New AT&T Park Pop-Up to Feature Anchor Beer Garden, 4505 BBQ

Fans of the world-champion San Francisco Giants already have plenty to celebrate as the team heads into the 2015 season fresh off a World Series victory, and now they'll have another place to celebrate it: The Yard, a new year-round pop-up beer garden that'll be taking up residence in Mission Rock Lot A, right across the Lefty O'Doul Bridge from AT&T Park. As the Chron reports, the project comes from the China Basin Ballpark Co., the team's real-estate arm, which has been trying to get approval in recent years to turn the land into a mixed-use development with a park and 650 housing units. With that project still mired in approvals, it's an opportunity to make good use of the land and create some fun for fans in the process.

Like Hayes Valley's Proxy project (which was born out of a similar real-estate conundrum), The Yard will be built entirely of shipping containers: 15 of them, to be exact, salvaged from the Port of Oakland. Inside, fans will find an Anchor-sponsored beer garden (to promote the Anchor brewery that's moving to the area in the next year or two), barbecue from Ryan Farr and 4505 Meats, a coffee shop, and retail outlets selling Giants gear. It'll all be centered around a multi-story bleacher seating area, which will be used for movies and concerts. (And for those concerned about parking, it'll only take up 70 spaces, about 3 percent of the lot's capacity.)

With a budget of $2.5 million, The Yard is currently targeting an opening date of March, ahead of the Giants' preseason debut against the A's (the regular-season home opener, against the Rockies, will be April 13). Current contracts have it staying in place until 2017, but it could last longer, or be moved to another portion of the Mission Rock area that's still awaiting redevelopment. Either way, it's a big win for Giants fans, who'll have a new place to tailgate, as well as the burgeoning residential and office community in Mission Bay, as it'll be open year-round. Stay tuned for more details, including what Anchor and 4505 plan to offer on the food and drink front.