Closing: Cooks Boulevard

A reader tipped us to the sad news that after 5 years in Noe, Cooks Boulevard (1309 Castro @ 24th St) is closing. Owner Malcolm Haar says the two-level retail space is too big (and presumably expensive) and the "current situation is not sustainable." Depending on how quickly he can find someone to assume the lease, he may or may not reopen in another location.

A final close date has not been set, but the selection is already looking thin and everything in the store is 20-40% off. If you're planning to stop in, do it soon--and check the Cooks Boulevard blog for updates on a final closing date.

Unrelated (but unfortunate), the front window to the store is also broken.

[Cooks Boulevard: Time's Up: We're Closing]

Teardowns: Prices Dropping?

Check out 469 Valley St: $649k for a total teardown. The MLS describes it as a probate sale and "absolutely uninhabitable under current conditions." But even given the condition we'd expect a bit more, especially because of the potential for views.

Compare it to a few recent sales that were also torn down or majorly fixed:

1409 Sanchez sold in September 2008 for $875k. It returned to the market as an empty lot with approved plans for $1.25M. It didn't sell, and was eventually withdrawn from the MLS.

168 Clipper St sold in 2007 for $800k and is currently slated for demolition and working through the approval process for new construction.

4033 26th St sold in 2007, was raised 2 levels and is now offered as a $2.595M single family home.

Has the market changed that much? Or is the risk to developers just too high, and construction loans that hard to come by? Maybe it's just not Noe Valley enough?

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.

March 2010

Front Page: Local softball teams ready for spring season; murder writer Cara Black produces her 10th novel; Noe Valley Ministry is closing for a year in November; The history of Shufat Market; Muni wait times may get longer due to proposed service cuts and J-Church track repair.

Letters: A neighbor is disappointed to find Noe Valley wouldn’t support measures to find new income for Muni; a plea from neighbors to patronize 24th St. Cheese Co. which is feeling the Whole Foods pinch (despite long lines); Independent Nature on Church wants you to know it does not sell beekeeping supplies; another neighbor begs to differ on the fewer restaurants myth.

Cost of Living in Noe: It was a cold January - 6 homes sold. Meaning...not enough for good data.

Traveling Voice: Venice.

Store Trek: Cardio-Tone.

Rumors: NV community meeting at St. Philips (including details on the plaza set to open on Noe St - south side, closed to traffic); Geeks in Noe raised $12k for Alvarado School; Green Twig Hair Salon is moving into the long-vacant former travel agent space at 1515 Church and will sell Aveda products; Lynn Antiques at 1478 Church is closing this month (she’s moving back to Montana); Twin Peaks Pizza is offering house wines for $2.99 a bottle for eat-in dinners this month.

[The Noe Valley Voice]

Community Meeting Minutes: Let The Free Market Work

It was a full house tonight at St. Philips. Not as many people as at the Whole Foods community meeting but still a good turnout and all the usual suspects were there with Bevan as the smooth-talking moderator to keep things civil. The most vocal were people who live on or around 24th Street, or on Jersey or Elizabeth (with restaurants in their backyard).

Short SFPD Presentation

• Captain Corrales praised Chief Gascon, who has brought in new perspective and ideas – like fingerprint kits for car break-ins
• Lots of clapping for Lorraine Lombardo, 24th St beat cop for 20 years

More Restaurants on 24th Street

• Quick overview of the proposal from Bevan that passed the Board last month, and he then introduced the lady pictured here (couldn't catch her name). Her main point – Starbucks opened in 1993 even when we had all these rules in place. All of this needs more study - we need balance and stability “like a good shopping mall.”
• Another woman stood up and asked what “necessary and desirable” means in the planning code. The Planning Department's Elizabeth Watty's answer: “It’s subjective.” It needs the community support and restaurants typically should be no more than 20% of commercial space. And no formula retail or chains – communities typically support independently-owned restaurants.
• Yet another complained about the “hustle and bustle on the streets to create a new restaurant” so that they could "open and close, open and close” and the “pizza crusts” and “rats” she worried about with a place like Extreme Pizza opening (it was shut out in the 90s)
• Bill and Carol Yenne stood up and said they’ve lived in the 'hood for years, have kids and grandkids here (on and around 24th Street) and everyone they know supports more restaurants

Other Highlights from Public Comment

• Everyone hates nail salons, title companies and banks
• The biggest opponents to more restaurants are people who live on or around 24th Street and near restaurants (they hate the noise, smells, and delivery trucks)
• There were a few people who worried about the gentrification of Noe (all these changes are driving out “working class people like me”)
• Fresca, "the taqueria" and Hahn’s Hibachi are hated by their neighbors for the noise and smells
• Starbucks neighbors hate the noisy refrigerated delivery semis that idle in their driveways for hours every night
• Savor was held up as a good neighbor for respecting and listening to complaints and installing state-of-the-art (read: quiet) ventilation
• At the end of this segment Bevan asked for a show of hands. There were many more for more restaurants than against. 4-to-1? 3-to-1? Hard to tell but it was a solid majority.

Pavements to Parks (aka the New Plaza for Noe on 24th and Noe)

Debra Niemann gave a quick talk about what the Noe Valley Association does (greening, maintenance, crosswalks, making downtown Noe an urban village) and highlighted some of the recent projects like the green area near Starbucks and the pedestal newsstands – as well as the Harvest Fest.

"Very soon" they plan to invite neighbors to talk about the proposed green common space at 24th and Noe. No details yet, except that Flora Grubb is donating the landscaping and other vendors are donating design time. Send an email to info@noevalleyassociation.org if you want an invitation to the meeting to discuss the proposal. The hope is to have a decision soon enough to open the space on June 21.

Reminder: Community Meeting With Bevan Dufty Tonight

Bevan Dufty is co-sponsoring a community meeting tonight with the Noe Valley Merchants Association, the Noe Valley Association, Friends of Noe Valley, the Noe Valley Democratic Club and Upper Noe Neighbors. The agenda includes:

• New legislation to allow more restaurants on 24th St
• An introduction of Captain Corrales, SFPD Mission Station
• And a presentation by the NVA including details on the "upcoming Pavements To Parks program project at 24th & Noe Streets."

What: Community Meeting
When: Thursday, February 25, 2010, 7:30 pm
Where: St. Philip's Church, 725 Diamond St. (between Elizabeth & Castro)

New Street-side Plaza For Noe Valley

"Plaza premiering later this year" at 24th and Noe Streets. The article doesn't give any other details and the SF Pavement to Parks website is down. Stay tuned...

[SFGate: S.F. plazas, 'parklets' spout, squeeze out cars]

Tidbits: Real Estate

4033 26th St hit the market this week. The former eyesore has 4 bedrooms ("including a luxurious top-floor master retreat"), 3.5 baths, views and parking. All that since the photo above was taken in November. (Fast?) Offered at $2.595M.

Nove has opened on the eastern edge of Noe Valley in the old Palm Broker spot at 1070 Guerrero. The two condos currently listed are $1.125M and $1.575M. Curbed has the best summary of features and photos.

Check out Firehouse 44 at 3816 22nd St. The big beautiful 4-bedroom, 2-kitchen house without a view or a yard has dropped to a bargain $4.8M from it's original asking price of $6.375M back in September '08.

Urban Cellars: Busted Again

Urban Cellars' license has been suspended again for selling to a minor, and this time they've been shut down for 15 days. They'll reopen this Friday unless there's something we don't know. (Hmmm... is it really that hard to check ID?)

On a related note: That change of ownership mentioned in the comments last time? Application withdrawn. Anyone know more?

[NVSF: Urban Cellars: Closed By ABC]