planting plan suited to San Francisco’s climate.
Klein is also the co-founder of Vimeo, the creator of Cabin Porn, and a former leader of Dwell, where he worked on making better-designed homes more accessible. But the garden is a different kind of design project: a small piece of public space that he and his family could improve directly.
Today, the garden has mature trees, provides shade and habitat, intercepts stormwater, and gives the block more contact with nature. It also includes a free book exchange.
What makes the project especially useful is how thoroughly Klein has documented it. His guide covers the permitting process, construction, costs, plant selection, maintenance, failures, and what he would do differently.
The result is more than a before-and-after photograph. It is a practical account of how an ordinary resident can take responsibility for a piece of the city and make it better.
The garden is also a reminder that improving a place does not end when construction is finished.
Klein estimates that it requires roughly three hours of maintenance each month. As the trees have matured, their shade has changed which plants can survive beneath them, requiring the planting to evolve. He has also documented challenges with trash, vandalism, and keeping the garden healthy over time.
That ongoing care is part of the project’s value.
The garden replaces impervious pavement with soil and vegetation, adds to the urban forest, creates habitat, and makes the sidewalk a more pleasant place to pass through or spend time. But those benefits depend on someone continuing to maintain the space.
Klein’s guide also makes the project more repeatable. Rather than simply encouraging people to plant something, he explains the practical steps involved: working with the city, understanding sidewalk requirements, budgeting for construction, choosing appropriate plants, and planning for maintenance.
For Building America, that is the larger lesson. A meaningful contribution to the built environment does not have to begin with a large development or a professional title.
Sometimes it begins with a resident looking at the sidewalk outside their home and deciding to make it better.
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