SFist: Divisadero: Smelly, Dirty, Dangerous, and We Liked it That Way

Kay

Thu, 18 Oct 2007 12:44:17 -0800

marke b, i didn't realize "house of stools" had a residence above it. even so, we are neighbors! i live next door.

Sal

Thu, 18 Oct 2007 09:47:20 -0800

I have no problem with Divisadero, so I'll leave it up to youse who drive the route. We take the 21-Hayes when we go to the Independent or eat at Nopa or Metro Kathmandu or wherever.

Local

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 20:11:31 -0800

Are there any plans that are available for public review?

marke b

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 18:04:00 -0800

Hey that's a picture of my house! I live right above House of Stool! Except that I'm moving in with my bf Hunky Beau next month. He lives by Duboce Park. What the heck are they doing to Duboce Park? There's fencing up and everything. Are they finally doing the doggy apartheid thing? Abarktied?

jt

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 16:39:42 -0800

JWB - I completely understand the rationale behind planting trees in medians having worked on a project to do just that along Alemany, where btw the redundant third lane was removed to create beautiful bike lanes. Tho I must say, the traffic situ being what it is on Divis between Haight and Geary what with the occasional bus, double parkers and pesky left-turners, I've never considered speeding drivers to be a problem, not in the slightest. My problems with planting them along those blocks of Divis are 1) Upkeep of trees planted in a median strip that is as narrow as said stretch is dangerous for workers and would require blocking the inner lanes in either direction whilst our beloved line-level city employees water, trim and remove refuse 2) Over time the root systems would spread beyond the boundaries of the concrete median and create even more problems with the driving surface, i.e. ripples, cracks and even more potholes Just fix the damn potholes so I can ride without getting a flat.

Akit

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 16:33:55 -0800

What an interesting name for a business (on the photo in this story): "House of Stool"

Kay

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 15:42:47 -0800

getting up at 8 in the morning to move your car off a metered spot is one thing. getting up at 7 to do that is just bad ju ju.

Brock Keeling

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 15:18:24 -0800

i cannot wait to walk down divis with a sense of security. i mean, just one tiny shred of it will do nicely.

KWillets

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 14:40:51 -0800

The pavement should always be wet as well, with lots of neon signs reflecting off of them in an impressionistic manner.

aj

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 14:17:04 -0800

Bus only lanes would be awesome, but I can't imagine fitting those in without reducing the number of travel lanes. Maybe the option is: bus lane 7am-7pm every day, parking 7pm-7am; travel lane center turning lane travel lane bus/parking lane I wonder if that would fit if they are also trying to widen the sidewalks. Need to get out the measuring tape.

fizzandpop

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 14:03:58 -0800

More hookers with hearts of gold. They should dress like they're in a Pat Benetar video, smoke Cools and lean up against muscle cars wating for their pimps, who will all look like El Debarge with pencil moustaches and crazy zoot suits with the sleeves rolled up. Fights will be settled with flick knives and a lone sax player will must be always on hand to lean up against some neon lights and blow his horn. Steam will come out of the manholes.

yatdave

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 13:39:36 -0800

Please please PLEASE add a central turning lane. Driving down Divis is like driving down a slalom course; if you're not pulling around someone stopped in the left lane trying to make a left turn, you're pulling around someone in the right lane trying to park. It's got to be the most frustrating street to drive in the city.

makfan

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 13:34:42 -0800

You know, the Google Street View yellow line looks a lot like police tape...one of the first things one thinks of on this section of Divis.

zig

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 13:32:49 -0800

How about removing parking and creating bus only side lanes. "BRT light" just for the most congested stretch between Haight and Geary with dedicated lanes and signal priority Of course in this "transit first city" merchants and neighborhoods would shit their pants in a conniption fit of opposition

aj

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 13:23:30 -0800

Get rid of the street parking, add a center left turn lane, and widen the sidewalks a bit. JWB, Divisadero makes drivers plenty angry as it is! So does oh so happy Octavia.

KWillets

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 13:08:24 -0800

I'm opposed to a redevelopment plan for Divisadero, on the grounds that it will increase police response time and endanger public safety. Time spent planning would be better spent responding to crimes.

zig

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 13:07:09 -0800

If we lived in a normal industrialized nation a subway line along Diviz would be nice

jwb

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 13:03:18 -0800

jt: trees in the median cut down a driver's horizon, which accomplishes two things. It makes them drive more slowly, because they can't see far down the road. And it makes them calmer and less angry, for the same reason.

cowsaysmeow

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 12:54:25 -0800

I'd love to see improvements to the stoplight design along that whole corridor, including past Geary and up to say, Sacramento - few pedestrian signals, poor timing of lights...if it were any busier it'd be worse than Van Ness for pedestrians.

Ciaran

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 12:41:52 -0800

I know it's heretical to say things like this, but if they got rid of the street parking there'd be two more lanes to play with.

jt

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 12:29:17 -0800

If they must touch Divis, and I mean like they have absolutely nothing else left in this lifetime to deal with, just fill some potholes. Nothing more. Please. Trees? Seriously? We have two beautiful parks known around the world within cat-swinging distance, why do we need bloody trees growing out of a median?

sarahlefton

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 12:20:04 -0800

Um, sorry, but who are the Hollywood Jews in question and what are they doing exactly?

jwb

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 12:07:21 -0800

I wouldn't mind if they took a lane out of the street and gave it over to the sidewalk. Divis sidewalks are so narrow! Some big, leafy trees in the median would really clean the place up, too.

DJTennessee

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 12:04:56 -0800

If they clean up Divis, then where are we supossed to go and shoot people?

Kay

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 11:52:09 -0800

the sidewalks are so narrow and there are so many wires overhead that i'm not sure what kind of greening they're aiming for, but i vote for planting a giant shrub right in front of happy days so i can walk to jay's without being harassed, even in my grungiest sweats. i don't mind tuningit out, but i shouldn't have to.