January 23, 2008
Hayes Valley, Maybe?
Our friends over at CurbedSF brought to our attention that Hayes Valley will soon be getting a new makeover, via the redevelopment of 55 Laguna. The proposals for the "mixed-use" of the former UC Berkeley extension -- which was relocated four years ago -- has recently been approved by the San Francisco Planning Commission.
So what can we look forward to at 55 Laguna? Plans for the property include a community center, retail space (specifically non-chain retail, as noted by CurbedSF), 428 units of affordable housing -- 80 of which will go towards senior housing for the LGBT community -- and a 20 thousand square foot park and gardens.
And since nothing can go unprotested when it comes to new developments, the new plans definitely get in the way of the National Register of Historic Places: two of the buildings on the soon-to-be-demolished property are recently declared historical sites. Recently declared, as in "as of January 7th" recently declared. Don't expect this new development to go up without a fight from the preservationists.
Image of the development from 55laguna.com.
|
None of the "preservationists" live in the neighborhood. One of them is Rob Anderson, the car supremacist. Smart Growth isn't his thing.
Development operas are great, but I'd be happy if it were cut into 25x100 lots and built up by individual homeowners.
OMG! Somebody wants to change something in San Francisco?!? We're all gonna DIE!
I'm sure they can just develop around the historic sites, or gut them and just reuse the shell. No big deal guys.
how is that building historic? it looks like a squat house to me
..."Its historic Spanish Colonial Buildings and retaining walls line these streets. The Campus was the original home of San Francisco State University and its construction predates Golden Gate Park.
The campus has over 150 year history of public use, and it has always been used for educational purposes. In 1854 an orphanage was constructed and remained in operation until the 1920's when the San Francisco State Normal School was established. The university eventually changed its name to San Francisco State University. By 1957, SFSU moved to a new campus in the Lake Merced area. Soon after, the Governor of California approved an act of emergency legislation that transferred the Campus to the UC Regents. There was one caveat in this transfer; the campus property was to be put to "university uses."....
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/02/12/18361739.php
Yes, I'd call that a historic site.
80 of which will go towards senior housing for the LGBT community...
How do you prove you are a gay senior, in order to qualify? Never understood how stuff like that works.
Who cares if it is a historic site? It is an ugly eyesore where nothing will happen for 2 decades if this project doesn't move forward. BUILD IT ALREADY!!