November 26, 2007
The Academy of Art Real Estate Scam College Eats Up SF
BeyondChron's Paul Hogarth dares to go where many fear to tread: all up in Elisa Stephens' grill. Again. Hogarth writes about the Academy of Art College's plan to swallow up even more of San Francisco's prime real estate.
TenderNob/downtown buildings such as the Lorraine Hansberry Theatre, the St. Brigid Church, and perhaps the building you're in this very second, have been gobbled up by l'Academy of Art College. Preferring the taste of rent-controlled apartments to that of building their own student housing, the Academy's "corporate colonization" has posed a problem for many in SF, especially to citizens defined as low-income (i.e., most all of us.)
What's more, the school of enfant terrible-ism plans to increase its enrollment over the next decade. Hogarth says that "[t]he Academy anticipates doubling their student enrollment in the next ten years. Even if you take out the increase among online courses, that would still be an increase of 6,000 students who will attend the San Francisco campus in person." That is a lot of angular haircuts on the streets of SF, folks. A lot. Beware. (An aside: have you seen Stephens' limousine? The one with that personalized license plate reading "We [heart] Art"? Pft.)
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So where is the politically-conscious design student to go?
Transfer to the weakly-accredited Art Institute?
Or (shudder) Ex'pression?
They're closing the Red Room for more of this sh*T! Who the hell hires someone from the Academy of Fart anyway?
The Academy is a Don Fischer front.
All buildings will be torn down for parking garages- starting around 2010.
Academy of Art alum here.
I love stories like this. No sarcasm intended.
What neither Hogarth nor Brock explain is why we should have negative feelings about the Academy of University College. The main problem, it seems to me, is that they don't actually have permits for their buildings. They buy a warehouse and convert it to educational use without any permits whatever. Similarly they purchase a hotel and convert it to residential without permits.
as a current student of the Academy of Art Unviersity (it is a University now, not a college. Ask their marketing people!), I agree that it is ridiculous that they have so much property!
Especially since Dr. Stephen's father (the founder) proudly displays his riches at the Van Ness and Washington warehouse, without allowing anyone to go inside and see the millions of dollars in vintage automobilia.
Yeah, rub it in my face that I'm paying a shit ton of money for your school!!
Honestly, before they buy anymore buildings and expand enrollment, they need to get some better T.V. commercials and take care of the students they have! Another example of losing track of the picture and going for the money!
*meh*
The commercials have been a joke for years. At least the buses don't look like they're carrying convicts around anymore.
The San Francisco Chronicle Magazine had a very good cover story on the plethora of Academy of Art University buildings in San Francisco - only surpassed by Starbucks locations downtwon.
When the ownership change displaces long-time residents, I believe that is a big negative for the neighborhoods in which these buildings are located. I believe that was a side affect of Rincon Lofts at Second Street and Harrison going (at least partially? I don't know for sure) into the Academy of Art real estate portfolio.
I live around quite a lot of the Academy of Art housing, and it can get pretty obnoxious around here most nights of the week.
My fondest memory in recent months is when my family came to visit in September. It was like 7:30 on a Monday night, and we were walking passed what appeared to be a couple of students sitting in a boarded-up window. Suddenly, the girl leaned over and puked right in front of my whole, wide-eyed Midwestern family. It was priceless.
Also, aren't the Scientologists catching up to the Academy yet? It sure seems like they're snatching up quite a bit of good real estate around here as well.
This is great news. Maybe they can keep adding to the fleet of buses that constantly clog our thoroughfares yet never seem to have anyone inside them.