Closing: Pasta Pomodoro In Noe Valley

We just received word from a neighbor that Pasta Pomodoro at 4000 24th St will close for good after today's service. We called to confirm, and were told that the owner of the building is planning major renovations. At this point there are no plans to reopen at this location. The staff didn't know any other details, and stated they were given notice three days ago. We'll post more when we have more info.

Update (10/29): No word yet from Pasta Pomodoro corporate, but we did do a quick permit search. At this time there are no permit applications filed for the building. But there is an interesting tidbit on the ABC license - it's set to expire on 10/31/14 and there is no record of a transfer pending.
 
We walked by this afternoon and workers are clearing the space. There's a new sign on the door stating they "lost their lease" and to visit other locations. The parking space permit is listed for 1090-1092 Noe Street and so we looked up that address. Sure enough - a construction permit was filed in May: "PARTIAL VOLUNTARY SEISMIC UPGRADE AT GROUND FLOOR ONLY, NEW SIDING & REPAINT EXTERIOR WALL." Partial, sure, but there are nine special inspections required. This is work is likely to comply with SF's Mandatory Soft Story Program.

[Photo: Google]

This Week In Noe Valley: A Bomb Scare, A Proposed Bunker, And Noe Valley Mapped To NYC

News from, about and for Noe Valley from around the interwebs:

• What is it with New Yorkers putting the rest of the world into their little box? (Save you a click: we're the Upper West Side) [Urbane]
• Bay Area rents are crushing New York's [Curbed]
• The first 8 figure Noe Valley Estate (with a bunker) is in the works [SocketSite]
• Speculation on the future bunker owners [Valleywag]
• Training grenades found by a contractor set off a bomb scare on Sanchez [SF Gate]
• Let's hope we don't see more annoying videos like this about Noe Valley real estate (1993 called...) [Zephyr]

[Photo: zebfidj]

This Week In Noe Valley: Orange October, Harvest Fest, And Other Signs of Fall

News from, about and for Noe Valley from around the interwebs:

• It was Harvest this weekend and Scott Wiener was there [@Scott_Wiener]
• So were Carol Kingsley and David Campos [Carol Kingsley and @DavidCamposSF]
• Orange October indeed: Beautiful Noe Valley sunsets [ktmow and andrewgodwin]
• And the hayride not operated by Uber [brianalvey]
• A short video of Trolley Dancers that rode the J-Church line this weekend [swim97]
• And an in-depth piece about said Trolley Dancers [KALW]
• Bom Dia corner market gets closer – and they're hiring [Good Food Jobs]
• Sorry #NoeDads – Hooters is not replacing Bliss Bar [San Francisco]
• A discerning review of Rare Device [SF Girl by Bay]
• After a recent facelift, Noe Valley Bakery launches a Kickstarter to raise $19,000 for...a facelift (because France) [Kickstarter]
• Man rear-ended, then pistol-whipped at 24th and Dolores [SF Examiner]
• KRON goes to the scene of the crime and interviews neighbors who feel less safe now [KRON4]
• Beware of this potentially dangerous Comcast scam [@paulettebleam]
• An in-depth review of Porcellino's pork ragu that survives from Incanto [SFGate]
• Meanwhile, Cosentino hopes to branch out at his new restaurant Cockscomb [SFGate]
• San Francisco and Noe Valley are tops for trick or treating once again [Zillow]
• Are there any grown-ups in SF? Yes, and they're all at Urban Putt [SFGate]

[Photo: NVSF]

90 Jersey St Sets A New High Bar For Hubris

Yeah, it's a bold claim. But we think it's justified. Here's why:

• Until recently, 90 Jersey St was a classic Noe Valley Victorian that probably needed some upgrades but was a nice single family house. Permits approved were for an interior renovation, a third story, and excavation for a garage. No demolition permit was obtained.
• This week it was listed for $4.85M - to live just 50 feet from the J-Church.
• Easy access to public transit, shuttle buses and a high walkability score didn't deter the developer from including a five car garage.

Nicely done, though. At least on the inside.

Update (11/7): 90 Jersey St closed escrow on 10/31 after only 9 days on market for $4.895M. Did they take the first offer and run? Thanks to the anon commenter for the tip.

[90 Jersey St]

Eviction Notice Served To Independent Nature

It’s not just renters in SF that are getting ejected from their buildings – merchants are getting squeezed too (witness Global Exchange closing). This week we got this note from Susan Prentice, owner of Independent Nature on 1504 Church St:

I have just celebrated 5 years at this location. But my landlord, Dona Taylor, owner of When Modern Was, has presented me with a "notice to vacate." It was given to me by her husband, Bill Hoover, co-owner w/ Taylor of Gallery of Jewels. 

No reason was given for the notice...there does not have to be a "cause," unlike residential rentals. The space is perfect for a garden nursery and will be hard to replace. 

But even more upsetting is that when I opened in 2009, Taylor's store "When Modern Was," was struggling ... and by dividing her store and renting to me, she was able to survive. Now that the market is hot again, she is kicking me out to increase her profits. 

Thanks for your time. 

Susan Prentice 

Owner of Independent Nature

Another neighbor also alerted us to the eviction and remarked “Independent Nature is such a fun little place. Shame to see it pushed out.”

This Week In Noe Valley: Blue Angels, Blood Moon, And…Hooters?

News from, about and for Noe Valley from around the interwebs:

• In response to complaints about the Blue Angels [@linecook]
• SF waterfront land could be soaked by sea-level rise - could Noe Valley someday have waterfront property? [The Examiner]
• (Yes - Noe Valley could be seaside) [Burritojustice]
• Spotted in the Whole Foods parking lot #gogiants [naseisland]
• If you missed the blood moon eclipse this week because of fog, here’s what the rest of the world saw [NPR]
• The sunset and moon sightings were also spectacular [ericaaa_24 and berdim99 and ajvicems]
• Rumor or wishful thinking: Tartine coming to Noe Valley? [@NoeMom]
• Spotted: A permit for Hooters to replace Bliss Bar [@ErosRemini]
• Um, no [Uptown Almanac]
• SF Studios starts this week around the city [SFGate]
• Noeteca plans to open Mission Brasserie [Inside ScoopSF]
• Authors of Thug Kitchen cancel their NorCal (and Omnivore) engagement [SFist]

[Photo: More tolerable weather. Yay! anilla02]

This Week In Noe Valley: Bank Robbed Again, A Woman Attacked, And Wow Is It Hot!

News from, about and for Noe Valley from around the interwebs:

• Clear hot nights = gorgeous sunrises [egundersen]
• Yep, it’s hot [bennie]
• Too hot for these pups [cms100]
• Africa hot (yes we know... go watch Biloxi Blues) [@NoeValleySF]
• ICYMI: New corner market gets a name: Bom Dia [NVSF]
• Woman attacked in Noe Valley at 26th and Dolores, shots were fired [SF Weekly]
• Bank robbed again at midday on 24th St [Mission Local]
• Even tech workers are getting squeezed by Noe Valley rents jumping from $3800 to $4700 in 2 years [WSJ]
• Contigo’s Brett Emerson is interviewed by Foodie Chap and shares a recipe [The Daily Meal]
• SF Chronicle endorses Scott Wiener for District 8 supervisor [Chron]
• Scott Wiener’s September newsletter [Scott Wiener]
• The Castro Street Fair is today – with wider sidewalks [Bay Area Reporter]

[Photo: Pretty spiders knucklesamwick]

NVV Oct 2014: We Read It So You Don't Have To

The Noe Valley Voice is published ten times a year and has been a neighborhood fixture since 1977. Here are notable highlights from the latest issue. Links are to stories we've covered here on NVSF or other resources. Follow the NVV link at the bottom for full articles and all the ads.

October 2014

Front Page: Noe Valley Ministry will reopen in November; A must-read piece about the tech shuttle buses and the new routes that are outraging residents of 26th St and Duncan (other streets could be next); Harvest Fest (coming on Sat Oct. 18) turns 10 this year.

Letters: The mystery Alvarado tree pruner fesses up and defends his pruning of YOUR trees; A plug for Prop F and against Prop I; RIP Bruno, "a dog who loved food."

Cost of Living in Noe: A house on Fountain sells for $5.15 million; condos are moving briskly and average $1.1 million.

Rumors: 24 HoliDAYS celebration starts this year on Dec 1 with events through Christmas; The SFMTA has agreed to postpone bulbouts on 24th St until after the holidays; The former Joshua Simon spot will become Lazeez, a Middle-Eastern food spot that will serve shawarma, falafel, hummus and sandwiches - it will be operated by the owners of Savor and expects to open this spring; Shufat got a health score of 100 for its deli; Real Foods is still stalled; Whole Foods named James Lick Middle School the beneficiary of its Nickels for Non-Profits Program; Valley Tavern's limited entertainment license was approved for live music - and you can also catch buses to the 49ers games there; Elizabeth Street Brewery donated beer to this year's St. Philip Parish Festival; The steam-cleaning of streets on 24th St has some residents worried about water use during the drought (the NV CDA has an exception for water use); The Noe Valley Ministry is re-opening and throwing a party with local chefs; The construction on Mark Zuckerberg's $10 million house at 21st St and Fair Oaks is annoying neighbors - and just outside the Liberty Hill Historic District designation; The fortress-like home at 801 Sanchez which hasn't been occupied for 40 years has reportedly been sold for $10 million.

[The Noe Valley Voice]

New Healthy Corner Market Gets A Name: Bom Dia

The new corner market that's set to replace the former St. Paul's Market on Sanchez has a name and a launch date: It will be called Bom Dia (good morning in Portuguese - here's how to pronounce it) and is slated to open November 2014. The poster in the window promises beer, wine, coffee, grocery, deli, staples, local, international, organic and delicious. What's not to like? Locals are also asked to "Please send product recommendations to community@bomdiamarket.com." Also, they're hiring.

Construction inside is underway and there's been substantial progress in the last few weeks. Here's hoping it's open in time for last minute ingredient runs on Thanksgiving.

Read the full interview with the founder here.