A month ago it was insight was into the plan to develop Parkmerced. And today, it’s insight into the plans of those who wish to preserve the “landmark”:
[Aaron Goodman, a tenant, architect and vice president of the Parkmerced Residents’ Organization] has submitted Parkmerced to the city’s landmarks designation program. If ultimately approved by the Landmarks Preservation Advisory Board and other city bodies, any construction or alterations would require review, and substantial demolition is unlikely to be allowed.
Of course the designation of landmarks is both subjective and sometimes suspect.
“It’s such a transparently cynical move for the NIMBYs to all of a sudden decide this is a treasured landmark,” [Gabriel Metcalf, executive director of SPUR] said. “Nobody in their right mind would believe that’s the real reason they’re doing this.”
And in this case, it certainly feels like it’s a way of life rather than an actual landmark that that the preservationists are trying to preserve.
∙ Planning For 5,700 New Homes In San Francisco’s Parkmerced [SocketSite]
∙ Grand green vision for S.F.’s Parkmerced [SFGate]
Surely the stunning and inventive architecture of Park Merced merits total and complete preservation and historic designation.
And now we know why San Francisco is full of shit.
Everyone says they want “more affordable housing” and everyone is quick to tell everyone else in the world how f*cking “environmental” we are.
But here’s a chance to increase density, turn an aging relic of a development into something that gets more people the rental and home ownership opportunites we need, does so in such a way that benefits the environment, and oh yeah, they’re ready to build a muni stop or two for us.
And what is the response? The Supervsior for the area craps all over it sight unseen, a pack of people in their stupid rent controlled housing once again fight like heck to keep anyone and everyone out so they can have theres (and oh wait, the developer was willing to rentcontrol the new, better units???) and our Mayor is too clueless to lead, and the hippies and liberals on the left won’t do anything unless there’s a payoff to their friends in the non profit community (see the Chris Daly Swindle and 1 Rincon Hill for that one) and you begin to realize why people outside of this city think we’re all a bunch of rich, lying jerks.
“people outside of this city think we’re all a bunch of rich, lying jerks.” I will add “stupid” to you list of adjectives.
amen!
Add Berkeley to your list, where a 18″ high gray concrete retaining wall is a “landmark”
“Surely the stunning and inventive architecture of Park Merced merits total and complete preservation and historic designation.”
Not to mention “total and complete preservation” of their subsidized rent control lifestyles.
Gee, I wonder why SF is the oldest city in the country. Preserving it for the greedy Boomers.