I have to disagree. Civic Center Plaza is a place to avoid. It’s as bad as ever.
Okay. I haven't been a frequent visitor there lately, just a few times a year. But it has been much worse from what I see. 40 years ago it was dangerous to venture west of Van Ness Ave, lest you get robbed or assaulted by dope addicts or thieves. Some of my co-workers were assaulted on Franklin, Gough, and streets west of Van Ness. Now it's all trendy restaurants and high-end stores. 30 years ago both sides of Market between Van Ness and 5th streets were downtrodden with x-rated peep theaters, pawn shops, and other undesirable shops, along with despicable characters. Now the south side of Market is full of new skyscrapers with trendy shops at street level, while the north side is boarded up undergoing rebuilding. The Tenderloin to the north was worse, with hookers and heroin pushers. Now it has lots of Asian families with new shops, restaurants and protected parks for kids.
I have to agree that Civic Center Plaza still needs help. A couple times a week a farmer's market is held there, which I go to from time to time. Decent on those days. But overall, the Civic Center area has greatly improved over 40 years. Crime-wise, is much safer. Tip: don't touch the walls of BART stairwells or hallways (you can smell the reason).