A preliminary proposal for a new seven-story mixed-use building at 1525 Pine Street could mean the end of a longstanding eatery: The Grubstake, known to SFist for its fine patty melt and selection of Portuguese menu items.

The space, a diner since 1927 partly constructed from an old rail car, changed hands last month when longtime owners Fernando and Linda Santo sold their operation to Nick Pigott of nearby Mayes Oyster House.

"We’re going to take over and run it as is,” Pigott told Inside Scoop. “Nobody is going to notice a difference. We’re going to maintain the status quo.”

Unfortunately, the SF status quo seems to involve knocking down cool stuff to build housing and stuff. Not that housing is so bad, but some things, like The Grubstake, would be a pity to lose — and though no one is saying that the demolition for a mixed-used building is a certainty, it's now a distinct possibility. Last year, plans for a big new condo tower next door to GrubStake were recommended for approval. And now it seems like Pigott is exploring a similar option to keep up with his high-rise neighbors.

Hoodline caught a Preliminary Planning Assessment for the project, filed with Pigott's permission to the San Francisco Planning Department. The plan: A 65-foot tall building with a roof deck and 28 residential units (17,704 square feet in total), plus 1,955 square feet of retail space in two ground-floor storefronts.

Still, the concern could be misplaced. "The plan is to keep The Grubstake," said Pigott's business partner Johnny "Love" Metheny. "There is a lot of uncertainty in the neighborhood and we're just keeping our options open...The first time I went to Grubstake was 30 years ago. I love the place... The next step is to get in there and operate The Grubstake."

Fine, but what's the next step after that?

Previously: Big New Condo Building To Tower Over The Grubstake On Pine