SFist: Behold the Proposed Presidio Museum You Might Visit Once or Twice

Debbie

Thu, 06 Dec 2007 22:43:45 -0800

I believe any new development in the Presidio should reflect the history and character of the environs. A modern building will have a jarring effect, out of place in such a beautiful, unique setting. If the building must be modern, then park the whole enchilada in downtown SOMA. (Or, how about something truly modern? What if there were no building? Make the whole thing subterranean with a garden roof entrance.) The Disney Family Foundation is planning a Disney museum, which will be housed in several renovated historic buildings at the parade grounds. A much better plan. No matter what happens, something must be done with that sloping, asphalt parking lot. It's a gigantic eyesore.

zig

Thu, 06 Dec 2007 13:03:16 -0800

The Presidio is not a nature preserve. Its a park in a city and a museum seems totally appropriate. I guess to me it comes down to the historical significance of the parade ground. I have no problem personally with a modern building here but if enough people do I am sure another location can be found in the park as a compromise With regard to Muni; with Van Ness BRT and the E line this area could be connected ok for locals and tourists http://www.streetcar.org/msr/projects/vision/map/index.html

RonAlbertson

Wed, 05 Dec 2007 15:15:38 -0800

mattymatt - Thanks for your post. Made my day. Syphilitic cuntmuffin is going in the repertoire.

aj

Wed, 05 Dec 2007 00:15:58 -0800

Don Fisher should pay market rate for his version of the Armand Hammer Museum. He can certainly afford it. No way should SF taxpayers or the NPS give him anything.

sfmike

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 21:07:57 -0800

The art is ugly. The building is ugly. The Presidio as a nature preserve, looking towards the bay and the Golden Gate Bridge, is beyond beautiful. I golf there, walk there, bowl there, and visit friends who live there, and the idea that we're going to let Don Fisher, the child slave labor fiend and redwood clearcutter, put his crappy, overpriced art collection in the middle of it is just disgusting.

Plug1

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 19:23:18 -0800

see some of don fishers seldom seen contemporary art collection here.

Berkeleyite

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 15:31:10 -0800

Getting to the Presidio on MUNI is a pain in the ass. But while he is at it, maybe Uncle Don can pony up some dollars for MUNI or an underground parking garage. What I don't understand is why more people aren't outraged by the design of the building? It is HIDEOUS! OOOO, white boxes! How nouveau riche! Glass! So you can look out at the expansive and empty lawn! This shack looks like either a golf clubhouse (more martinis over here Andre!) or a cemetary chapel (We will remember him always.). Ugh. I like the new DeYoung. I like the new Federal Building. This I hate! Hate, Hate Hate! In words that all of my LOLcat friends will understand: DO NOT WANT! And rather than that ginormous lawn, couldn't Don & Doris put in a sculpture garden? Minneapolis' Walker Art Center has one that is terrific! I guess that I shouldn't be surprised after that Stalinist/Maoist wedding cake building he pooped out onto the Embarcadero. Don fancies himself some sort of architectural maven. Again with the UGH.

fizzandpop

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 15:03:02 -0800

I was at that bowling alley once and it turned into a Penthouse Forum letter. Just as I walked in, this drunk chick aproached and begged me to give her and her friends a ride to the Marina. They were on a bachelorette evening and couldn't get a cab (duh). Being a gentleman I squoze them all in the car and headed off to their intended destination. But not before I pulled over in the middle of Lombard street and had sex with all of them (that last bit didn't happen).

cowsaysmeow

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 14:49:29 -0800

I'll admit the style of most of the buildings in the Presidio is pretty blah, but the landscape of the Presidio itself is anything but boring and predictable. I'm not saying it can't or shouldn't stand out from the other buildings in the area, just that it shouldn't outshine (figuritively and literally) the existing landscape. I'll also admit that "modern" was a poor word choice on my part...

Spamtuckula

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 14:32:58 -0800

"And finally, just... you know, enough with the museums. " That is the best suggestion in the the history of forever. Sweet Jesus, thank you.

mdw0526

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 14:18:33 -0800

Why, oh why, does everything have to "blend in"? That makes the landscape predictable and boring. Modern-looking is exactly what the Presidio needs. Everything else there is "historical" and dull, dull, dull.

Jas

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 13:25:31 -0800

If you find the Presidio "nearly unreachable", then you just aren't trying.

cowsaysmeow

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 13:00:13 -0800

Nothing wrong with the design in general, though I think it's a little too modern looking for the area - I'd prefer to see something that blends in a little better with the landscape. Even so, I also agree that something like this is better either downtown/SOMA or on a pier (he must have enough money to refurbish one of those). Or maybe I'm just whining because I haven't checked out the bowling alley yet and have visions of a personal boycott against the Gap if it's torn down before I see it... :/ (If this posts twice, sorry, I'm getting the error msgs too...)

mariconsoy

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 12:59:46 -0800

MattyMatt, Thanks for the last post and for making me pee in my pants. BTW maybe the museum is Fisher's revenge for Prop A passing-attracting more cars to the Presidio.

cowsaysmeow

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 12:57:24 -0800

SFistJim

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 12:56:56 -0800

Understand that this could be the best collection of modern art outside of the NYMOMA. Maybe MUNI could add some more buses if this thing takes off.

J

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 12:51:34 -0800

Gee boys, looks like some people forgot their midol today. I think the museum is a great addition to the presidio. It will help to round out the former military base. I've noticed there are other new tenants down by crissy field, too. Didn't I read somewhere that they are putting a hotel & convention center down there? Another solid point is on the design. I agree with John King that this design is a much better idea than what ILM came up with.

lazthedog

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 12:49:35 -0800

so far there's no mention about what would be in this museum: a world-class collection of modern art that has been mostly inaccessible. i for one look forward to many visits. of all the things to do with money, buying up a lot of paintings or sculpture or whatever and basically putting it in a public place is kinda cool. (i'm sure somebody will post the predictable and say that charging admission would be tantamount to fascism. to which i'll say, see you there on the free day.)

mdw0526

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 12:48:08 -0800

I could not agree more that this post is incredibly asinine. How can anyone actually have the temerity to say "Enough with the museums"? That's the most ignorant, wrong-minded, unsupportable thing I've heard in quite some time. I'm so glad the City of San Francisco has no say and can't mess up this plan like they do so many others. The Presidio trustees will almost certainly approve this museum, because who really says no to a GIFT of a museum?

lazthedog

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 12:47:27 -0800

so far there's no mention about what would be in this museum: a world-class collection of modern art that has been mostly inaccessible. i for one look forward to many visits. of all the things to do with money, buying up a lot of paintings or sculpture or whatever and basically putting it in a public place is kinda cool. (i'm sure somebody will post the predictable and say that charging admission would be tantamout to fascism. to which i'll say, see you there on the free day.)

mattymatt

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 12:16:33 -0800

Ron, you ignorant slut. If you'd stop fellating your retarded uncles and actually take a look around, you'd see just how inbred your arguments really are. First, I'm not surprised that you're intimately acquainted with the location of the city's remote parking lots, what with your reputation as a notorious hooker. But that lot is only one of many in the Presidio. Second, Muni's service is paltry and unpredictable -- only 4 lines, most of which touch none of SF's hubs. I dare you to get from the Presidio to other points in the city (such as your methadone clinic in Bayview, or the wig store in Noe Valley that you were planning to rob) in under an hour. Third, if you can count that high, the bowling alley will probably be demolished for the museum, thereby eliminating the city's last cultural institution from which you haven't been banned. Fourth: you're right, the tactile museum is only a short walk away. I agree with you on that one. And so, in summary, up yours, you syphilitic cuntmuffin.

Brock Keeling

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 12:15:27 -0800

also, sorry about the error/duplicate problem in the comments, folks. we're working on it.

Agent510

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 12:14:56 -0800

"Enough with the museums"? I respectfully disagree...I'd like to see more museums. We fall way short of other big-time cities like London, NY, DC, and Chicago when it comes to that. And this isn't just about keeping up with the Joneses...good museums are a big part of what makes a city appealing to tourists and, if they get a nice stream of rotating exhibits, to locals as well.

Brock Keeling

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 12:08:33 -0800

baldguy -- and i'm not sure if the second question was for me -- but won't the bowling alley be torn down in the process?

bernalman

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 12:05:32 -0800

Oh, yeah, one gets an error message when one tries to post.

baldguy

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 12:02:55 -0800

Ron, I think it's the SFGate comments area you're looking for. Also, the site IS where the bowling alley is - did you read the article?

bernalman

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 12:01:51 -0800

The bowling alley will be torn down to make room for CAMP. The Exploratorium is nearby, but planning to move. But true, there is no need for 2 Exploratoriums in SF. I'd rather see the Fisher museum in downtown SF, where it would be more accessible, but it's Fisher's money.

RonAlbertson

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 11:54:49 -0800

I posted the second version when the first one got an internal server error message. I decided to be a little bit nicer. In retrospect, I prefer the original.

DJTennessee

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 11:54:08 -0800

Visiting this place "once or twice" sounds like kind of a lot of visits.

RonAlbertson

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 11:43:02 -0800

This post is so wrong-minded it made me dumber just by reading it. First, the museum is planned for what is currently a PARKING LOT. Second, Muni services the Presidio, and it will up the service if there is enough demand. Third, there's a bowling alley about 300 yards from this site. Fourth, the cool science-y tactile museum is a ten minute walk from here.

RonAlbertson

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 11:41:29 -0800

What a stupid fucking post. First, the museum is planned for what is currently a PARKING LOT. Second, Muni services the Presidio, and it will up the service if there is enough demand. Third, there's a bowling alley about 300 yards from this site. Fourth, the cool science-y tactile museum is a ten minute walk from here. Douchebag.