A burned-out and long-blighted property facing Washington Square Park in North Beach is finally going to see a partial demolition and redevelopment, following an appeal from a single North Beach resident.

The Verdi Building, also known locally as the Coit Liquors building, at 659 Union Street, was gutted by fires in both 2013 and 2018. Plans were filed seven years ago to redevelop the property into 23 rental units with a rooftop restaurant, but owner Jeff Jurow told the Chronicle last year that those plans were no longer feasible due to rising construction costs.

We don't know Jurow and his partners' exact plans for the property, only that he has inquired about the state's density-bonus program. But as of two weeks ago, he has gotten the all-clear from the city's Board of Appeals to move forward with a partial demolition of the building and its facade — parts of which are being held up by braces, and have prompted sidewalk closures and the relocation of bus stop due concerns it will collapse.

The appeal, as the Chronicle reports, was filed by neighborhood resident Theresa Flandrich, who argued that Jurow was actually seeking to demolish the entire building. And it was only the latest in a series of obstacles to addressing the burned-out hull of the building, given a historic district designation in the neighborhood and loud pushback from preservationists and neighborhood groups.

The Telegraph Hill Dwellers and the North Beach Tenants Committee have led that pushback, arguing that Jurow's firm, Red Bridge Partners, is legally required to rehouse any tenants who were impacted by the 2018 fire at the building, and raising concerns about new shadows that could be created by a taller structure on the property.

Supervisor Danny Sauter, who represents the neighborhood, has supported the partial demolition and applauded the rejection of the appeal.

"When we have experts telling us something is an imminent hazard to the public, it is our responsibility as a city to take action," Sauter said in a statement.

Jurow told the California Post two weeks ago that his firm intends to maintain some of the brick facade of the historic building, and that he hopes to provide "a path" to re-housing former tenants.

"We are committed to finding a path to return these tenants to the building," Jurow said, per the Post. "Regardless if there is a legal right to return, we want to find a path."

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