As plugged-in and eagle-eyed people know, renderings for “1600 Harrison” have sat perched in the Stanley Saitowitz | Natoma Architects portfolio for a couple of years, a site otherwise known as 398 12th Street. And yes, that’s the address of The Eagle.
And while The Eagle is rumored to have been on the market since the beginning of the year, as far as we know a buyer has yet to swoop in and no permits have been filed for development. So who has the inside scoop?
Oh man, what about the Sunday beer bust?! I’ll miss the Eagle…
I have no idea if there was financial mismanagement that put the Eagle on the chopping block, or complaints from the next-door fancy-pants lofts caused too many problems, or anything similar, and obviously that’s too bad, if so. But purely from a planning perspective, this is bonkers. There is a gigantic parking lot RIGHT ACROSS 12th STREET, and across Harrison, an entire block putrefies behind a razor wire fence, a small portion occupied only intermittently by overflow U-Haul trucks. Explain to me why tearing anything down, ramshackle gay bar or otherwise, makes any sense whatsoever when there are so many other options? And if anyone says “because some elderly gay dudes might get just a teensy bit noisy on Sundays between 3 and 6pm, and no-one would build across the street from that” you’re getting a slap.
[Editor’s Note: With respect to that parking lot across the street: Plugged-In Readers Ask, Plugged-In Readers Answer (We Hope).]
Dear Santa,
What I want is inspiration for a new vernacular.
I have been a good boy.
Yours Sincerely,
Stanley Saitowitz.
Is someone going to say this sky came from Seattle or Vancouver?
Doggie, nope the reason that nothing much gets done in orderly or timely fashion in Western SOMA is because Jim Meko and Chris Daly would never abide the fact that the property owner of that large empty parcel down the street from Eagle wants to build market rate anything. The owner is hoping for better political times, but that will never happen. Oh, also because Meko is the “citizen planner” in charge of the Western SOMA planning task force. The plan essentially is a “what you see is what you get” plan. If the Meko plan is adopted by the Planning Commission it is Status Quo in Western SOMA.
Build it.
It’s NOT HAPPENING. There was a rumor spreading during the summer that the Eagle was for up for sale and was going to get turned in to condos. But I heard from employees that it’s definitely going to remain a bar.
BTW – the Eagle has an even better beer garden than Zeitgeist — check it out Thursday nights — it’s actually a very mixed crowd then — not so much on Sundays. 🙂
Say it isn’t so. My mispent youth and middle age has been squandered in that fabulous bar. Where are the NIMBY’s when you need them. This should be a historical landmark if it is not already. Build all the crap you want across the street but not here.
They came for Ringold and I said nothing, they came for Dore Alley and I said nothing. Now they are coming for the Eagle and enough is enough.
We have not yet begun to fight.
Everyone loves to point fingers… So silly. “It’s the hispters, or wait, this time it’s the fancy pants loft yuppies…”
It is sort of sickening that people can hold onto surface lots for so long.
Crazy old, gay dudes or not… It’s kind of unfortunate to see anything with so much character, go away.
I can certainly see The Eagle getting badgered by jerky people next door. Just ask the folks up the street at Lone Star Saloon… the nitwits behind them bought lofts overlooking a bar patio that has existed for decades and suddenly got all uppity, forcing them to take down all their speakers and lights… making the patio a lot less entertaining. When I’m there I make sure to make rude gestures towards the denizens upstairs… knowing them they’ll petition to have me raise my other 4 fingers in the interest in neighborhood quality of life.
The buildings occupants as in the drawing:
Pop. Six. Squish. Uh uh. Cicero. Lipshitz.
Wh of all these SS drawings remind me of Jail?
SW — You’re an idiot and you don’t know what you’re talking about. The building behind the Lone Star isn’t lofts. It’s actually a massive single family house and the owners are totally OK with Lone Star. One of the owners is a metal sculptor and makes tons of noise and actually wanted a house in an area that had a ton of noise so no one would complain about her.
I like the Eagle but that bathroom has always scared me.
Stanley with regrets– this one is painfully uninspired, heavy and dreadful, deeply boring, FU-everyone-who’s-looking and love-me-if-you-dare welcoming.
In a word. No.
(Loving few blocks over tho 15th & SVN)
I think the building “dialogs” well with the chain link fenced lot across the street.
Dream on. This is never, never, never going to happen.
Isn’t the Eagle a historic resource, part of the “gay-themed” West SOMA potential historic district? There ain’t no way this fine building gets torn down!
That corner, Harrison @ Division (13th), is a major connector between Soma and the Mission, and is packed with traffic most of the day. Cannot imagine anyone wanting to live across a narrow sidewalk from a constantly busy and loud traffic queue whilst dealing with additional 24/7 freeway overpass noise not 50′ away.
G: Then explain to me why the Lone Star was told to remove it’s speakers from the back patio. The owners told me that it was because the new, as in the last two years, residents behind the patio complained.
Complaints from the condos next door to the Eagle have been filed as well, for years, but their sound system outdoors remains intact.
Sign on door: “CLOSED Thank you for all the wonderful years.” Scanning the street for a bulldozer…
No condos…at least for now. Just the usual issues between landlord and bar owner (separate parties).