After a much-needed (?) $30 million makeover, the Metreon, struggling early aughts mall fortress at Fourth and Mission, will open a new set of "reimagined" restaurants and shops on Saturday. Among the reworked ideas: a simpler, cleaner tone to the place; easier entry; and stores that—get this—one can enter without having first to walk through a human maze. Which is to say, many retail stores will now be accessible from Fourth Street. more ›

An unidentified pedestrian "wearing a security guard uniform" on Sunday afternoon was struck and killed by a Muni bus at Mission at Fifth streets. According to reports, the man "crossed in front of the 14-L bus as it pulled out of the bus zone, a Muni spokesman said, and two sets of tires rolled over his legs. His lunch bag was found next to him." He was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. more ›

According to CBS 5, construction crews have accidentally ruptured a gas line at Mission and Beale streets in downtown San Francisco. Gas is "spewing everywhere." Please stay out of the area until further notice. PG&E and the fire department are on the scene. more ›

Police asked residents, if you will, of the tiny tent town outside the Federal Reserve Bank at 101 Market Street to scatter last night. The shantytown occupying the area was built in support of Occupy Wall Street. According to the Examiner, "police forced the protesters to take down their camp, saying that while they have a right to demonstrate they cannot block sidewalks with items such as tents, crates and other objects." more ›

Hey, you! Go get a free grilled cheese and soup combo today at The Melt. As FunCheap reminds us, "come by the brand new location in SoMa at 115 New Montgomery from noon to 4pm" and "mention the secret code word 'GOUDA'" to score a free lunch. Mmm. Head over now before it gets mobbed. more ›

At least one person was injured in an accident that occurred at New Montgomery between Mission and Howard this morning involving a SFFD fire truck. According to KRON 4 Morning News, the truck "might" have hit a pedestrian. We'll update as soon as we know more. more ›

Ryan, a nine-year-old boy, sits in the hospital this morning facing life-threatening injuries after being stuck by a vehicle last night going the wrong way on New Montgomery. "The suspect in the truck turned left onto Mission Street after driving north on New Montgomery Street, which is a one-way street with traffic only in the southbound direction." The truck went right along after hitting the child, continuing west on Mission Street "before colliding with numerous other cars parked and driving on the street." more ›

On the cover of yesterday's Chron, architecture critic John King had a piece critiquing the San Francisco Downtown Plan, following on a recently released report detailing the plan's successes and failures over its 25 years. As some of you may know, it was this 1985 document that limited building heights across the Financial District, resulting in a couple decades worth of office boxes being built that are all the exact same height (the maximum allowable). And this is the document that attempted to make room for 90,000 new office workers who never arrived. more ›

A woman was violently robbed Wednesday afternoon at Bush and Kearny. "The victim was standing at the corner of Bush and Kearney [sic] streets and listening to music when she was struck in the head from behind around 2:27 p.m.," reports SF Examiner. A second person then gabbed the cellphone from her hands; both suspects fled northbound on Montgomery Street toward California Street. [Ex] more ›

Why were there so many red balloons floating around downtown San Francisco today? Well, someone thought it would be a great (albeit pollutive and thoughtless) way to hawk a new video game. We think @sanbrunamo sums it up best: "please don't pollute our bay and environment with ads attached to balloons. [link] [link]" more ›

"Old Navy" by Demetrios Lyras. more ›

Paolo Lucchesi reminds us that, glory be, House of Shields returns tonight. The much-admired SoMa/downtown watering hole, if you recall, closed earlier this year. Horrifying on many levels, yes. Fortunately, the century-old bar opens again for business, starting at 4 p.m. "Pretty much everything about the restored version and the Dennis Leary era of San Francisco’s classic century-old saloon was shared on Monday, so please to refer there for all the background, from the painstaking restoration process to Eric Passetti’s beverage program to the absence of televisions." Check it out, then head down to 39 New Montgomermy (at Market). more ›

The bomb squad arrived at Market and Front this morning after a "suspicious package" was found. We'll update as soon as we hear more. And, if we may add another dash of alarmist news to your Friday, this comes on the heels of suspicious packages found throughout the world this morning. more ›

SFist reader Justin Neisuler captured this image of the onetime harrowing and odorous Fremont underpass, which, during Transbay Terminal construction, has become a lovely, sun-drenched gazebo. more ›

Downtown/Arson: Yesterday, over on the 400 block of Mission Street near the sleek Millennium Tower, the San Francisco Fire Department responded to two bush fires. After extinguished the tiny blazes, authorities determined that they were a result of arson. No arrests have been made. more ›

The fuzz is on the hunt for an elderly rapscallion who allegedly robbed a downtown bank on Monday afternoon. Bay City News (via SF Examiner) reports: "Police spokesman Sgt. Troy Dangerfield said a middle-aged man entered the bank in the 100 block of California Street at about 11:40 a.m., threatened the bank manager with a gun and ordered everyone to the ground." more ›

Oh boy. We love us some upward growth. And how. While the City Planning Department completes its save-the-whales report (EIR) on the proposed 24-story structure at 350 Mission, yesterday they released renderings of what the new building will look like, with delightful results. more ›

Ah, what could have been but never was. That, in a steel-and-glass nutshell, is the Metreon, the monstrous beast at Fourth and Mission streets. Awkwardly shaped, dark interiors, stupefying walkways, confounding escalators -- the four-story 350,000 square foot megaplex, which opened in 1999, is an aesthetic and community failure. more ›

"Terrible Explosion and Loss of Life in San Francisco" roared the headline in the Placer Herald describing what happened 144 years ago today after stored nitroglycerin boxes at the Wells Fargo and Co. office exploded on California Street, causing widespread destruction. more ›

SFGate): "The San Francisco medical examiner's office identified the person killed in the shooting as 26-year-old Blair Henderson of San Francisco." No arrest have been made. more ›

Police are seeking the public's help with a series of bank robberies that have occurred since March 22 in downtown San Francisco. According to SFPD: more ›

"Bring It On" by Darwin Bell. more ›

Well, why the hell not at the Palace? Troy Holden, Chu's unofficial spokesperson, just sent out the following Twitter message of grave importance: "Frank Chu just called me and said he will be at Maxfield's in the Palace Hotel [2 New Montgomery] around 530 pm. He asked that everyone come there to celebrate." If the mood should strike, do stop by to buy him a drink in honor of his 50th birthday. more ›

"Grant and Post" by chartno3. more ›

Mean! Police are investigating two fires set inside USPS mailboxes set Wednesday night. The first fire, according to reports, occurred "in a mailbox standing near the corner of Sansome and Bush streets at around 2 a.m." The second happened in the 900 block of Pine. more ›

Canopy Financial, "a pioneer in innovative healthcare banking technology solutions that connect healthcare and financial services" at ranked no. 12 on the 2009 Inc. 500 list of fastest growing companies, is a total sham. more ›

Frank Chu and the "Jesus Loves You" guy seem to get all of the crazy-loon-with-crazier-sign attention. It's just not fair So, here's a shot of the sign that the guy at Powell and Market, near the cable car turnaround, has by his side screams "damned whore, repent!" at passersby. more ›