With San Francisco’s ambitious Central SoMa Plan moving closer to adoption, which could clear the way for Kilroy’s massive redevelopment of the existing San Francisco Flower Mart site, plans to (temporarily) relocate the Flower Mart are in the works.
As proposed, the Chronicle’s former 50,000-square-foot printing plant at 2000 Marin Street, on the northern edge of Bayview, will be demolished and a temporary 115,000-square-foot Flower Mart facility will rise upon the site.
The move is expected to be made in late 2019 with the Mart expected to relocate back to Central SoMa when the redevelopment of the existing Flower Mart parcel is complete, around 2023.
Long-term plans for the 2000 Marin Street parcel, which is slated to be deeded to the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission in exchange for another Central SoMa site, have yet to be formally established, but at least one party is expecting it to be redeveloped as “open space.”
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“…expecting it to be redeveloped as ‘open space.’ ”
Seems like a bizarre place for open space.
agreed. Only if there is a plan for transitioning this area to residential (not only this site, but also property across Cesar Chavez), and I’m not aware of that, at all. Barring that, the only kind of open space I can envision would be a ball fields complex; those uses are woefully under provided in this side of the City, and strangely next to nothing was set aside in Mission Bay or other transitioning areas. The City should really find somewhere central to provide that….new soccer fields in particular would be very well used.
I remember reviewing [SPUR’s Islais Creek report] awhile back, but it didn’t reach all the way to Cesar Chavez.
Wonder why they want to move it back? As the city changes this seems a better location for the flower market permanently.
[Editor’s Note: Deal Reached For Massive Flower Mart Re-Development]
Agreed. It’s a similar situation as the Design District. I’ve spoken with a number of folks in the interior design world who say, as they are encroached upon by tech offices (Pinterest, AirBnb etc) they’d rather just all relocate together to one giant area like the Cow Palace. It’s more important to them that they are all together than it is to be hyper central. I suppose it’s great that the Flower Mart got a great long term lease, but it still doesn’t make sense there.
FYI: there are apparently toxins on the site and a recorded covenant against the residential use of part or all of the site.
no surprise on the toxins, but remediation is always a possibility. Don’t see how you could permanently disallow residential if they were ever cleaned up.
*Sigh* I guess this spells the end of the Flower Market Cafe. Better get down there for the best Joe’s Special in town before they close.
Mmm! Joe’s Special! You must be a native.
Agreed. It sounds like six months before anything changes at the current location. I need to go to Fantastico for some craft items, I’ll go to the Cafe after and get brunch. See you there.
Thanks for that comment, Patrick. It means a lot to me. Just celebrated 30 years at the mart and still going.
Sincerely
Mark Bechelli
Owner
“Long-term plans for the 2000 Marin Street parcel, which is slated to be deeded to the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission”…. WHY? Don’t they control enough of SF already? Will it become a parking lot for their employees or equipment? Who is watching the store?
As we outlined in the second half of that sentence, “in exchange for another Central SoMa site.” And while yet to be formally established, the parcel on Marin is expected to be redeveloped as “open space.”
this mornings random nostalgia nugget: Looked up joes special as I no comprende, and lo and behold, it’s a thing.
But, sorry, I just can’t.
Why on earth would they tear down the old Chronicle printing plant building just to build a new temporary building for the Flower Mart?! This plan seems totally wasteful! Why not just use the old building for the temporary Flower Mart? – it even has loading docks already…
UPDATE: Deals for Massive Flower Mart Redevelopment Inked
UPDATE: New San Francisco Flower Mart Closer to Reality