Our VIP coverage of Heritage on Fillmore sparked an email from an Alamo Square resident concerned with the general development of the neighborhood (“[I’m] disappointed by the lack of vision and activity in this stretch [of Fillmore]”.
The “plugged in” reader provides “5 Suggestions To Turn Around Fillmore”:
1. Destroy McDonald’s — Develop mid-rise condos – mixed use (OK McDonald’s on bottom floor if we must)
2. Northern Police station across street – HUGE waste of prime residential space. Obscene & in-your-face govt use of almost an entire block for parking. Develop 15-story condo w/police station on ground floor – (this lot can accommodate several hundred units -it’s huge).
3. PGE Substation. Upzone it for more than the slated 37 units.
4. Upzone Japantown — what’s with the whole 1 story block across from Japantown? This is a key intersection w/fine transit. What about adding 3 stories of condos on top of that depressing dreary & sad mall? Reconfiguring the mall with housing on top (in even a more authentic design) has to be the future.
5. Kill KFC and the one-story mini-mall on Steiner and Geary — if ever there were a perfect developable corner across from park, – great transit, views, no cars needed.
Any other suggestions, insight, or thoughts on the area? (Comments so much as hinting at changes to The Fillmore will be summarily deleted…)
∙ Heritage On Fillmore: The VIP Scoop [SocketSite]
This person is more than correct.
There is so much development potential in this area. From wasted parking lots, to one story buildings, the area should be upzoned to allow much more residential density.
What better way to support the unique shops of Japantown than with foot traffic and patronage?
What better way to support the City’s transit first policy and environment than building density where public transportation already exists?
The area feels desolate because the streets are wide and auto-centric, the buildings are low and sterile, and there is minimal pedestrian activity. These actions would solve all those problems.
Totally agreed. McDonald’s is nothing but a magnet for bums.
There certainly is the potential for a vibrant, pedestrian/transit-oriented neighborhood here. And while we are at it, lets redo the Hamilton recreation center which is in terrible condition.
Toured the new Yoshi’s with the developer last weekend. The place is going to be amazing. With shows 7 days a week, 365 days a year, it could be just what the doctor ordered for reviving that stretch of lower Fillmore.
yes. yes. yes.