May 1, 2010

Tidbits: What's Up on 24th Street?


Don't Block Noe Stakeout The guy with a clipboard at the corner of Noe and 24th today was not your usual member of the clipboard brigade. It was a local resident collecting signatures for the "Don't Block Noe" plaza protest. We saw quite a few people stop to talk - and more than a few signed too. For the record, it was sunny all up and down Noe St. and there were dozens of pedestrians and strollers - a perfect day to sit outside and enjoy the neighborhood.

New Mystery Store
Hint The space that used to hold Artsake appears to have rented. The windows are papered over and a simple sign in the window reads:
    • Heighten Your Senses
    • Surround Yourself with Beauty
    • Surrender to Fragrance
    • Impress Your Date
    • Treat Yourself
    • Learn Something New
Hmmm... sounds like a cross between an upscale spa/lifecoach office crossed with Aveda. Union Street, here we come.

Streetlight Records Space
Rented? The storefront is papered over and the for rent sign is down. Could it be that the former Streetlight space has finally rented for $12,000 a month? Please let it not be another realtor office or title company...

Lisa Violetto: Last Day May 3
The store is nearly empty and closed this weekend. A sign in the window says the store will be open one last time on Monday May 3 for last-minute shopping and good byes.

Update: Old Phoenix Books Space Rises Those hoping for a restaurant, cafe or other useful neighborhood service in the charming old Phoenix Books space will be disappointed with this one - the corner spot will soon become the new office of Alain Pinel realtors, "the preeminent purveyor of luxury homes in the San Francisco Bay Area." Maybe that's not surprising since the owner of the building is realtor Sue Bowie (at one point the building was reportedly for sale for $2.5 million).

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

More title companies! How can we have all these realtors and banks but so few title companies?

Oh, and if it makes anyone feel better, I'll happily take our version of the tea bag movement compared to the Obama-with-hitler-stash they had going on over in the Marina last weekend. Keep up the silly protest, Noe-thumbs-down guy!

murphstahoe said...

I think the new Green "Keep Noe Open" sign will poll better. The fingernail on that thumb freaks me out.

Just saying....

Anonymous said...

What are commercial rents on the street? Is this $12,000 snark or for reals?

Mission Local says $2 to $3 per foot on Valencia.

http://missionlocal.org/2010/05/business-sense-on-valencia-st/

What's the going rate in Noe Valley?

oddnoc said...

Bummer about the old Phoenix location. It could have been something much more fun, but scuttlebutt says the landlord had a change of heart at the last minute.

Anonymous said...

ACCORDING TO THE VOICE-a florist will appear at the "mystery store" (where artsake was) and a woman's boutique will emerge in the Streetlight space. The real mystery is what will become of Real Food's space. How about a bowling alley?

Anonymous said...

No--the Phoenix space was priced at $2.25 mil

cr said...

Movie theater! Better yet, theater pub.

Teen activity center: poolhall, arcade, no alcohol.

Elizabeth Street Brewery.

Art collective / performance space.

Anonymous said...

This may or may not be a bit off topic. It relates to the proposed Noe St. plaza.

Did anyone read the letter from John Murphy pontificating and ranting on and on about the notion that the plaza is THE only solution, and that he is right. period. period.

Oh, and that we are "special" in our little valley. Fact is, we are no more "special" than Glen Park, or Bernal, or Twin Peaks, or Potrero Hill, etc. Each neighborhood is unique, with good and not so good qualities.

god, what a bunch of arrogant, self-centered bs. talk about feeling entitled.

As others have stated very professionally and eloquently, you don't just push a so called "trial plaza" on the neighborhood with the intent of circumventing legitimate and important planning and traffic studies. It's irresponsible and smacks of sweeping public due process under the rug.

Quite simply, the so called "trial plaza" is not, by any stretch of clever words a "bold experiment" as Mr. Murphy states.

It is a quick, sneaky attempt to close off a public street, paid for with public taxes, for the benefit of a few. Don't be mislead. Please continue to contact Bevan Dufty and Andres Power and express your opinion to oppose this project.

Thank-you.

murphstahoe said...

Are you referring to this letter/post or is there another one?

The one linked above was written by Bob Roddick, President of the Noe Valley Association.

Anonymous said...

I believe this deranged individual is referring to your letter in the Noe Valley Voice.

Anonymous said...

Don't you read? the post by anon@6:48 clearly states the letter from John Murphy.

You know the letter we mean, John.

The one in the latest Noe Valley Voice.

that one.

murphstahoe said...

The Noe Valley SF Blog reads the Noe Valley Voice so I don't have to!

Anonymous said...

From one anonymous poster to another, that you hide behind anonymous posting while spitting venom at others by name makes me want to listen to nothing you have to say.

Anonymous said...

Then don't listen. Read the letter that John Murphy wrote to the Noe Valley Voice.

You'll see what I mean.

Anonymous said...

Hahahahahaha. I read the letter.

"A trial of a road closure at 24th & Noe will cause change, and change is not always easy. We may find out that the concept is flawed or unworkable. Should that happen, we will call it a day on that experiment and move on."

Clearly the work of an irresponsible pontificating self-centered madman ranting on and on and on that the plaza is the only solution and he is right. period. period. period.

Anonymous said...

Yea, right..you seemed to have missed the arrogant part.

Ah.........the part about "...is evidence that I am right..."

and the part..."..we are special here in our little valley..."

Anonymous said...

Well, what I do know, is that Bevan Dufty himself signed the petition opposing the park!

Read more here


"Some don't agree with me. Many do. Witness the now over 500 people who have signed the petition opposing the Noe plaza trial..and the permanent idea too.

Including Bevan Dufty."

I think that puts the final nail in the coffin for this idea. Thank you all opponents who emailed Bevan.

Anonymous said...

What a tremendous lost opportunity for Noe Valley. I am, oddly, a little proud of you who organized successfully against the plaza trial, and at the same time so deeply disheartened to see that you have used your power to divide the neighborhood with fear and mistrust and outright lies.

Not proud to call myself a Noe Valleyan today.

murphstahoe said...

If Dufty had signed such a petition, this project probably would be dead. But there is another community meeting scheduled, certainly not to let us know "Sorry, game over". There is a proposed date but until Andres confirms it suffice to say it will be very late in the month.

My opinion is that this is a lie - a rather bold one that Supervisor Dufty might not be too amused by.

Complacency is the mother of failure especially when those against the trial are not above such tactics. Those of you in favor of the trial - let's ramp it back up again, email your support to the following addresses.

gavin.newsom@sfgov.org
bevan.dufty@sfgov.org
andres.power@sfgov.org
noevalleyplaza@gmail.com

Please include your US Mail address in your email - we will not be submitting unverifiable petition signatures, and we'll be sorting the submissions to differentiate supporters from Noe Valley, District 8, San Francisco at large, and "the world".

Anonymous said...

I don't think putting up a "name" here makes one's comments any more legitimate than someone who posts "anonymous"...many posters here choose the latter.

To clarify, what I read is that Dufty did NOT sign any petition. Of course, that would be political suicide for any supervisor to do that. He's more intelligent than that. What I believe I read is that he is one of the people "opposing" the plaza idea. From his previous statements at the meeting, it seems pretty clear to me.

Now...just walk down Jersey St. and Elizabeth Streets and see house after house with the "Don't Block Noe" signs in the windows. That does speak volumes. All along, those of us opposing the street closure have spoken and written about the many alternatives to creating more seating and green space in the 24th St. corridor. The street closure is NOT one of those alternatives that best serve the entire community, and the city at large.