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December 31, 2018

This Year in Noe Valley: The Biggest Stories of 2018


2018 we hardly knew you. But boy did you flood the news headlines. Nationally this was the year of presidential lies (and felonies), tragic mass shootings, climate-change induced disasters, heartless immigration separations and epic Supreme Court battles. In California we saw impossibly sad firestorms. And in San Francisco, we saw history made with the first African-American woman mayor, a new transbay terminal that opened and then abruptly closed, plus outrage over a snarl of homelessness, a lack of new homes, and gentrification. In other words, this year was beyond exhausting.

Things in Noe Valley were a little less depressing but still a mirror of the world around us. Here were the biggest stories of 2018 in Noe Valley that preoccupied us, made us smile and that sometimes drove us crazy.


California Is Burning 
Climate change is real y’all. We mourned with our fellow Californians in August when the Carr fire broke out and we choked on smoke and cried more for the people of Paradise and surrounding areas in November. Here’s hoping this is not the new abnormal.


Endings, Beginnings and Coming Soon 
Lots and lots and lots of retail stores and restaurants closed this year in Noe Valley (and all of SF) and previously empty storefronts remained empty. Yes, there were new and welcome stores and restaurants in our little village this year (welcome Douglas, Seokyo, Sultan’s Kebab, Hi-Way Burger and Fry). But there were far more places that closed down or moved away (Podolls, Noe Valley Cyclery, Pete’s Cleaners, Hamlet, Mill, Contigo, Le Cupboard again… and the list goes on), and many more that vacated last year that are still empty (Pasta Gina, La Panotiq, Radio Shack, Fattoush…. and on and on). On a more upbeat note, Omnivore turned 10, Firefly turned 25 and the amazing Noe Valley Farmer’s Market turned 15. We’re also looking forward to the new Noe’s Cantina, a new Malaysian restaurant called Azalina and some new murals on 24th St. We are so lucky to have amazing local shops and restaurants – let’s keep it that way. #shoplocal


Housing Is (Still) Nuts 
It’s insanely expensive to live here, and maybe with good reason: If you own a house in SF, it’s earning an average of $60/hour – or $125K per year – with no effort on your part. These crazy prices led one landlord to ask $19,500 a month for a 4 bedroom house on 26th St. Meanwhile, historic homes are being illegally demolished around the city, and one Noe entrepreneur decided to rent out a van to people (like Google employees) who are desperate to live here. The average cost of a home in Noe Valley was $2.5 million this year. Which makes this next item even more ridiculous...


Real Foods Is Finally, Maybe, Going to Become … Something 
No, it’s not going to be housing. And it’s not going to become a Real Foods again either. 15 years on, the Real Foods building has new owners who are renovating the existing space and carving it into four small retail spaces of which we already have too many vacancies for on 24th St. #housingfail


People Behaving Badly 
Noe Valley had its share of people behaving badly in other ways too. There was a drive-by shooting that injured 2 people (no suspects found), a road-rage bat attack that sent a man to the hospital, kids who got sick on edibles at James Lick and had to go to the hospital, and a mother was attacked with her baby at 28th St and Sanchez and endured a skull fracture. Scary. We also learned that one of the priests accused of sexually abusing children worked at St. Paul Catholic Parish and School in Noe Valley from 2006 to 2011. Yikes. But then there are the self-inflicted wounds – like the way the head of the NVMPA Rachel Swann is bringing ridicule to 24th St across from Whole Foods by opening Doggy Style: “a boutique, with unique dog furnishings and accessories. Members of the private club can relax in the owner’s lounge, mingle with other doggy moms and dads, drink Bernie’s coffee, all while the dogs play outside...” Ugh.


So Much Greatness 
That said, there was still so much to be grateful for in 2018. Magnolias were gorgeous this year, we saw rainbows and double rainbows, a meteor shower, and the super blood moon. New ultra quiet MUNI trains started rolling on the J Church line and the colorful historic trains are back too. And our neighborhood is so photogenic. With all the craziness in the world, we’re so lucky to live here where we can fight for a better neighborhood with vibrant retail and restaurants, better housing options and all that good stuff.

Phew. We made it. Happy New Year, Noe Valley! Here's to a safe, fun and prosperous 2019.

p.s.
This blog turned 10 this year too (whoa - how did that happen?!). Thanks for reading both here and on Twitter @NoeValleySF.

p.p.s.
Yearning for simpler times? Here were the top stories of 20172016, 2015, 2014, 2013 and 2012.

(Photos: Noe vista via travismonsonsf and sfgate, smoke skies via bats1234, Noe Cantina via liammayclam, over-the-top Hill Street house via Ruth Krishnan, Real Foods via NVSF, crime photo via KPIX, and steps via geoff.welch)

December 9, 2018

This Week in Noe Valley: New Malaysian Restaurant Coming Soon, Doggy Style and the Wishing Tree Returns


The latest news from, about and for Noe Valley from around the interwebs:
[Photo: Home via jphamelin

NVV December 2018: 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.

December 2018

Front Page: A radio station is eyeing the Noe Valley rec center roof for an antenna; a stroll through Noe Valley retail for kids' gifts; the Wishing Tree is back on 23rd St. between Noe and Castro; an accounting of blue political results in San Francisco.

Letters: A letter from a neighbor that the senior tenants at 79 28th St have avoided eviction thanks to support from neighbors. Another senior writes in wondering what happened to the classified ads in NVV (which have been gone since the dawn of the Internet).

Cost of Living in Noe Valley: 17 single-family homes sold this October in Noe Valley; average cost was $2.75 million.

Store Trek: Leslie's Collection, a holiday pop-up at 3920B 24th St. at Sanchez

Features: Noe's Cantina at 24th and Church to open in mid December.

Rumors and Tidbits: There was an unprecedented 84.9% turnout in Noe Valley at this year's mid term elections; the old Mill space may or may not become a cannabis dispensary (talks are underway); Rafe Mandelman's old HQ next to Just for Fun will not be a computer school after all (it's being rented by a production studio for personal trainers); there's a new pet boutique and day spa opening in the old Artisana space called (no kidding) Doggy Style; Contigo closed abruptly (ed note - and will soon be a Malaysian restaurant); Vive La Tarte will be opening in mid January; the Pritikin mansion has seen it's price drop from $15 million to $5.5 million; the amazing and much loved Noe Valley Farmer's Market has turned 15.

[The Noe Valley Voice]

November 3, 2018

NVV November 2018: 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.

November 2018

Front Page: A roundup of places to volunteer in the community and give back for the holidays; four Noe Valley residents join a citywide lawsuit against a predatory landlord; the recent corporate use of the Town Square by Apple draws scrutiny and complaints from neighbors; the SF Planning Commission has given the green light to developers to turn the old Real Foods space into retail with no housing.

Letters: Support for a cannabis dispensary in the old Mill space; letters for and against Prop 10 on the ballot.

Features: There's a new mural outside NoVY at 4000 24th St. that celebrates the restaurant's heartwarming multi-generation story; a neighborhood group is proposing a green benefit district around Dolores Park to make it safer and more welcoming.

Cost of Living in Noe Valley: Just two single family homes sold this September in Noe Valley and both were for less than $2 million.

Store Trek: Little Artistas1513 Church St. at 27th

Rumors and Tidbits: The Gold City Greenery has applied for a lease in the Old Mill space as a cannabis dispensary but it's not a done deal - the owner is entertaining other offers; the headquarters of GlobeIn will be opening a retail store at 4175 24th St. (the former home of Cliche Noe) on Nov. 16; the former Noe Valley Cyclery space is being rented by Real Management Company for 8 months as it renovates its offices at 1234 Castro St.; sadly, vandals have broken the glass window at Video Wave two times over the last 3 months; Philz on 24th at Diamond is now cashless and customers are expected to pay for their java electronically; Little Folkies on Church has vacated 1515 Church and a hair salon called Poppy & Finch has replaced it; a computer school is moving into the former campaign office of Rafael Mandelman on 24th St.; One Stop Party Shop reports that the most popular costumes were Black Panther for boys and witches and princesses for girls.

[The Noe Valley Voice]

NVV October 2018: 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 2018

Front Page: Halloween is coming; dog trainers share their methods and tips; local dems want to flip the house in November.

Features: Fairmount Elementary is now Dolores Huerta Elementary School; recycling box now lives outside James Lick Middle School entrance. Republicans focus on local races. Two haunted houses will be at this year's Spooktacular Halloween celebration on Sunday Oct. 28 in the Town Square.

Cost of Living in Noe Valley: Home values averaged $2.578 million this August, up 1.8 percent year over year. The most affordable home was a 350 square foot crackerbox condo on Guerrero that sold for $578,000.

Store Trek: Douglas1598 Sanchez at 29th

Rumors and Tidbits: The old Mill space is rumored to be a possible cannabis dispensary (?!); the old Radio Shack is becoming a Yoga Flow on 24th St.; Artisana on 24th St has closed; Eyes on 24th St. Optometry is moving a block down to 4080 24th St.; Castro Computer is vacating its space on 1500 Castro at 25th; Rafael Mandelman's campaign office has left the space next to Just for Fun and a new tenant is coming soon. Realtor Hill & Co. has been bought by Alain Pinel which means there are currently two Alain Pinel offices on 24th St - no word on whether one will close; Sotheby's Realty is rumored to be moving into the hood as well; Chloe's Cafe is now 31 years old and has been named a "valuable cultural asset" for San Francisco; The Noe Valley Girls Film Festival was a huge success.

[The Noe Valley Voice]

NVV September 2018: 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.

September 2018

Front Page: The new California Pacific Medical Center (formerly St. Luke's) on Cesar Chavez is now open and focusing on maternity and elder care; St. Philip School turns 80; Richard Lee Merritt died in 2017 and left a massive library of books in his 23rd St home to his alma mater, the University of Montana; Local author Mary Jo McConahay celebrates the publication of a new book.

Letters: Celia Sack, owner of Omnivore Books and Noe Pet Company writes about the unprofessional response of the president of the NVMPA complaining about the Healthy Spot permit rejection for a formula retail pet store that would compete with identical lively businesses in Noe Valley; The 2018 Noe Valley Garden Tour was a big success; Jim Burr suggests we welcome an Apple Mini store in the old Real Foods space on 24th St; A neighbor writes about traveling outside the Noe Valley bubble and having conversations about Trump; Another neighbor is disappointed that the article on the Noe Valley Coffee Company neglected to mention the health risks of roasting coffee in a residential area; Another neighbor calls for a boycott of McDonald's because of the way they mistreat chickens.

Cost of Living in Noe Valley: 33 Noe Valley homes changed hands in June and July, twice the number from that period last year.  The average cost of a home in July was $2.1 million.

Store Trek: Hi-Way Burger & Fry3853 24th St at Vicksburg

Rumors and Tidbits: The Real Foods building at 3939 24th St is under construction and looking for tenants for 3 retail spaces. Cole Hardware inquired about renting the whole space but balked at the $30,000 rent. The building sold recently to a private investment group for $3 million. Also on 24th: the Radio Shack space is asking $10,000/month, the Noe Valley Cyclery spot is asking $4850/month, Pete's Cleaners is asking $7590/month, and the Sean spot is asking $4500/month. Rabat is staying in Noe Valley after all (yay!) and Small Frys moved into the Podolls space for the next 2 years while they remodel the original building and store at 4066 24th St. Compass real estate is colonizing Noe Valley and now has 4 offices here. The Basso family is rejoining the restaurant scene and will open Noe's Cantina - a Mexican themed bar and eatery expected to open in October in the old Hamlet née Basso's. The old Bliss Bar will soon open as Vive La Tarte, which also has a location in the Ferry Building.

[The Noe Valley Voice]

August 26, 2018

This Week in Noe Valley: The View Then and Now, 110% Home Appreciation in 6 Years and Beautiful Vintage Trains



The latest news from, about and for Noe Valley from around the interwebs:
[Photo: William Eggleston at Alvarado shot from Eureka St. via eyeofted

August 12, 2018

July 7, 2018

NVV July/August 2018: 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.

July/August 2018

Front Page: Haystack Pizza is the longest running restaurant in Noe Valley (46 years) and going strong; Healthy Spot pet store was denied a request to open due to neighborhood protest; Picturesque and vintage F cars return to the Church St Muni corridor.

Letters: The owner of Folio Books urges neighbors to spend time (and money) in Noe Valley if they want a vibrant 24th St; A local complaint about a 6 month no parking permit for construction from 7AM to 6PM, 7 days per week.

Features: The clothes recycling box headed for the parking lot on 24th near Castro has been shelved due to concerns from a neighborhood group; London Breed is mayor and Rafael Mandelman took the District 8 supervisor seat; Upper Douglass dog park may be shut twice a week to address neighborhood concerns with the site's grass turf; Police still seeking clues to attack on mother with baby on Sanchez on June 3; The Noe Valley Coffee Company is seeking approval to operate its own coffee roaster inside Spin City at 1299 Sanchez at 26thSummerfest 2018 is coming to Noe Valley from 11am-4pm on July 29.

Cost of Living in Noe Valley: Just 7 single family homes sold in May for an average price of $2.69 million; a mere 4 condos sold for an average of $1.3 million. A $4.9 million home sold on the 200 block of 28th St. and the most expensive homes and condos sold both went to private sales before they hit the market.

Store Trek: Moe's Barbershop and Beauty Parlor4008 24th St near Noe St.

Rumors and Tidbits: Of the 16,415 voters registered in Noe Valley, 64 percent cast their ballots in June; The crocheted animals in the trees on Diamond St between Alvarado and 23rd are the loving handiwork of local artist Huib Petersen, and a small protest against the "creepiness" of "the man in the White Hous;." Podolls is closing on July 9 and Small Frys is moving into the space; Sean, a menswear store on 24th has closed; The old See Jane Run space is going through a seismic retrofit and is for rent; Building permits have been issued and work has begun to create 3 new commercial spaces in the old Real Foods spaceDouglas is now open at 1598 Sanchez; The Noe Valley Merchants and Professional Association is looking to add more murals by local muralists to downtown Noe Valley with the first ones planned for Rachel Swann's office on Vicksburg, Honeycomb Spa, Philz Coffee and possibly Novy.

[The Noe Valley Voice]

June 16, 2018

NVV June 2018: 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.

June 2018

Front Page: Retailers continue to hurt on 24th St as locals opt for online shopping instead; The Noe Valley Farmer's Market ditches use of plastic bags this month; Healthy Spot pet store faces resistance from local merchants - vote slated for June 21.

Cost of Living in Noe Valley: 11 single family homes sold in April for an average price of $2.5 million; 10 condos sold for an average of $1.9 million. A $5.2 million home sold on the 1300 block of Noe.

Store Trek: Seokyo new Korean restaurant at 1740 Church Street near Day

Rumors and Tidbits: Real Foods has been sold to local investors who hope to bring the space up to code and rent it out as 3 retails stores by this fall. The former Hamlet space at 1199 Church is for sale, liquor license and all for $3.5 million. Hi-Way Burger should be opening in the old Caskhouse space by the end of June. The space next to St. Clair's Liquors is nearing completion and will be leased, not sold. Modern Family Law has moved into the ground floor of 4126 Castro near 24th. TMI Colonics has moved to 1340 Haight St. Shoe Biz is now owned by shoe retailer Anthem. Unconfirmed (but rumored) is that Rabat may remain in Noe Valley by downsizing to just the corner space where it started. Whole Foods is now starting to enforce the "one hour while shopping at Whole Foods" rule. 

[The Noe Valley Voice]

May 6, 2018

NVV May 2018: 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.

May 2018

Front Page: Recycle for Change is setting up a clothing recycling box in the Harry Aleo public parking lot on 24th near Castro; local author and organizer Leslie Crawford has a new book called Sprig the Rescue Pig; James Lick students are terrorizing 24th St. merchants with vandalism, shoplifting and crime when they get out of school each day; a new column for kids debuts this month called Kids Ask Katie.

Feature: SF mayoral candidates are considering a vacancy tax on empty storefronts; Kids Ask Katie tackles the question of whether there are robberies in Noe Valley (spoiler: none in the last year).

Cost of Living in Noe Valley: Single family homes are scarce and selling at a high premium: Just 10 homes were on the market for sale and all sold for over asking. The most expensive home was a $3.1 million home on 23rd St.

Store Trek: Arte Bella (formerly Shop Monroe) at 3920A 24th St. at Noe

Rumors and Tidbits: Nothing is happening at Real Foods, although the building is still listed for sale; after 46 years in Noe Valley Rabat clothing and shoe store on 24th at Noe is retrenching to Berkeley; the former Mill Clothing space is for rent for $9,000 per month; the former See Jane Run, Cardio-Tone and Isso spaces remain empty for seismic retrofitting; the former Pete's Cleaners is renting for over $5,000 per month; The Podolls is closing and looking for a new space to open this summer; the offices vacated by Opes Mortgage Advisers and Climb Real Estate is temporarily being occupied by Compass Real Estate; LaPanotiQ is expected to become a Mediterranean restaurant; the Japanese restaurant that had looked to occupy for the former Hamlet space has decided not to open after all and the space is closed. Chez Marius is under new management and will still feature live jazz on Tuesday and Thursday nights; First Republic Bank is opening on the corner of Castro and Jersey on May 14; Umpqua bank is offering another free shred-in on Saturday May 19, and also has a display for local artist Lilli Lanier (a 36-year Noe Valley resident) in their lobby.

[The Noe Valley Voice]

April 7, 2018

NVV April 2018: 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.

April 2018

Front Page: There's new sand in the giant sandbox and new gravel at the dog run at Upper Noe Rec Center, among other improvements; The owner of a local pre-school lost her Sonoma home in the wildfires and the community has rallied to help; Interview with Jennifer Katz, a local child speech therapist; Group drumming and dancing is on deck for the Town Square every second and fourth Sunday from 3-5pm.

Letters: An ActionSF member loved last month's ActionSF profile; Word Week was a success; An odd note from neighbor Sharon who wants another overly solicitous neighbor to leave her alone.

Feature: Two remodels, one at 79 28th Street [Ed.--permit application withdrawn 3/9/18] and another at 505 Grand View face hurdles from the city and planning commission.

Cost of Living in Noe Valley: Four super luxury homes sold in February, all between $4.9 and $5.5 million which pushed the average value of a Noe Valley home close to $3.6 million. Condo sales averaged $1.6 million.

Short takes: The Noe Valley Garden Tour is looking for volunteers [Ed.--website not updated]; Curry Without Worry is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a free party on April 14 in the Town Square from 3-5pm; Candidates for the mayor's race and the District 8 supervisor seat will speak on April 28 from 2-4pm at St. Aidan's Church.

Store Trek: Azil Boutique, 4010 24th St. at Noe

Rumors and Tidbits: Roughly 200 people showed up for the first Noe Valley Town Square movie night (The Princess Bride) - the next movie night will be July 7 at 7:30pm for a showing of Tortoro. Subscription artisan box company Globe In is moving into the former Cliche Noe space and hopes to open their showroom in May. Upscale Vive La Tarte bakery and cafe is moving into the former Bliss Bar space and will serve lunch including a tacro (a taco crossed with a croissant) in a few months. Sultan's Kebab moved into the former Lazeez space and the owner reports 70 percent of their business is pick-up and take away. Douglas Fir is a new market opening soon in the former Bom Dia space soon (possibly by the end of the month). Pete's Laundry and Cleaners is closed after 30 years on 24th St. after being priced out. Rabat on 24th at Noe is closing by this summer after 47 years and retrenching to their Berkeley store. The Podolls at 3985 24th St. is closing soon, perhaps as early as this summer. The Harry Aleo parking lot on 24th near Castro will soon be getting a collection box for recycling shoes, clothes, bedding and textiles.

[The Noe Valley Voice]

March 25, 2018

New Market Opening This Spring: Douglas on Sanchez


Update (3/29/18): We heard from Maggie Spicer that the maket will simply be called Douglas and that she is part of the team with Michael Molesky and his father Jim. Maggie describes her role as "a 'guest experience' designer and brand strategist as well as a clean eating enthusiast and editor for Ambrosia & Drift magazines, and a contributor to EdibleSF."

A happy surprise for those who miss the market at 1598 Sanchez St. at 29th St. (formerly Bom Dia, and before that St. Paul's Market): Mike Molesky posted on Instagram today that he and his father Jim and designer Maggie Spicer are opening a corner store and market in the space. Called Douglas on Sanchez, the website promises “delicious things are afoot” and that the space will serve caffeine, breakfast, delicious lunch, wine and “all the ingredients to cook the perfect roast chicken.” Opening date TBD sometime this Spring.

According to their various online bios, Michael is a nomvivant and the creator of Placemarker, an app that turns your photos into a travel guide for friends as well as the former COO of video ad platform LiveRail which was acquired by Facebook for $400-$500 million; Maggie is a guest experience designer, interior designer and brand strategist as well as a clean eating enthusiast and contributor to EdibleSF. Both Mark and Maggie divide their time between San Francisco and Copenhagen, which sounds like a good mix for an interestingly curated corner market. A quick fly-by today shows there's already activity underway to ready the space for opening.

Welcome!

Photo via Douglassf.com