While it’s true that the proposed Fairmont Hotel Revitalization And Tower Rebuilding Project would in fact result in the demolition of the Tonga Room, and the Planning Department’s Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) identifies the Tonga Room as a historic resource to be addressed, there are alternatives.
Alternative B: “All character-defining features of the Tonga Room would be dismantled, relocated, and reinstalled within the new podium structure below the new Grand Ballroom, or along Powell Street on Levels B4 and B5.”
Alternative C: “Under Alternative C, some of the character-defining features of the Tonga Room, which has been identified as an historic resource under CEQA, would be dismantled, relocated, and reinstalled to an approximately 1,200 to 1,400 square-foot space adjacent to the California and Powell Streets entrance on Level B3 of the new podium structure.”
And if neither of those alternatives are embraced, there are ways to mitigate the impact.
If the affected historic resource (Tonga Room) can neither be preserved at its current site, nor moved to an alternate site and it is to be demolished, a conservation team that meets the Secretary of the Interior’s Professional Qualification Standards shall document, stabilize, and salvage the character-defining features, associated with the affected historic resource, for their storage in a secure climate-controlled location and in a manner to be protected from accelerated deterioration, theft, vandalism, damage, rodents and pests, or adverse environmental conditions.
Character-defining features noted as ephemeral finishes, such as wallpaper and the significant features of the lagoon, which are found in large quantities, do not need to be salvaged in their entirety. They shall be salvaged in quantities suitable for educational purposes and/or replication in an alternate location. The documentation, stabilization, and salvage program shall removal and retention all of the Tonga Room’s character-defining features for public information and education, and/or reuse in an alternate off-site location.
Of course there’s also Alternative A: No Project. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.
I can’t parse that legalese to understand whether “character defining features” includes the fake lagoon and rainstorms. The Tiki kitsch can easily be preserved and moved, but reconstruction of those water features are going to cost. I hope that the developer is not trying to weasel out of building a new lagoon.
The smart and sensitive thing to do would be to save it and recreate – possibly improve? – the Tonga Room near street level of the new complex. They could immediately both improve street level retail/restaurant appeal of the new building AND make those of us who like the Tonga Room happy! Oh and some history is preserved.
Maybe they can install some 1950’s era library shelves in one corner…
I hope either alternative mentioned would suffice. I went to the Tonga Room last week for the first time, really hoping to like it: I did for about 5 minutes. I have to say, sadly, that I wouldn’t miss it.
When we were served our drinks and food: what a letdown. First I ordered the Mai Tai. I tried it here because it was touted as “the best in SF”. Suffice to say I’ve had many, many better and cheaper mai tais elsewhere. Next, the ahi poke: just ok. The worst, though, was the huli huli chicken. I am from Hawaii; I know what it’s supposed to be: open grilled to slightly burnt, basted with soy sauce and spices. I got Chinese sweet and sour chicken. I asked the server whether I had gotten the wrong dish. He replied, “No, that’s Tonga Room style.” YIKES!
If you want authentic Polynesian island-style cuisine, Hukilau (or Hawaiian Drive-In, for gosh sakes) is better. As for ambiance, for best effect, please visit Hawaii or better yet, Tonga! Two recommendations in Hawaii: House without a Key at Halekulani in Waikiki, and the Mandarin Oriental Kahala (formely Hilton). Both right on the beach with plenty of water features. You might have to wait a while for the thunder, though!
SomaSoldier: People don’t go to the Tonga Room for any of those things.
And I wouldn’t be getting all snooty about their recipes when you’re ordering sweet and sour anything.
Update: My second restaurant recommendation should have been the Kahala Resort. There are several restaurants there, but I believe the one we did was Hoku’s.
http://www.kahalaresort.com/about-kahala.cfm
http://www.halekulani.com/dining/house_without_a_key/
EH: the menu item was “Huli Huli Chicken”. It’s not sweet-and-sour in any shape or form.
Nothing snooty (or snotty) about wanting authentic food with your kitsch.
What will save the Tonga Room is get rid of the restaurant and go full bar and lounge feel. Remove those tables and offer more comfortable seating. Lower the drink prices and serve more.
The environment is there just needs to be adjusted to current demands by party goers.
Table and chairs with a restaurant feel wont cut it.
If it was making money The Fairmont would figure out other options to save it.
And play a lot of Martin Denny, Les Baxter and Arthur Lyman
The plan for the preservation of the tonga room features sounds better than how they are presently kept. This place is not worth salvaging unless they bring it up to standards. As it stands now, it’s a tourist trap with bad food and over priced / too small drinks. I’m all for preservation of artifacts with historical relevance, but I do not condone the artificial preservation of a business that should fail. I’d love to see this place turned into a little more upscale and kid friendly establishment with better food / entertainment features. It could be a good strategy.
“Kid friendly” ?
No thanks, thats what The Rain Forest Cafe is for.
Tonga Room should be an adult playground full of ritals and savage 🙂
Go Chango !!
adult playground? that’s what the tenderloin is for.
LOL
not that type 🙂
All these preservation initiatives should read as they are:
Should we preserve the fantastic several hours you had as a youth in said establishment so that you may feel like there is a controllable aspect to the passage of time and your own inevitable decline due to aging?
SF is all caught up in the past and terrified of looking to the future.
Joe is right. SF IS terrified of the future. Its in every move made and mostly not made in this city. The preservationists should have to contribute to saving those elements that they think are so important when the owners of failing businesses don’t want to invest in them. Put up or shut up. I like the idea of resurrecting the Tonga Room in the North Beach branch library.
Next up, the Tiki period. Save all the Trader Vic’s. How about the Jamba Juice period – those fast-paced 90’s that we will be nostalgic for in 2030. Save absolutely everything. Build nothing. No change…ever. Its the BANANA syndrome: Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anything.
I [love] the Tonga room, and not because the food is good (it isn’t) or because the drinks are so fantastic (they’re not).
I love the Tonga room because the ensemble is fantastic. Karen Carpenter coming from the floating island lounge band, fake rain, thunder… ballroom dancing… it’s divine.
I hope it lives on. That said, it’s not a historic landmark as I understand that term. It’s a kitsch dive.
They can move it to my house, but I really hope that this matter does not hold up this project.
I dont happen to like the tonga room at all, not even a little. and would not miss it.
having said that, the alternative preservation methods are gratuitous and would not result and any kind of bona fide preservation.
the city has to decide yes or no on things like this, and start dealing with issues head-on not on this nuanced, academic, list of bad , half-way alternatives.
I went to the Tonga Room. Once.
Logical thing would be to move it to the east bay where all of the bridge and tunnel folks who frequent it live anyhow, reduce the commute and leave us in the city with a nice space for something exciting, like say, another wine bar!
^^^ Naw, the east bay already has the excellent Forbidden Island in Alameda.
Attempting to save fake tiki kitch is actually hilarious, post modernism at it’s finest: let’s preserve what amounts to a caricature of a caricature! The only worse idea I can think of is a feeble attempt to ‘update’ the tiki kitch with elements of a more modern wine bar or something. Yikes.
I dont think people care if its a caricature of a caricature. It’s SF, its all emotion all the time and zero rationale.