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 & Fry,  3853 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]

NVV Nov 2017: 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 2017

Front Page: Harvey Milk used to write a column for the Voice; Grand View resident of 41 years could be displaced when landlord does seismic upgrades; a profile of local fashion illustrator Lynn Rosenzweig.

Letters: A neighbor writes of those who want to change 24th St. by adding new high-density housing: "...for the people who don't live here now, and don't have any interest in the old-world charm, can't they just move someplace else?"

Features: The steps at 20th and Sanchez are among several "Green Gardens" tended by neighbors; profile of a 13 year old Noe Valley Day Trader and budding capitalist.

Cost of Living in Noe Valley: Just six single family homes changed hands in September for an average cost of $1.8 million; average rent for a 2 bedroom is $4393 per month.

Store Trek: Le Cupboard Cafe, 1298 Church St. at 25th

Rumors and Tidbits: First Republic is moving into 1354 Castro at Jersey in the former American Title Company space. Two restaurants are rumored to be for sale in Noe Valley (ed. Lazeez? Noe sushi? Fattoush?); meanwhile, three more that are zoned for restaurant use are for rent: the former Bliss Bar, La PanotiQ and Caskhouse. The new owners of Savor have remodeled the patio. Le Cupboard is open and also has vegan vending machines. There will be a gathering at the Town Square on Nov. 8 to bemoan the "sad one-year anniversary" of the election of Donald Trump. On Nov. 17 there will be a Fight Fire with Love benefit concert at the Town Square. The post box at 22nd and Church has been restored. Artist and interior designer Ian Stallings at 3848 24th St has left after less than a year. The Real Foods building is officially for sale and being shown to prospective buyers - no details on a buyer yet.

[The Noe Valley Voice]

For Lease: Elisa's Health Spa

If you've ever wanted in on San Francisco's hot tub scene this is your chance. Tucked behind Easy Breezy and Bliss Bar on 24th Street, Elisa's Health Spa has been here since the rollicking '70s and is even ADA compliant. It may not be the cleanest, but you could change that. $48,000 gets you in the door and presumably into a partnership. Rent is $3500, and of course you'll need staff.

Add some bleach, the right lighting and some mood music for a swingin' time. Shagadelic!

[LoopNet: 4028 24th St # A, San Francisco, CA, 94114 - Available for Lease]

For Rent: Tuggey's Hardware

[Terranomics: 3885 24th St]
[NVSF: Tuggey's Is Struggling]

Tidbits: 24th Street Updates

While we weren't watching Raquel Settles Metalsmith opened up at 4128 24th Street -- once destined to be Noe Soup and before that part of the BJ Droubi Empire. The tiny jewelry store carries one-of-a-kind handmade items (earrings/necklaces made from antique glass buttons from the UK, for instance) and also does repairs.

Raquel Settels Metalsmith
4128 24th St
(415) 821-9979
raquelsettels@gmail.com

Other happenings on 24th Street over the last few weeks:

• Two spaces are being painted (and no longer have For Rent signs): the old J+J Market and Bespoke. Workers on site were unable to provide any info.
• The former Urban Cellars storefront is also showing signs of life as it edges closer to becoming Noe Valley Wine Merchants -- plasterers set up shop inside this week. License still pending, BTW.

Live The Dream: Prime Corner Space For Lease

For lease: 3751 24th Street at Chattanooga. "Wonderful Hi Visibility Commercial Space ... 20+ foot ceilings ... Corner locations are prime and rarely available ... all the foot traffic in Noe Valley must walk by the space to get to 24th Street/Mission transportation."

Now that the moratorium on new Noe Valley restaurants has lifted you could open your own cafe with a parklet out front (with soon-to-be-easier permit process), or leave it as is and operate your own cigarette / malt liquor / lottery ticket market. At $5500/month, a yoga studio, nails/waxing or children's art studio doesn't seem viable.

All that assuming you can handle dealing with the landlord. Looks like he/she will have no problem airing your dirty laundry: "It is currently being used as a small grocery/liquor store J&J Grocery, their lease is done January 2011, possibly sooner because they are having internal conflict with their management."

[Craiglist: NOE VALLEY Store Front Commercial/Corner Location]
[StreetsBlogSF: PARK(ing) and Parklet Day: Reclaiming the Curb for People]