SAN FRANCISCO | Projects: Under Construction, Approved, and Proposed

[Gordo]

^pg, the area where the Whole Foods and housing is being built used to be a Kragen Auto Parts and a big parking lot. It is part of the overall plan to redevelop the reservoirs, but I haven't seen or heard anything new recently on the rest of the project.

[pseudolus]

It is indeed the lot between the library and the bus turnaround ("Phelan Loop"). There's also a PUC easement between the lot and the library. The lot used to be Kragen auto parts store, surrounded by a large parking lot. Previously, I believe, it was a Safeway supermarket.

As to the resevoir, it was previously split into north and south halves. The PUC and CCSF did a swap so it's now split east and west. CCSF has built one building on its half. There was a bond issue that included money to build a second buillding, a performing arts center, but CCSF has a way of making bond money disappear, so that appears dead for the meanwhile.

There was a proposal to develop the PUC's half, either as residential or as playing fields, but I believe the PUC wasn't interested.

The next project in the neighborhood is to develop the Phelan Loop as transitional housing for foster kids and to relocate the loop around the fire station.

This is all part of the Balboa Station Area Better Neighborhoods plan that was finally approved after more than a decade of process. The other large development in the plan was to be in the "Upper Yard" next to the BART station. Muni has shot that down and plans to expand its light rail storage there.

[peanut gallery]

^Too bad the PUC didn't go for extending the neighborhood into their half. That sounded like a good idea to me. Thanks for mentioning the Balboa plan. I now know about the Geneva Carbarn & Powerhouse, which I'm glad to see will have a new life to go with its really interesting history. I look forward to reading more about the neighborhood plan.

And thanks to both of you for answering my questions.

Geneva Carbarn & Powerhouse:

Source: Flickr user Freeze Time Digital.

[Cory]

^^


I was standing in front of that building the other day this week, catching the M, wondering were there any plans for it and how long such a beautiful building (such different architecture compared to the rest of the neighborhood) has been ignored.

[ElDuderino]

Saitowitz Rising On The Blighted Corner Of Divisadero And Ellis



While the long vacant lot on which a 76 Station once stood was tagged with a notice of blight a few months ago, a plugged-in tipster reports that construction has commenced on the first of two Stanley Saitowitz/Natoma Architect designed condominium buildings that are rising on the corner of Divisadero and Ellis Streets.

The first building consists of 12 units and the second building of 21 units. Principal exterior materials will be similar to Saitowitz’s award winning Beth Shalom Temple at 15th and Clement. The first building is scheduled for completion summer 2012, the second in 2013.

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[peanut gallery]

Wow. That building doesn't just ignore the sidewalk, it seems to actively detest it (unless of course, those colored squares are some kind of flat-screen pedestrian orgasmatron). I generally like Saitowitz's work, but not this one.

[ElDuderino]

and another one

August 24, 2011
1285 Sutter Approved For Imminent Demolition And Reconstruction


Permits to demolish the long shuttered Galaxy Theater at 1285 Sutter Street and erect a 13-story building with 107 condominiums over 10,000 square feet of retail (Trader Joe’s the last we heard) and four basements for 127 parking spaces were approved last week.

As a plugged-in tipster reports, the site which was purchased by Portland, Oregon based developer Gerding Edlen for $9.25 million (versus an $18 million ask in 2008) has since been fenced off and demolition is imminent.

If all goes as currenlty scheduled, the new building should be construction complete and ready for occupany and retailing in early 2013. As always, we'll keep you plugged-in.

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[peanut gallery]

The theater will finally bite the dust. I remember well when it was first built. The replacement is rather meh, but at least that space will be used again. These couple of blocks of Van Ness are in for some big changes in the coming years (new CPMC hospital and office building the next block over).

[CyberEric]

Are they tearing down the building that has what look to be stacked glass blocks on the corner of VN and Sutter?

I actually prefer that building to this snoozer. Hopefully it looks better in person, because the renderings are sad and uninspired.

[Gordo]

^Yep, that's the one. It used to be a theater - closed maybe four years ago?

I don't mind this building. Nothing special, but most buildings are nothing special. Adding a hundred more households and a Trader Joe's to the area is a gigantic improvement.

[northbay]

^ agreed. 'acceptable' infill

[viewguysf]

Originally Posted by CyberEric

Are they tearing down the building that has what look to be stacked glass blocks on the corner of VN and Sutter?

I actually prefer that building to this snoozer. Hopefully it looks better in person, because the renderings are sad and uninspired.

I agree and actually like the theater building and also remember it being built. Why would Trader Joe's still go into this new structure when they are moving into the current Cala at Hyde and California?

[peanut gallery]

^That's a good question. I'm not sure Trader Joe's is actually going in here. Someone may have just added that to the rendering or maybe it was once the plan. TJ's at the Cala site I think has been officially announced.

[Gordo]

TJ's officially announced the Van Ness location about three years ago, but then the project was indefinitely put on hold. Then they announced the California/Hyde location a few weeks ago, then this project was taken off hold.

So...I assume that this project no longer has a TJ's attached to it, which is a shame. This is a much, much better location for it, and really I'd rather see the other place sit vacant for a year or two if it keeps open the possibility of redeveloping it sooner.

[viewguysf]

Originally Posted by Gordo

TJ's officially announced the Van Ness location about three years ago, but then the project was indefinitely put on hold. Then they announced the California/Hyde location a few weeks ago, then this project was taken off hold.

So...I assume that this project no longer has a TJ's attached to it, which is a shame. This is a much, much better location for it, and really I'd rather see the other place sit vacant for a year or two if it keeps open the possibility of redeveloping it sooner.

I know a number of people in the Nob Hill neighborhood who are thrilled to have TJ's going into the Cala site versus the new Van Ness development. Maybe the building can have a restored retro look. ;<)

[Gordo]

Originally Posted by viewguysf

I know a number of people in the Nob Hill neighborhood who are thrilled to have TJ's going into the Cala site versus the new Van Ness development. Maybe the building can have a restored retro look. ;<)

I definitely have mixed feelings. The Cala site is a ten block walk from where I live, and it's a walk that I would definitely make fairly often. But that building and parking lot are gross. Maybe TJ's can come in and clean it up, but the complete resurfacing and painting of the parking lot a few years ago didn't help it all. I think a lot of it is the placement of the dumpsters below the opening to the store - there is just always this terrible smell right when you're walking in or out (and when it was a Cala, inside also, near the produce, which was over the dumpster area).

Oh, and plus, I'd love to get rid of the parking lot just for the sake of surface lots being really ugly

[CyberEric]

^If Whole Foods can make the store on Haight and Stanyan look good, I imagine TJs can make that Cala store look good.

[peanut gallery]

It's a real shame the proposal to redevelop the Cala site died. That would have eliminated the ugly parking lot yet retained the grocery store. But at least a new store is going in for that neighborhood. Eric's right, they can make the building look a lot better. The parking lot? Not so much.

[1977]

Originally Posted by peanut gallery

It's a real shame the proposal to redevelop the Cala site died. That would have eliminated the ugly parking lot yet retained the grocery store. But at least a new store is going in for that neighborhood. Eric's right, they can make the building look a lot better. The parking lot? Not so much.

Maybe with right amount of trees/foliage and some interesting lighting, but yeah...lipstick on a pig.

[viewguysf]

Originally Posted by Gordo

I definitely have mixed feelings. The Cala site is a ten block walk from where I live, and it's a walk that I would definitely make fairly often. But that building and parking lot are gross. Maybe TJ's can come in and clean it up, but the complete resurfacing and painting of the parking lot a few years ago didn't help it all. I think a lot of it is the placement of the dumpsters below the opening to the store - there is just always this terrible smell right when you're walking in or out (and when it was a Cala, inside also, near the produce, which was over the dumpster area).

Oh, and plus, I'd love to get rid of the parking lot just for the sake of surface lots being really ugly

Can't say I disagree with you either Gordo! At least I don't live in the neighborhood, so it doesn't affect me one way or the other. The Van Ness structure will be another in a string of semi-schlock to grace our City, particularly along this corridor. Our modern architecture, with some notable exceptions, is boring.