In Memorium: Vicki Rosen

Vicki Rosen, president of the Upper Noe Neighbors and longtime community activist, died on Thursday June 11 after a long fight with cancer.

We received this note from the Upper Noe Neighbors mailing list today:

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

It is with great sorrow we announce that Vicki Rosen passed away Thursday, June 11 and was buried at Eternal Home Cemetery in Colma on Friday in a small graveside service. She led our community for over two decades, inspired a sense of civic duty, and left a legacy of public service. 

The community is discussing a memorial plaque in her honor to be installed at Upper Noe Rec Center. Later in the year, there will be a dedication and celebration of her life. If you would like to help plan or donate to the dedication please let us know. Donations can be sent to Upper Noe Neighbors at 205 30th Street, San Francisco, CA 94131.

Upper Noe Neighbors will carry on the tradition of hosting presentations and public discussions of current events, and welcome all neighbors to participate. Join us on July 8 at 7:30 pm at Upper Noe Rec Center at 295 Day Street. We will be discussing the changes to the San Jose Avenue off-ramp of 280 Northbound.

Marianne and Olga
(with grateful help from Tom, Eileen, and Chris)

You can read a community profile of Vicki in the Dec 2012 Noe Valley Voice, and a longer memorial page is set up here. RIP.

[Photo by Beverly Tharp via Noe Valley Voice]

This Week In Noe Valley: City Hall's 100th, Another Home Approaches $7M, Valley Tavern Launches Live Music

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

• Video from the 100th Anniversary party at City Hall this week [Mr Eric Sir]
• Untouched since 1969 when it sold for $25,000, this home is now listed for $1.89 million [Curbed]
• Noe Valley’s second most expensive home: $6.7 million [Socket Site]
• Airbnb colonized the entrance to the Farmer’s Market today [NVSF]
• The Valley Tavern celebrated its live music permit with Heather Combs this week [rockarecord]
• Hip Hop artist Phesto Dee’s photos coming to the pop-up Fort Gallery on 24th June 27-28 [SF Weekly]
• Stylish new bike racks in Noe Valley [@kjbrazil]
• Community Forum on Bikes, Cars and Pedestrians at Noe Valley Ministry on June 22 [Streetsblog SF]
• Interview of Noe Valley native Remy Nelson of Mojo Café on Divisadero [Hoodline]
• Dolores Park’s northern half is back – and so are people peeing on buildings (ugh) [SFBay]
• ICYMI: Starbucks is closing all 23 La Boulange cafés in September – including the one in Noe [NVSF]

[Photo: hidayitsnight]

Interview: Kristen Gianaras of NōVY Restaurant

For everyone lamenting the loss of a homey and affordable restaurant on 24th St after Pasta Pomodoro closed there's some good news: a new seasonal, local and affordable restaurant is set to take it’s place in March and it’s the ultimate Noe Valley story. Back in 1970 a young Greek-American couple named John and Vi Gianaras moved to Noe Valley, took over the space vacated by a small grocery store and decided to turn it into a local neighborhood restaurant called Panos, named after John's father. Specializing in authentic Greek cuisine, Panos was a neighborhood favorite for almost 20 years until 1997 when John and Vi decided it was a good run and opted to rent out the space to others.

Pasta Pomodoro opened soon after and remained a neighborhood favorite until October of last year when its lease expired. The Gianaras did not renew the pasta chain's lease. Instead they started necessary building upgrades and offered the restaurant space to their daughters. We caught up with Kristen Gianaras (pictured, right), one of the sisters who will open NōVY next month.

Tell us a little about yourselves. My sister, Kathryn, and I are third generation Greek-American San Francisco natives. My parents, John and Vi Gianaras, were born in San Francisco and went to Lowell High School. Kathryn and I both went to St. Brendan's grammar school, St. Ignatius High School and UC Santa Barbara. And we still aren't sick of each other! Kathryn managed the Club Sports department at UCSB after she graduated and my real estate license still hangs at Zephyr Noe Valley. When we aren't busy showering Kathryn's dog, Rocky, with affection, you can find us playing tennis or dining about town with family and friends.

Where does the name NōVY come from? Deciding on a name was more difficult than we could have imagined! John came up with the name NōVY as a nickname for Noe Valley. We like it because it's short, sweet, catchy and pays homage to the neighborhood. The other contender was to name the restaurant "The G's Spot" but we were worried about the type of crowd we might attract ;)

How long have you lived in Noe Valley? Kathryn and I were raised in the house directly next door to where we live now on Jersey Street. Our old yard taunts me every time I walk down my back stairs! We moved to a home in Balboa Terrace for grade school and high school and then moved back to Noe after college in 2008.

Were you surprised when your parents asked you if you wanted to run a restaurant on 24th Street? Surprised is an understatement! When my mom called me to tell me the idea, my response was "Are you freaking (censored version) out of your mind?!" Then I hung up, slept on it, woke up, called my sister and said "I think we should do this!"

Besides the family connection, what made you want to open a restaurant in this space? Many stars aligned that turned this idea into a reality:

1. Location: restaurants have run successfully in this location for the last 30+ years.
2. Timing: Pomodoro's lease was expiring, my parents are still at a point in their lives where they have the time and energy to mentor us, and Kathryn and I are young enough to pour our hearts and souls into this business without any other commitments (one day we will add to the stroller brigade on 24th St - but not quite yet!).
3. Community: This is the neighborhood that we live in and love, and we felt there was no better way for us to get the restaurant Noe needed than to create it ourselves. NōVY was created by community members for community members. I strongly believe there is no community that is more accepting and encouraging of small businesses than Noe Valley.
4. Good food: Let's not forget the food! We were tired of having so few dining options in Noe. We put a lot of though into creating a menu that is focused yet diverse, so that guests can dine at NōVY multiple times a week and have a different food experience each time, without breaking the bank.
5. Jobs: I get too gushy when I talk about how honored and privileged I feel to be able to provide jobs at such an early point in my career. Kathryn and I are excited to nurture a team of people who know that they are respected and appreciated in their jobs and to provide a work environment where our employees can learn, grow and let their personalities shine.

Give us a tour: What will be some of the signature items on the menu? Vi created the menu and then we collaborated as a family to refine it. We want to be clear that NōVY is not a reincarnation of Panos', nor is it a Greek restaurant. Our focus is on fresh, local, seasonal California favorites with a Mediterranean flare. Our meat and produce will be natural and organic whenever possible, and there will be a sizable selection of vegetarian and gluten-free dishes as well. Our all-day menu Monday-Friday features a line of artisan burgers, hearty salads, pita wraps (chicken and pork souvlaki, grilled calamari and portobello), quesadillas with mediterranean flavors, as well as a section of pastas. And don't overlook our small plates offerings, which include fried olives and marcona almonds, grilled halloumi cheese, our 'trifecta' of hummus, tzatziki and taramasalata (a Greek caviar) as well as grilled or fried calamari (as long as John doesn't eat it all.) We will also be serving brunch on the weekends...benedicts, scrambles, egg bakes, a line of breakfast quesadillas and more.

As for our beverage program, it is important to us to do our part in reducing waste. We will be offering all of our beverages on tap...beer, wine and non-alcoholic (with the exception of sparkling wine.) All will be locally selected from California. The exact list is still TBD, but we welcome feedback from our guests on what they'd love to see on the taps as the months go on! Our vision is for our bar area to be comfortable for a full-service meal but also casual enough to enjoy a snack and a drink after work, etc. You'd be lying if you said you didn't like to people watch over a glass of wine!

Our goal is for NōVY to be place where you can enjoy thoughtful, affordable food in a sophisticated and warm environment, topped off with friendly and personal service. I want our customers to leave with a smile on their face because they had a great time, delicious meal and felt that their business was appreciated.

What’s the story of the stained glass window from the original Panos? When guests enter the restaurant they'll see a stained glass window above the front door with the address '4000' next to a palm tree. Dan Gamaldi, owner of Cradle of the Sun Stained Glass at 3848 24th St, made this stained glass window for the original Panos' in 1977. This stained glass has lived through the original Panos, the 1988 Panos remodel, as well as through Pasta Pomodoro's tenure. We were required to remodel the entryway to comply with ADA, and we were thrilled when we came up with a design that allowed us to keep the stained glass. It gives such a special touch.

Do you and your family plan to work there too? Tell us about the team. Kathryn and I are going to be running the restaurant full-time (we should probably set up a bed in the office.) Everything will be done in house by Kathryn and myself...menu editing, food quality control, marketing, HR, accounting and daily front and back of house management. Our all-day menu format and price point doesn't require that we have a 'chef' position. Instead, we will have a kitchen manager. Fun story here: when Vi ran Panos', she trained many of the kitchen staff from dishwashers all the way to lead line cooks. Some of these cooks worked with her the entire 20 years she ran the restaurant. We've kept in touch with a few past employees over the years and were so excited when one of Vi's long-time cooks, Carmen, said that he would love to come back and work for us again as our kitchen manager! John and Vi will be present in the opening months to help us get up and running. Vi's focus will be on overseeing the kitchen. John will be contributing his good looks. ;)

When is the opening date? Is March 9 still on target? That date has changed slightly... we will be open to the public for lunch and dinner starting Tuesday, March 10th at 11am. If that date changes, you will be the first to know!

Do you have a special party or event planned for the opening? We have two soft opening events planned for friends and family on March 7th (dinner) and March 8th (brunch.) We also have a lunch seating planned for our Noe merchant friends on March 9th.

Change of subject - what are your favorite local places to shop and eat in Noe Valley? I actually had my first (and only) retail job at Ambiance on 24th St after college. I didn't last long because all of my earnings went right back into the store. I love that you can purchase a complete outfit at Ambiance and they also get an A+ for customer service. And you can't not have a good time walking through Just for Fun. It's my go to place for birthday cards and cute gifts. As for food - we love Contigo, Saru, Griddle Fresh and Caskhouse.

Bernie’s, Philz, Martha’s or Starbucks? This is the most difficult question of them all! I have to say it's a tie between Bernie's and Philz. Both have delicious coffee and a staff that puts a smile on my face every time I visit. I'll give weight to Bernie's because it is closer to our house. Since Rocky likes to 'christen' every tree on our walks for coffee, it can take upwards of an hour to get to Philz and back!

NōVY
4000 24th St
novysf.com/


[NVSF: Closing: Pasta Pomodoro In Noe Valley]
[NVV: Panos' Calls It Quits, Pasta Fills In]
[Photos: NōVY]

The Big Reveal: Real Foods Building Presentation

Last night there was a pre-application community meeting for the project to (finally) replace the Real Foods building on 24th Street. Turnout was solid – all the chairs were filled, mostly with longtime Noe Valley residents who touted their tenure in the neighborhood as a badge of honor when giving comments. Few look like they take a shuttle bus to work. One person described herself as an “oldster” - a term that generally described the room.

Scott Wiener was the MC of the meeting, first giving the floor to Peter Gabel. Peter spoke of the recent passing of Greg Gutknecht and noted that there will be memorial potluck Sunday at 3pm at Valley Tavern.

Then Scott took the floor. We didn’t record what he said, but here’s a close approximation:

The Real Foods space has been vacant for more than a decade. In my 4 years in office, a week doesn’t go by that I don’t get an email or tweet from someone in the neighborhood asking why it’s empty and what can we do about it.

A year ago, someone in the neighborhood who wishes to remain anonymous introduced us to the head of Neutraceutical Corporation, the owners of the building. Three of us flew to Park City, Utah for a meeting with senior management that was supposed to take just half an hour and ended up being a very friendly 3 hour meeting. By the end of the meeting, Neutraceutical had committed to moving forward to make good use of the space and build a mixed use retail and housing space. Those plans are now moving forward.

As is common in a conditional use development that needs to appear before the planning commission, we are convening a community meeting to hear feedback on the plans. There are a lot of politics associated with this space and we're all entitled to our opinion. However, tonight we are looking to the future - to something we've all wanted, which is not a vacancy in the former space. The goal here is to listen with an open mind and have a productive dialog.

Scott then turned the floor over to Sergio Diaz from Neutraceutical (who was involved in the labor settlement with the employees of Real Food). Sergio nervously thanked everyone for coming and hastily handed the meeting over to Brian Liles and Julie Jackson, principals at Jackson Liles Architecture (Julie is also a proud parent and member of the PTSA at James Lick Middle School). They proceeded to go through a series of slides about the existing site, the plans, and the things they took into consideration when thinking about the design.

First, let's make sure we know what's allowed at the existing site:

• The lot is 50' wide and 114' deep, requires a 28.5' rear yard and is zoned for 40' in height. Rear yard required: 28.5'.
• The Noe Valley Commercial District prohibits office space on the 2nd floor of new construction.
• A Conditional Use permit may (or may not) be required for whatever moves into the ground floor.

Here's what was proposed last night:

• The retail level has 14' ceilings and is 3345sf – slightly smaller than the former Real Foods space. The space could be divided into two storefronts with 1470sf and 1875sf.
• Four 2bd/2ba loft-style condos. The two facing 24th St are 1226sf; the south-facing units are 1540sf and all have decks.
• The terraced design will allow more light onto the street and keep it inline with the surrounding buildings like Fresca and The Bagel Shop.
• The façade will have wood siding on it's upper levels and stone facing the sidewalk at the retail level. Trees will green the sidewalk.
• Neutraceutical pledged once again to not open a store on site - they will lease the ground floor.

The meeting was then opened up to public comment, paraphrased here to give a sense of the tone and who goes to these meetings:

Praise:

• Neighborhood architect says: Thoughtful, addresses the streetscape, good usable units on 24th St. I have no negative comments.
• I applaud Scott Weiner for his efforts here – we have an opportunity to create a great space. Good things have come out of Real Foods closure including the Farmer’s Market and Town Square – here’s to more.

Meh:

• The façade is ugly– the masonry blocks look better suited for Van Ness than 24th St.
• The drawings are generic – there's an opportunity here to do something that defines the neighborhood instead of 2 small skinny retail spaces.
• The terraces are very hipster-like – too hip for our neighborhood. I'd like hipsters to stay away.

Anger:

• “Where are the people going to park? This is bullsh*t!”
• Angry lady living at 3933 24th St/next door over the bagel shop: The building is dilapidated because Neutraceutical ripped off the roof – they’re a bully of a company that doesn’t give a crap. Don’t know why we’re all praising them.
• The street doesn’t warrant those terraces. I don’t to know who’s living there and what they’re doing – I don’t think there should be terraces.
• I live near the senior housing down the block – relatively new project – a year later there was no parking, there are 3 residences with 6 cars and it’s a nightmare; also, the design is hideous and doesn’t fit in.
• No amount of bike lanes is going to make parking easier.
• What about trash bins and recycling? The design doesn’t show bins for those.
• What about parking and middle income housing?
• I live on Jersey with my backyard facing this building – I’m worried about privacy from the decks and the placement of mechanicals (noise).

Practical:

• I’d love to sell my single family home and live out my retirement in a one bedroom on 24th St and walk my grandchildren down a sidewalk without curb cuts.
• Why have a two story elevator to a two story loft with stairs?
• Please make the retail not be a nail salon, title company or bank.
• Design is nice contextually. Different heights and styles. Why not make more units that are smaller to attract younger buyers instead of car owners?
• No matter what is built, please continue to work with the neighborhood.
• Our community is happy to see change – it’s been blighted for 10 years. Let’s not shoot for lowest common demoninator. I’d like to see better options than a brew pub or having Whole Foods use it for their food use facility. Let’s make it like the Ferry Building with food stalls or carts – something innovative.

We asked Jackson Liles today what they thought of the process and what changes they may be considering. They said they enjoyed the process and are sorting through all the info. They will work with the design team over the coming weeks, but have not settled on a direction yet. We'll keep you posted.

[NVSF: Coming Soon: Plans To Develop Real Foods Building]
[Photo: Noe Valley community meeting #realfoods]

RIP Greg of 24th Street

We were sad to hear about the passing of Greg Gutknecht earlier this week, the affable and talkative gentleman who had become a fixture on 24th Street and around Noe Valley. Greg had been homeless for 10 years, picked up work at the Farmer's Market, frequently did odd jobs for area merchants, and as one local put it “was just a sweetheart.” He had a place to call home the last couple years and had been doing well.

Greg collapsed in front of Bernie's coffee shop on Monday morning. According to the staff in Bernie’s, EMTs worked for more than 30 minutes but were unable to revive him. 

There are flowers and notes in front of Bernie’s from those who miss him. We’d like to post more details about Greg. If anyone has stories of his life and/or photos please email us, post in the comments or tweet us @noevalleysf.

Update: There will be a memorial potluck for Greg this Sunday the 25th at Valley Tavern at 3PM.

Meeting: What Should Happen To The Real Foods Building?

It’s true: There are plans underway to develop the empty storefront across from Whole Foods on 24th St – the space formerly known as Real Foods. So what will it be: A Trader Joe’s? A climbing gym? A brew pub? Condos? Nails/Waxing? Now is your chance to find out – and more importantly to weigh in.

At 7pm Thursday (that's tomorrow) at St. Philips Parish Hall the developers will be offering a preview of what’s in the works. There will be plans displayed and architects on hand to describe the drawings and answer questions. Stakes are high for such a central location in Noe Valley – this should be worth attending.

What: Real Foods Building Plans Presentation
When: Thursday, January 22nd at 7pm
Where: St. Philips Parish Hall, 725 Diamond St

[NVSF: Real Foods: I Wish This Was...]

Coming Soon: Plans To Develop Real Foods Building

You know how you walk past that empty storefront across from Whole Foods and wonder what the hell? Or maybe you remember that eleven years ago Real Foods was abruptly shut down and there have been years of drama since. Maybe your remembrance is that Big Corporate America is against unions. Or maybe you don't care what happened. Regardless, many of you have had opinions over the years about what should happen to this prime Noe Valley space.

Andrew Ross writes (albeit in a bit flowery way) on SFGate that plans are finally moving forward to develop the Real Foods location. He references a visit Scott Wiener and others made to Utah in October of 2013 to meet with the current owners - Nutraceutical. And he tells of a promise made ("a solid oath") to rebuild on the site. None of that is news.

What is news: Nutraceutical is ready to present plans to the public - there will be a meeting in January. This type of meeting is standard procedure for developers looking to submit high-profile plans to the Building Department so don't expect final drawings and a committed tenant. Instead expect concept drawings and be prepared to give feedback on the project. Want to make sure it doesn't house a bank, nail salon or title company? Let them know how you feel.

We asked a few local people in the know for some more information. Todd David of Friends of Noe Valley told us the architect is SF-based Jackson Liles Architecture. Brian Liles is the project lead. Principal Julie Jackson is active in the public school system and has children at James Lick.

Carol Yenne, past president of the Noe Valley Merchants and Professionals Association, gave us a bit more information:

I went on the trip in Oct 2013 with Scott to meet with the owners of the property. The plans to develop the property had stalled during the downturn in the economy in 2008 but we discovered when we arrived that the company was already starting to work on plans again. San Francisco is trying to encourage housing and we all are on the same page about wanting to get the property developed into active retail and housing so that it does not continue to be a vacant space. The company asked for ideas for the retail space and we encouraged them to consider active retail or a restaurant which they seemed to take to heart. The space will likely be two businesses and the housing will be a minimum of four units.

Todd and Carol both let us know that neither FoNV nor the NVMPA have an official or active role in directing how this space is used.

So this is your chance to weigh in - mark your calendars for the community meeting and bring your opinions.

What: Community Meeting to present plans for Real Foods building
Where: St Philips Church, 725 Diamond St
When: January 22, 2015, 7:00PM
Bonus: Todd told us there's a rumor of childcare provided.

[Andrew Ross: Noe Valley’s Real Food to be reborn]
[NVSF: Real Foods - I Wish This Was...]

This Week In Noe Valley: Mystery Sculptures, $1M Teardowns, And Summerfest Is Coming

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

• Summer activities at the Upper Noe Rec Center [Friends of the NVRC]
• Like fairy doors but weirder: Small sculpted faces that first appeared in Noe are now turning up in sidewalks in Bernal (and we've seen a few in the Mission) [We Built this City and Bernalwood]
• Father’s Day ideas (not just books) from Folio [Folio blog]
• Crazy (and true) real estate stories from SF by a visitor to Noe Valley [Well Heeled Blog]
• Noe Valley stats: The median is age 41, HHI is $115,700 and most houses are owner occupied [Paragon]
• The Refrain of 2014: That $1M teardown is now a $3.4M modern home [Curbed]
• There’s no community at the Noe Valley Whole Foods says this writer from Palo Alto [The Food Party]
• Wink SF is renting space for a pop-up on 24th St. for $100 per day [Storefront]
• Voter turnout this week was so low (11.98% of the population) that Prop B passed with only 6.6% of SF voting yes [@ptraughber]
• Attorney David Waggoner may run against District 8 Supervisor Scott Wiener in the fall election [Bay Area Reporter]
• Next Saturday Is Summerfest on 24th Street from 11-5 [NV Summerfest]
• It's okay, go ahead and let your tourist friends call it (gah) Frisco [Thrillist]

[Photo: the unrideable road gretchenandrew]

This Week In Noe Valley: La Nebbia Debuts, Google Bus Reflections, And Let It SNoe Snark

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

• La Nebbia opened [Ed.- It was great, even if it was obvious they were caught off guard by how many people showed up] [Inside Scoop]
• Not everyone was into the Let it SNoe spirit on Friday [@vegaproject]
• All the construction around SF has created a $110M windfall for neighborhood projects [SFGate]
• Fourth generation Noe Valley resident reflects on Fake Google Bus Guy [Danelle Morton]
• Google bus also makes Vanity Fair [Vanity Fair]
• The most expensive house sold in SF in November is in Noe Valley [SFGate]
• Brilliant [esbale]
• SPUR says Twitter doesn't know how to build community [NYT]
• Scott Wiener's Nov/Dec newsletter [Scott Wiener]

[Photo: NVSF]

Town Square: Farmer's Market Twice A Week?

[Photo: Dressed in Orange]

Yesterday the Board of Supervisors authorized Rec and Park to purchase the Noe Valley Ministry parking lot and convert it to a much-anticipated Town Square. But there was another interesting item that quietly passed just before the Town Square vote:

Park Code - Farmers’ Market Permits
Sponsor: Wiener
Ordinance amending Park Code, Section 7.21, to authorize Farmers’ Markets on Recreation and Park Department property to operate more than once a week, and specifying the applicable permit fee; and making environmental findings.

PASSED, ON FIRST READING by the following vote:
Ayes: 11 - Avalos, Breed, Campos, Chiu, Cohen, Farrell, Kim, Mar, Tang, Wiener, Yee

There are a very few other farmers markets that operate on Rec/Park land, so this isn't that big a deal. But then we remembered this goal from the Town Square folks: "...will host everything from twice-a-week farmers markets to food pantries, music events, evening movies, neighborhood bingo, exercise classes, cafe seating, senior citizen events…"

Fresh peaches, strawberries and heirloom tomatoes available midweek? We're in. Probably don't need to get the freshest winter kale, but a 2nd summer market would be a bonus.

Of course there is still much to do before any of that happens. But now that the Town Square is a go it's time to think more seriously about how to use the space. We expect there will be more meetings, but feel free to start the process here in the comments.

[SFBOS: Draft Minutes, June 4, 2013]

Noe Valley Town Square Becomes Reality With Unanimous Board Of Supervisors Vote

Good news from Todd David and Residents for Noe Valley Town Square:

I am ecstatic to report that the Board of Supervisors just unanimously passed Supervisor Wiener's legislation to purchase the Noe Valley Town Square!!

IT'S TIME TO CELEBRATE

PIZZA PARTY AT THE PARKING LOT--5:30PM TO 7:30PM

Please join us tonight AT THE FARMER'S MARKET PARKING LOT for a FREE pizza party sponsored by Patxi's Pizza from 5:30PM to 7:30PM at the Farmer's Market parking lot. (Children will be served first from 5:30 to 6:30 and then the whole community from 6:30 to 7:30). Drinks are being generously donated by Noe Valley's Whole Foods.

ADULT CELEBRATION AT THE VALLEY TAVERN--8:00PM TO ???

After putting the kids to bed, please join us tonight at the Noe Valley Tavern starting at 8PM for an adults only celebration.

IT'S TIME TO COLLECT PLEDGES

We are now collecting pledges. If you made one - or would like to now that the Town Square is happening -- please feel free to bring a check made out to "The San Francisco Parks Alliance" to the pizza party or the Valley Tavern. If you have forgotten if you pledged or are unsure of the amount, do not fret. . . simply send me an email at todd@noevalleytownsquare.com and I will let you know. Also, we will be contacting everyone who pledged soon!

If you have not pledged or you want to INCREASE YOUR PLEDGE (we still need to raise at least an additional $400,000), you can do so at the following link http://noevalleytownsquare.com/pledge/

We are looking forward to seeing all of you wonderful Town Square supporters tonight!

Tonight: Public Safety Community Meeting With Scott Wiener

Details for tonight's meeting with Scott Wiener:

Please join Supervisor Wiener for a community meeting to address the recent crime trends in Noe Valley & Glen Park.

Representatives from Mission and Ingleside Stations will be in attendance for a presentation followed by an opportunity for questions.

Community co-sponsors and invitees for the event include the Noe Valley Association, Noe Valley Merchants and Professionals Association, Upper Noe Neighbors, Friends of Noe Valley, Diamond Heights Community Association, Glen Park Association, Glen Park Merchants Association, and San Francisco SAFE.

For more details, please contact Supervisor Wiener’s office at (415) 554-6968.

We're looking for notes from someone able to attend. Please contact us if you can provide a report.

What: Noe Valley / Glen Park Public Safety Community Meeting
When: Tuesday, February 19th, 7:00-8:00pm
Where: Horace Mann Middle School, 3351 23rd Street (between Valencia & Bartlett Streets)

This Week in Noe Valley: Spring Calling, An Upcoming Community Safety Meeting, And MF Chicken Scrapped

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

• Tacolicious not opening MF Chicken in Noe Valley after all [Tablehopper]
• Staircase porn [Houzz]
• MLS District 5 real estate data [Real Data SF]
• Scott Wiener hosting a public community safety meeting this Tues [@Scott_Wiener]
• Keiko Fukuda, Judo master and a living link to the founder of Judo, dies at 99 [New York Times]

[Photo: NVSF]

Attention Bliss Bar Fire Displaced Tenants

A reader with an available in-law apartment has offered shelter for the a night or so while you get your bearings. The unit is around the corner from the fire. Send us an email if you need it (or if you don't, frankly) and we'll hook you up.

Update 2/5:

My name is Billy - I am a volunteer for the Red Cross San Francisco. I responded to the Bliss Bar fire last night (the second time it went up), and I used to hang out there fairly often. I saw your post regarding the resident with the in-law. Red Cross took care of the residents affected by the fire by putting them up in hotels until the 7th, so a short term stay shouldn't be necessary.

Billy added that there are tenants who will need help with longer term housing. Please contact us if you have an apartment to rent and we'll put you in touch.

Crime Beat: Have You Seen This Package Thief?

From Jonathan:

I live on 22nd Street. We have been victimized by the "bicycle bandit" for years. We have called the police on several occasions when we have seen him in the neighborhood but they told us there was nothing they could do until someone caught him the act. Fortunately for us (and the residents of Noe Valley) he was arrested the other day after Sonya Yu's daring arrest.

I took this photo of him a few weeks ago. When we yelled at him to get out of the neighborhood and leave us alone he smiled and waved. I'm sending this to you because his arraignment is today and most likely he'll be released. If anyone sees him riding his bicycle in the neighborhood they should call the Mission Police Station at 558-5400. If they see him stealing anything or even up on anyone's front porch they should dial 911.

So what about it Noe Valley? Do you have pictures of this guy in the area? We want everyone to know who this guy is. Send your photos and we'll add them to the post - and tell your neighbors to be on the lookout.

Here's another via Twitter user @gmbrickley (from Bernal Heights):

[NVSF: Crime Beat: Suspected Package Thief Doused With Bear Spray, Arrested]
[NVSF: Video: Thief Empties Box Left By OnTrac]

Town Square: Community Meeting

Residents for Noe Valley Town Square is having a meeting this Thursday to update the public and solicit feedback:

On Oct 18...We will kick things off with a detailed update on everything we’re working on. Come and find out why we’re feeling (cautiously) optimistic about making the Town Square a reality! There will be open floor time to share your ideas, concerns and get your questions answered.

Another meeting is scheduled for Jan 16th. Mark your calendars.

What: Town Square Community Meeting
When: Thursday, 10/18, 7pm
Where: St Philips, 725 Diamond St, Community Hall

[NV Town Square: Upcoming Meetings]
[NVSF: Town Square]

Noe Valley Top-Ranked in the Nation for Trick-or-Treating (Again)

Get ready for the minivans full of kids in costumes commuting into Noe Valley for trick-or-treating again this year. Real estate tracker Zillow released its 4th annual list of the Top 20 cities for trick-or-treating and San Francisco ranked #1. Within San Francisco Noe Valley ranked #3 behind Presidio Heights and Sea Cliff, but ahead of Cow Hollow and Lake Street. (Shouldn't be long until the Mission makes the list.)

The fine print on how the rankings were calculated:

The index represents cities that will provide the most candy, with the least walking and safety risk. The ranking was calculated using four equally weighted data variables: Zillow Home Value Index, population density, Walk Score® and local crime data.

In other words, upscale homes and businesses = more candy.

For those new to trick-or-treating in Noe, merchants on 24th Street start handing out candy to the littlest ones early in the afternoon on Oct 31st and the costumes (and characters) get scarier and more adult as the night goes on.

[NVSF: Halloween 2011: Help a New Mother Out]

Public Meeting: SF Public Libraries

This Saturday the San Francisco Public library would like to fulfill it's voter-mandated obligation to update it's services based on community input:

The Library Preservation Fund, renewed by Proposition D in November 2007, requires that the San Francisco Library Commission assess and modify as appropriate the hours of operation of the Main and branch libraries at least once every five years. The public hearings are a key component of this process.

These public hearings will also allow residents to give SFPL their ideas about library services and priorities and allow the Library to present ideas about its future goals and initiatives.

In case you can't make it, the next meeting will be on Oct 2nd at the Bernal Heights Branch Library. More details at the SFPL website.

What: Library Operating Hours Public Meeting
When: Sat, 9/29/2012, 1:00-3:00pm
Where: 451 Jersey Street

2-Alarm Fire On Jersey St

It's been a busy day for sirens in Noe Valley. First there was a shooter on the loose on Church Street, and then this afternoon a 2-alarm fire broke out on the top floor of a three-story building at 276 Jersey St. The fire started at around 2:35pm and spread to a second building before being extinguished by firefighters within an hour. According to witnesses in the vicinity, there weren't many flames - just lots of smoke. As of late this afternoon, you can still smell it in the area.

Fortunately it appears no one was hurt and The Red Cross was on the scene to help displaced residents. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Update: A SF fire department spokesperson told CBS that the fire caused an estimated $151,000 in damage to the first building and destroyed $77,000 worth of contents. The adjacent building sustained about $132,000 in structural damage and $63,000 in damage to its contents.

[2-Alarm Fire Burns Residential Buildings In San Francisco Noe Valley - CBS]
[Photo of the fire damaged buildings - NVSF]

Construction and Community Garden at NV Branch Library

We received an email from Michelle Jeffers, the PR officer for the SF Public Library that DPW is going to be doing some construction work on the rear retaining wall behind Noe Valley Branch Library.

A flyer is being distributed to neighbors [PDF] - this bit caught our eye:

"This project will improve the safety of the Library’s rear retaining wall. Once construction is completed, the community garden project at the Noe Valley Branch Library will resume."

According to Michelle, there was some clean up work behind the library about two or three years ago with local neighbors and a Boy Scout troop. Then because of the retaining wall work, it was put on hold. The idea is that a community garden project can get back on track once the retaining wall is repaired.

Stay tuned for more details on the community garden.