Rendering Reveal: The Future Home of a Tenderloin Grocer

Curbed SF — Mon, 9 Feb 2009 09:00:00 PST

Click the image above to view the full photogallery.

Transbay Blog calls them the "Tenderloin Trio," three just-finished or upcoming projects geared toward low-income or chronically homeless families. At the pace Tenderloin Neighborhood Development's going though, they won't be just a trio for long. The three: 125 Mason, its recently covered neighbor at 149 Mason, and a further off mixed-use project at Eddy and Taylor that should bring a much-needed grocer to the Tenderloin's liquor-store heaven (last we heard, Grocery Outlet was in talks, after British grocer Fresh & Easy took one look and bailed). The plan is for 143 units, split between one-, two-, and three-bedrooms, plus bicycle parking. The chipper design you're looking at is courtesy architects David Baker + Partners, the guys responsible for the award-winning Curran House Apartments just a few yards down. Looks like the three musketeers will have to wait for the third though— ETA is 2012.
Tenderloin Trio Takes Shape [Transbay Blog]
Construction Watch: Homing the Chronically Homeless [Curbed SF]
More for the 'Loin: Groceries for All! [Curbed SF]
Call it Home [Curbed SF]

[Renderings courtesy David Baker + Partners]

—Andy J. Wang

Construction Watch: Homing the Chronically Homeless

Curbed SF — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 11:30:00 PST

Glittering high-rises: it's been fun, but we're seeing someone else now. Yep, affordable housing is the new luxury condo. The expensive projects have all been kicked in the face and left behind, which leaves buildings meant for seniors, families down on their luck, and the chronic homeless dominating the construction scene. See: 66 9th, 1390 Mission, and subject of today's Construction Watch, 149 Mason, a Glide project featuring 56 studios for the chronic homeless. Each will go for about $300 rent, with the rest being subsidized by the city. When last we checked in November, the site was just a hole in the ground. Looks like they're making pretty solid progress. Completion's targeted for the end of the year, according to Glide's website.
Glide: 149 Mason St. [Curbed SF]
Construction Watch: Mason Street Housing [Curbed SF]
Construction Watch: Fun with Rebar at 66 9th Street [Curbed SF]
Construction Watch: Fin Just Needs Yellow at 1390 Mission [Curbed SF]

—Andy J. Wang

The Roaming Drug-Free Zones of the Tenderloin: If busting a drug dealer in...

Curbed SF — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 15:15:00 PST

If busting a drug dealer in the Tenderloin is something "like shooting fish in a barrel," then Tenderloin cops are taking their firearms on a field trip to the aquarium. Taking a page from D.C., the city's starting up a new program to establish moveable drug-free zones in the Tenderloin, giving cops broader authority to make arrests based on the "reasonable" suspicion that deals have gone down— rather than having to sight actual transactions. Says a Tenderloin police captain: "At least the Police Department will have a hammer to move them someplace else." Well, now that we've solved that problem... [SF Gate]

—Andy J. Wang

Condo for Olds Gets Flack for Selling to Youngs: It's no secret the condo sector...

Curbed SF — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 15:45:00 PST

It's no secret the condo sector isn't doing so hot as of late. But have sales been cold enough to forgo the law? Well, uh, yes -- at least in the case of 1314 Polk Street. The Frank Norris Place complex was supposed to be senior housing, but as sales cooled, the building decided, hey, why not just sell to anyone willing to buy? Now the city is pissed and the youngs are suing. Enter youthful purchaser Paul Ratner. "We felt like we were making a good decision to buy, but we got hosed basically by greed." Poor guy has so much to learn about America -- the greed turns the circle, friend! [SF Business Times]

—Susie Cagle