Quote:
Originally Posted by wakamesalad
No offense, but that is such a naive statement.
I lived in SF for 11 years. I dealt with the zany politics there to the breaking point.
I think that the fact that a few people were able to gather tens of thousands of signatures to stop a project that was only proposed to be about 15 stories (8 Washington) scared the developer of this project and they are looking elsewhere. This is not the market to be entangled in long term expensive lawsuits. The lawsuits could go on for ten years, maybe more, before anything is built. It could go all the way to the California Supreme Court as well (as a claim of government overreach denying the voice of the people) because, in effect, the planning commission is asking the BOS to amend a law passed by the citizens of SF in the 1980s. |
No offense taken. Born and raised and currently live in SF myself and I also have sen the republic of San Francisco's zany politics. but also remember, the majority of the Board upheld the increase in height for the Washington project. I would consider that an improvement from the past board of supervisors a few years ago.
The Washington project is a little different than the TransBay site. The Washington project was more a waterfront issue and the SF tennis club loosing their prized courts. Not too hard to get a few peole behind a " stop The Waterfront from being destroyed" platform.
The TransBay site is in the CBD area and highrises surround the proposed site. True, anyone or any group and file a lawsuit to stop the project but they will be messing with the whole TransBay Terminal project. The TransBay Tower funds were to be directed toward building the TransBay Terminal. Who is going to build the Terminal without the Tower proceeds? Is the City going to give up on the Tower and make the TransBay Terminal a "private" venture? These are all questions that are out there and I am sure the Joint Powers Authority is scratching their heads.
We will know more about what the future will hold at their next meeting. My guess is they give Hines an extent ion with the understanding they move forward with the project by a specific date.