San Francisco Commercial Real Estate News: “The Scoop”

This just in from a intrepid, and obviously waterproof reader:

Here’s a shot of what’s going down on 18th right now. Gus Van Sant is hardcore. It’s pouring down absolutely pouring down rain, and yet crews are crawling all over the building, painting the marquee. Makes me nervous just to watch. Across the street, two guys are hard at work on some serious decorative painting— they’re restoring Toad Hall’s facade to look like it did back then. Somebody bring these boys a coffee! Oh, and let your readers know that the Glass Coffin will still be open during filming. I was a little worried there for a minute.

“Impressively enough, the painters are working from this photograph of the old school Toad Hall. It’s taped to the window, and it looks like the place might even be open for business.”

East Bay bicyclists get all the breaks. First there was the new path on the Bay Bridge Eastern span, which is good for…going to Yerba Buena Island to, uh…watch fireworks? Anyway, now, at a time when most bike plans in San Francisco are now on hold awaiting the mythical EIR, there’s more bike news coming from the EB this week with the expansion of the BART station locker program. By this coming July, 200 new electronic bike lockers will be installed throughout East Bay Bart stations and there are already 400 people on the waiting list for the lockers. Luckily, these lockers don’t work like the current ones, which are rented by the year to individuals— whether they’re using them or not. Instead, key-cards will be used to open an unoccupied locker, allowing for multiple users. Benefits include an increased bicycle storage capacity at BART stations, shorter waiting lists, and a hopeful reduction of solo drivers to BART stations. Love ‘em or hate em’, the number of Bay Area bikers is on the rise and area govs seem to be responding — albeit slowly — to this fast-growing demographic.
· BART preps electronic bike lockers [Inside Bay Area]
· New Lanes Now: SF Bikers Protest, Receive Good, Bad News [Curbed SF]

[bikes on BART via flickr photog zacc.AWB]

Then: $2,995,000
Now: $2,649,000
You Save!: $346,000
Deets: Number 73 Miguel was chopped last week, and now it’s little brother’s turn. On the market since November, the oh-so-modern 2,890 square foot Glen Park home made it’s debut at just under $3 million. Offering an impressive 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, and 5 — count ‘em 5 — decks, 71 Miguel also comes with astounding views of the city…BUT it’s located in the middle of Section 8 turf, so you might want to put your wallet in your sock when walking home. Might this just be a contributing factor to the chop?

Oh yes.

· 71 Miguel St [MLS]
· 71 Miguel [website]
· The Backside, View, And Rather Big “Right Pricing” Up On Miguel [Socketsite]

[Images courtesy 71 Miguel website]

Says a (presumably) Castro resident, in response to yesterday’s post on an a residential addition near Douglass Stairs: “The bottom line is that they need to move out to the burbs where they can build the McMansion of their dreams. The Castro has no tolerance for selfish, spacehog breeders.” And about that flag . . .

We thought yesterday’s Craigslist find was a dooze. And then we logged on today. Three roommates are offering a “small and closet like [room] with a perverse, enduring and everlasting charm.” “This room,” says the listing “has served the needs of countless roommates, forcing them into becoming recluses and enacting their inherent womb instinct.” Oh, and the house also shelters a cat who’s constantly in heat. Nice. In order to rent this space— which may be had for $385, by the way— prospective tenants are asked to respond to the following questions:

1) “It’s raining outside and your lonely and for some reason we’re not home. You lift the glass to your mouth and you take a sip of _________ .”

2) “It’s raining outside and your lonely and for some reason we’re not home. You press play on the stereo and _________ .”

3) “It’s raining outside and your lonely and for some reason we’re not home. You have six feet of ¾’ polyethylene tubing, a cup of rice and ductape you decide to make _________ .”

“We look forward to your exhaustive and amusing reply.” And yes, this picture is attached to the ad.
· $385 A room. In a flat. (mission district) [Craigslist]

Hey, if agents, appraisers, developers, and maybe even the construction crew itself can get away with misrepresenting the size of a condo, why can’t the city? A tipster pointed us to 855 Folsom Street # 741, a sadsack condo at the Yerba Buena Lofts designated as part of the city’s Inclusionary Affordable Housing Program. This unit, which at $344,983 ($366 HOA) sells for half the cost of a market rate place, was initially listed as a two-bedroom unit (even though it only has one—i.e. dens and/or closets are being passed off as second bedrooms). The first agent refused to market it as such, and the December 31st application deadline has long passed, with no sale. As only a two-person household may buy a two bedroom unit, the condo remains on the market, re-listed once more as a two bedroom. As our tipster notes, in order to accept a single buyer, the city would have to accept culpability for knowingly misrepresenting the size. Shady.
· 855 Folsom Street #741 [Mayor’s Office of Housing listing]

Who amongst the can decipher these plans? Speak!

Batten down the hatches, SoMa-ites: following today’s meeting of the city festival planning department, the Howard Street Fair (a.k.a. How Weird Street Faire) may be sent down the river from its 12th and Howard digs to 2nd and Howard following the protests of noise-adverse locals. Festival organizers are happy about the proximity to bars and lack of MUNI conflict, while city officials honestly believe that noise won’t be a problem. [SF Examiner]

Following on the heels of Tuesday’s article on the subject of North Beach NIMBYism and blatant hatred for frozen yogurt, we were wondering why, exactly, the Chron’s C.W. Nevius filed what is essentially the same piece twice. No new news here— except for North Beach Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Marsha Garland’s blatant (and absolutely shocking) disregard for the law. It turns out that not only does Marsha heart the Pottery Barn (and— just admit it, Marsh— the Marina) she also doesn’t give a F&#k whether Yul Kwon obtained his permits while Red Mango had only four franchises or not — even if he can prove it. “I don’t really believe that,” said Garland. And if it were true? asked Nevius. “I’d still fight it,” claimed Marsha, Marsha, Marsha.

No shame in that game, eh? Planning Commissioner Mike Antonini has jumped into the ring, warning that regardless of whether the permitting process lead to Kwon’s failure or not, the NB should be a little more judicious about the message its sending to San Francisco and beyond. Long time NB landlord Richard Hanlin sums it up: “They wish it was still 1950. Well so do I. In 1950 I had hair and could lift 400 pounds. It ain’t coming back, folks.” Is this nabe going to hell in a (alcohol and fro-yo-free) hand basket or what?
· North Beach ties up ‘Survivor’ winner [SF Gate]
· North Beach Story, Part Deux: Nabe Rallies Against Fro-Yo Chain [Curbed SF]

The beige is killing us and the floor plan looks a little awkward, but this three-story SoMA loft does have a few things going for it. Most notably a private roof deck complete with hot tub. For $1,195,000, or $678 / square feet, you can bask in city views while drinking bubbly in the bubbles and watching the city rise before you. This newly listed 2 bedroom/2 bathroom/2 parking space (nice!) loft is a 1996 renovation of the SORG printing house. Oh, and if you ask nicely (Read: $$$), they’ll even throw in the pool table, although there’s no word on the neon “8ball” light. If you blur your vision and imagine it with a little more color and new furniture, you can really start to see the potential in this one.
· 345 346 1st St. [MLS]

Introducing EveryBlock, the latest ingenue on the mapping game scene. The idea— and it’s a noble one— is that one may search for nabes according to name, address, or zip code; EveryBlock creates a newsfeed of mashed-up data for that ‘hood. Recent resto inspections, crime reports, and— get this— Craigslist “Missed Connections” posts are only some of what might find while tooling around the ‘hood. Given our recent obsession with North Beach (and EveryBlock’s collection of building permit and zoning item agendas) we searched the nabe to some avail: Tonight’s Peskin performance comes up zero, but there are a hell of a lot of building permits scattered about the nabe. Hmmm . . .
· EveryBlock SF [EveryBlock]
· Cool New Thing: EveryBlock’s Neighborhood Newsfeeds [Curbed]