UNN Meeting: MUNI Track Repair

Join the Upper Noe Neighbors and representatives from MUNI this Thursday at the Upper Noe Rec Center. Neighbors will get a chance to voice frustration with noise and speed, of course, but the main focus of the meeting is to discuss upcoming repairs to the J-Church tracks. Some details from Jay Lu, PR Officer for the SFFMTA:

As part of the SFMTA Rail Improvement Project, we have tentatively scheduled to replace the rails at the following locations on these weekends:

J Church Rail Replacement on weekends only (from 6 p.m. Friday continuously to 5 a.m. Monday)
Church Street & 18th Street
San Jose Avenue & 30th Street
Tentatively scheduled for the weekends of March 5, 12, and 19, 2010

J Church Rail Replacement on weekends only (from 6 p.m. Friday continuously to 5 a.m. Monday)
Church Street & 30th Street
Tentatively scheduled for three weekends in September 2010

What: Upper Noe Neighbors Monthly Meeting
When: Thursday, February 18, 2010 at 7:30pm
Where: Upper Noe Rec Center, Day at Sanchez Streets

[SFMTA: Rail Improvement Project]

Views from the Edge: Dolores Park Renovation

The local blogosphere blew up this week with word that Dolores Park will close for at least a year for renovations. PBR-drinking fixie riders were in an uproar. Nevermind all those who loved the park long before the others decided it was their holy land. And so it was up to Dolores Park Works to set the story straight - the park will remain accessible:

The renovations will be done in phases. The whole park will not be closed or fenced off for the duration of the renovations. ... [The playground remodel phase] is scheduled to start in October 2010 and end in April 2011. [Phase 2 will start after that]. The goal is to limit the impact on the community while ensuring that the work is done efficiently and safely.

Stay involved and get the full story by following the latest at Dolores Park Works.

Update: Details added to clarify timeline.

Benefit: Geeks In Bushes For The Alvarado School

Those nerdy kids with iPhones poking around your front yard this weekend? Not the usual clipboard brigade. They're likely part of a scavenger hunt designed for the 21st century. From the over-the-top chirpy PR email: "Get your geek on! ... Smart phone scavenger hunts are all the rage these days, but I’m not aware of any like this, and all the money raised goes directly to Alvarado." All four district 8 supervisor candidates are (of course) supporting the event, and competing against each other in an early test of their electability. Annoying, yes, but at least it's for a good cause.

It works like this:

Arrive early! At 6:00 pm sharp participants will leave Alvarado Elementary School’s auditorium and be given a map with some clues to decipher. Solving those clues will lead you to various locations in Noe Valley. When you arrive at the mystery location, you'll take a photo of the answer with their phone and email it back to an address provided at the beginning of the event. The first team to solve all clues is the winner. Simple, no?

Why: For fun, mostly. And for prizes (from Geeknet, EA Games, Bon Jovi tickets, and more). And also because all the money raised goes toward improving technology for students at Alvarado Elementary. That means ticket price is tax-deductible.

Cost: The fee is $50 for a team of up to 4 and $75 for a team of up to 6. A bargain for memories that will last a lifetime. All of the money raised from this event goes directly toward improving the quality of computers at the school.

Rules: All you need is a phone that can take a picture and send email. Be on time, or you’ll be behind your fellow competitors. Teams have to stick together and stay on foot. Bring a flashlight (or flashlight app). Charge up your phone batteries. Respect the neighborhood.

[Official Site: Tech Search Party]

Overheard: 24th St Survival Guide

"Next time I come to Noe Valley I'm bringing a paddle ball. Maybe then the stroller b******* will move over."

NVV: 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 outside sources as the Voice doesn't post stories until the middle of the month.

February 2010

Front Page: The city clears the way for more restaurants on 24^th Street; Officer Lorraine Lombardo on the beat for 20 years with SFPD; Whole Foods and La Boulange are boosting business on 24th Street; a lovebird is weaned.

Letters: If your kids were photographed with Santa, Fima Photography has your free 5x7 photo for you; an alert about car break-ins in Upper Noe; and a bike-to-Marin benefit for multiple sclerosis.

Feature: Circle Bank is opening this spring; Mike Gutierrez of Tuggey's is going for the world record for the largest rubber band ball.

Cost of Living in Noe: Home prices overall saw a 13.8% drop in 2009. Average cost of a home was… $1.3 milion. (Ed.-Translation: It's now 10 degrees cooler on the surface of the sun.) Rents? Still ouch.

Traveling Voice: Cuba, Guatemala, India, Vietnam.

Store Trek: Independent Nature, Old Republic Title Company

Rumors: The Noe Valley Stroller Menace (Oh Noes!); Cover to Cover gets grief for not carrying Sarah Palin's book Going Rogue; SF Gate is looking for a freelance Noe Valley blog after the last one abruptly disappeared; and the NVV mentions Everyblock, and also this blog as a source of information: "while somewhat snarky, it keeps the news coming and has a neighborhood posting wall;" NVV goes on to mention "an interesting item duped on NoeValleySF in January was a 'Reader Rant: Dogs Need Places to Poo Too.'" We're not sure what that means, but you can read the story here. And NVSF (that's this blog again) linked to the NY Times story for the top 10 NetFlix rentals in Noe. That led NVV to poll Video Wave for their top 10 (first was Burn After Reading – pick up an issue of NVV for the full list). Thanks for the shout out, NVV!

Finally, NVV counts 9 vacant spots on 24th Street; the owner of the Artsake building is renting that spot for $3,000 and has fielded calls from a nail salon (noooo!). The 2,500 sq. foot former Mi Lindo Yucatan space should be finished by June and ready to rent – the owner is hoping for a destination restaurant. Cardio-Tone opens; Bill Yenne has another book; farewell Helen Weinschenk, former owner of the Wooden Heel (the shoe repair shop) on 24^th Street.

[The Noe Valley Voice]

Video: The Story Of The Noe Valley Farmer's Market

Found on Google.

Update: Planning Commission Allows More Restaurants In Noe Valley

On January 14, the Planning Commission voted unanimously (with all 7 Commissioners) to allow an unlimited number of new restaurants within the Noe Valley Community Benefit District pending case-by-case Conditional Use authorization. Video of the hearing here (19 minutes).

NIMBYs? Denied.

[NVSF: This Week (Today!) At The Planning Commission]
[SFGTV: January 14, 2010, Planning Commission Hearing, Video]

Reader Rant: Dogs Need Places To Poo, Too

26th St @ Sanchez

Jenny writes:

I'm an avid reader of your blog and a Noe resident. In general, I love Noe Valley, but one of the things that drives me nuts are people believing that they "own" the sidewalk in front of their house and putting gates/fences around the very few green patches of earth, thus restricting their use. I am a dog owner, and there are literally so few places my dog can go to the restroom it's ridiculous. I, like most Noe dog owners, are responsible and ALWAYS pick up after their dogs. I think it's rude and perhaps illegal for people to be fencing off publicly owned property such as public green space. Tips? Advice? Any more info on the issue?