A reader notes that one “Chicken John” will be holding a political fundraiser this evening at “La Casa Verde.” And if the location (corner of 25th and Alabama) and design (a showcase for green tech) sound strangely familiar, well…they should (at least if you’re plugged-in).
[Editor’s Note: This should not be construed as any type of political endorsement. But comments are encouraged (about the house, not Chicken John) should you attend.]
∙ Sunset’s 2007 San Francisco Idea House: 3027 25th Street [SocketSite]
∙ La Casa Verde, the showcase house for green tech [voteforchicken.com]
La Casa Verde is a construction site. The owner is welcoming guests for a brief walkthrough of the site. She is doing this to benefit a local artist in his campaign to draw attention to the state of the arts in SF. NO CAMERAS WILL BE PERMITTED. Please don’t encourage people to violate this.
[Editor’s Note: Mea Culpa and encouragement redacted (we honestly never saw any mention of a “no camera policy” on the voteforchicken website).]
Oooooh. Me likey! I’ve just moved from Maryland and not sure what Sunset is but does this mean that this home will be for sale? Any idea how much?
I am all for interesting exterior colors, but why THOSE colors?
[Editor’s Note: The purple appears to have been a base coat and is going grey (as we type).]
We don’t care how “green” this may or may not be, it is a bad fit for the neighborhood.
It is plain ugly ugly ugly.
The project sponsor obviously did NO neighborhood outreach.
And hey, does Code really allow a gas tank to be buried in a residential neighborhood??
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Re-post from a previous entry:
The owner never did a Pre-App meeting, and when the plywood sheathing went up around the exterior siding, we thought it was to protect the facade. Little did we know that what they were doing inside of that wall of sheathing was what seems to have been an illegal demolition.
The Building Inspector says that there is nothing we can do about any of this.
We call the Monster on the Corner various things; the most obvious is “the refrigerator.”
Another of us says it reminds him of Ren & Stimpy. I think he says that because it’s so ugly, with no redeeming neighborhood character whatsoever. Or maybe because it’s the ghastly color(s) on unremittingly cheap composite siding.
Leafing through the Architectural Design Guidelines,
http://www.sfgov.org/site/planning_index.asp?id=29558
what stands out are the sheer number of items which are “out of compliance,” “out of character,” “out of place” in contrasting this structure with the house which was demolished.
It’s difficult to say which of the many many Design Guidelines/ Design Principles it violates are the most egregious, but perhaps in the two top positions may be
– the lack of a 15-foot 3rd-storey setback,
– the bad fit with the rest of the neighborhood in each and every Design Guideline category.
The sheer Ren & Stimpy refrigerator-ness of it is appalling, and as we learned today we are looking forward to a windmill rising in its backyard which will tower over 15 feet over all surrounding structures. Aren’t we lucky to have this as a neighbor!
We know this was supposed to be “green,” but we know from the trash blowing around the neighborhood during construction that the builders took no care to contain the materials and trash.
It will be beautiful when sunset backs off and the owner can do what she wants
by the way i know for a fact that it is all legal and up to code
“No redeeming neighborhood character”?
“Bad fit with the rest of the neighborhood”?
“NO neighborhood outreach”?
In provincial San Francisco?
BRING IT ON!
(PS Don’t we need to hear about “The Community” as well as “The Neighborhood”?)
CRS’s comments go far to explain why San Francisco neighborhoods are so full of mediocre buildings. The builder of La Casa Verde has lived there for 9 years; Her vision of green transformation elevates us all.
1st LEED Certified PLATINUM residence/remodel/duplex etc. Yes, SF can lead the way forward.
Word in the neighborhood is that the builder has run out of money.
Odd you should say that considering the incredible amount of progress on the building since this last post.
BTW, I live in the neighborhood and happen to know that a lot of the neighbors love the house. I also recieved a 311 notice about the project few years ago. I know that the building took a few years to get permits due the historic review and design revisions requested by the planning department.
Not really sure where all of you get your miss-information but it is all public record; just look it up.
Nevermind, I get it. It is more fun to make up bullshit and gossip than talk about facts.
Hey J. Paul…by chance you wouldn’t be the same Jeremy Paul of Quick Draw that has advertising up on the building would you????
You should check your facts on the Platinum Level LEED certification….don’t think it made it there with all the water usage (spas, pools, endless # of baths), plus the ridiculous amounts of lights. silver maybe but platinum?
And if it did make it to platinum, where can the rest of us see proof of such a feat?
all the water is recycled is what i heard when i toured the house that it is rain water filling most of those things