Probate Sale: "Famous" Noe Valley Home On The Market

How to score a single family home in Noe Valley with great curb appeal in a prime location for under $1M? Simple - make a bid on 4267 24th St. This house was previously occupied by notorious copper thief Dennis McGuire who was last seen returning to jail. Again.

Sure the kitchen needs work, and the toilet hasn't been flushable in months, but there's a lush back yard and a fireplace. And parking. Listed at $899,500 this "fixer" is only $837/sf.

[Trulia: 4267 24th St]

First Republic Bank Bails On 24th St

In mid-July we heard from Leslie Crawford that she was appealing the Planning Commission's Conditional Use permit for First Republic Bank approved on June 14th. The Board of Supervisors was scheduled to hear the appeal this past Tuesday, but things turned out differently (emphasis ours):

[Public Hearing - Conditional Use Appeal - 3901-24th Street]
Hearing of persons interested in or objecting to the decision of the Planning Commission's by its Motion No. 18648 dated June 14, 2012, approving a Conditional Use Authorization identified as Planning Case No. 2011.1372C, under Planning Code Sections 728.49 and 790.110 to convert a vacant ground floor commercial space into a financial service (d.b.a. First Republic Bank) within the 24th Street - Noe Valley Neighborhood Commercial District and a 40-X Height and Bulk District and adopting findings under the California Environmental Quality Act on property located at 3901-24th Street, Assessor’s Block No. 6508, Lot No. 001. (District 8) (Appellant: Leslie Crawford and subscribed by Supervisors Wiener, Olague, Avalos, Mar, and Chiu) (Filed July 12, 2012) (Clerk of the Board)
The President indicated receipt of a letter from the Project Sponsor, dated July 30, 2012, withdrawing their application for conditional use. The President inquired as to whether any member of the public wished to address the Board. There were no speakers. The President declared the public hearing closed.
HEARD AND FILED

So we asked Leslie for clarification and this is what we heard back (again, emphasis ours):

Yes, First Republic withdrew their application for conditional use. They decided (from my understanding) that there was a good chance they wouldn't win the appeal and if they lost, they couldn't look for a Noe Valley space for a year. So they are (again my understanding) looking for something off the 24th Street corridor.

[NVSF: This Week At The Planning Commission: First Republic Bank Redux ]
[SFBOS: July 31, 2012 Minutes]

This Week In Noe Valley: When Asking Is Too Much, Noe Valley Defined, And Building A Dream House Under Siege

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

• Not all Noe Valley real estate sells above asking (until "asking" is lowered) [Curbed SF]
• Olympic viewing parties next week at Civic Center [Rec & Park]
• Man killed on a quiet cul-de-sac just up the hill [SF Appeal]
• Urban Dictionary has an obnoxious definition of Noe Valley [Urban Dictionary]
• Current Noe resident Ev Williams has 300 enemies in his future neighborhood - wants to tear down a beautiful home to build green [Socketsite]

[Photo: @UrbanHikerSF]

PSA: Whole Foods Parking Lot To Close For Resurfacing

This notice from Whole Foods explains upcoming improvements. It'll be interesting to see how Noe Valley deals with less parking in light of recent issues:

To Our Friends & Neighbors in Noe Valley

Beginning Tuesday, August 7 the parking lot at Whole Foods will be under construction. The entire lot is being resurfaced and restriped as part of general property maintenance. The high level of traffic in our lot results in recurring cracks and potholes which we need to periodically address. In addition the lot will have new markings for safer accessibility to the store for our customers with disabilities.

The store will remain open for regular business hours throughout the construction. We are aware of the potential impact this will have on the neighborhood and have taken actions to address some of the effects on the neighborhood.

• The work is being done in sections to maintain maximum accessibility (see schedule below)
• Our suppliers and vendors have been warned of the restricted accessibility during construction so that they may better plan their delivery times and be prepared for restricted loading zones.
• Our contractors have been firmly warned about noise curfews and will act responsibly and with consideration for the neighborhood. We will have an on-site supervisor to oversee the contractor work at all times and enforce these expectations.
• We will have additional personnel available to help direct customer traffic in and out of the lot.
• Our Store Leadership is committed to making this project as quick, quiet and painless as possible for all. If you have any concerns please ask for us at our Customer Service desk inside the store – we are happy to meet with you.

Tuesday 8/7 through Friday 8/10 we plan to have most parking spaces available with normal traffic flow maintained. No weekend work and the lot will be fully available Saturday and Sunday.

Monday 8/13-Thursday 8/16 we will need to block off our West driveway as well as significant sections of the lot. Parking in the lot will be very limited this week. No construction on Friday, Saturday or Sunday with the lot fully available these days.

Monday 8/20 & Tuesday 8/21 will have all driveways in use and most parking spaces available. Wednesday 8/22 & Thursday 8/23 we will close our East driveway and significant sections of the lot. Parking will be very limited these 2 days. The project will be completed Thursday and the lot will be fully opened Friday 8/24.

As any of you who have survived a home remodeling project know, sometimes even the best laid plans can go off track. We are working diligently to ensure we have the best laid plan in place and appreciate your patient understanding as we complete this needed work.

Sincerely
Melanie, Dan, William & Dave
Store Leadership Team
Whole Foods Market, Noe Valley

The NVMPA's Parking Problem

The NVMPA's newsletter is always amusing, but this item from July is particularly out of touch:

PARKING - NOE VALLEY NEEDS PARKING

As noted in the President's information emails, your Association, specifically the merchants on Castro, is circulating and gathering signatures in protest of the SFMTA's planning for the removal of three (3) much needed parking spaces on Castro. We need more parking for our customers, for the community and for commercial growth, not less. The future will be more demanding, especially with the loss of the Ministry Lot.

We need your support! If the SFMTA insists upon taking of a parking space; then we want some support from the City, in which we live, work and pay taxes. We are asking for the conversion of the 24 Divisadero bus zones at Noe and 24th Streets, that they be converted to 'pole or bar stops', thereby adding necessary and favorably anticipated additional parking. Not only would this add parking but would eliminate the dangerous illegal right turn lane that so many drivers use. The intersection at Noe and 24th Streets would be made safer for the entire Noe Valley Community. See attachment, copy and circulate.

Please, read the Petition. Gather signatures, then call your President for pick-up. We are also asking for unmetered Diagonal Parking on the Eastside of Castro at James Lick Middle School. The issue of needed parking in Noe Valley is a straight forward one and your Association has a Parking Plan.

This is an old issue with the NVMPA and deserves discussion. But since NVMPA President Robert Roddick never returns our emails we put these questions to our readers:

• In a Transit First city should Noe Valley really push for more parking (and therefore more traffic)?
• How many of the employees at NVMPA member businesses are encouraged to carpool, take public transit or ride a bike to work?
• What is the "illegal right turn lane" at 24th and Noe?
• How is the NVMPA working to reduce car use and pedestrian safety on our very busy commercial corridor? (For instance, curb bulb-outs at all intersections, increasing the number of parklets, etc.)

Your thoughts in the comments, please. We'd especially like to hear from you, Robert.

[Noe Valley Merchants and Professional Association July Newsletter]
[NVV: Scouting for Parking in `Downtown Noe Valley']
[NVSF: Parking, Parklets and Other Backroom Deals in Noe Valley]
[NVSF: Forget Whole Foods - Noe Needs a Parking Lot]

2nd Annual Noe Valley Wine Walk

Brought to you by the NVMPA and Steven Restivo Event Services, the 2nd Annual Noe Valley Wine Walk is on August 23rd from 4-8PM on 24th St. According to the NVMPA, last year's event had over 400 pre-sold tickets (read: Groupon) and 400 same-day sales. Tickets are once again $30, but so far there's no half-price Groupon available. A wine glass is included in the price. All the details are available at the SRES event page.

Tao Cafe Closed - New Venture A Mystery

The windows at 1000 Guerrero have been papered-over for weeks and a sign in the window promises "an exciting new venture in August." Said new venture is still a mystery. A search online brought us to a Zagat post that is both off-key and clueless. The listed phone number rings unanswered, emails to the folks at Tao aren't returned and we haven't been able to connect with anyone on site.

Here's what we know: Tao's beer and wine license is still active; and the only permit on file with the DBI is for a plumber to "change-out fixtures." Tao Cafe's website states they're looking for a "new home for a re-birth," so a rebranding by the same owners is unlikely.

Please add what you know to the comments. If you're involved with the project please contact us on email.

It's a great location (remember waiting for Flying Saucer?). Whatever opens has great neighbors in The Liberties, Kiji Sushi and others and could do very well.

[Photo: Yelp]

This Week At The Planning Commission

A look at Noe Valley projects in front of the Planning Commission this week. Information is provided by the Planning Commission, and taken from its published agenda. All hearings are on Thursday at 1:30pm, Room 400 in City Hall.

August 2

4365 26TH STREET - south side between Douglass and Diamond Streets; Lot 024 in Assessor’s Block 6561 - Request for Discretionary Review of Building Permit Application 2011.10.18.7006, proposing to construct a rear addition at the first floor, a new second floor, and front and rear decks to the existing single family dwelling structure within the RH-1 (Residential, House – One-Family) Zoning District and 40-X Height and Bulk District.
Staff Analysis: Abbreviated Discretionary Review
Preliminary Recommendation: Do not take Discretionary Review and approve

The complete document with request for Discretionary Review, response, drawings, letters of support and complete staff analysis is here (large PDF). In a nutshell:

• DR Requestor: "We have no objection with the development of the property. We just want it to be in continuity with the neighboring houses and not at the expense of the neighboring homes."
• Applicant: "This same neighbor requesting the DR has also just completed a renovation of his property ~3 years ago, adding a 2nd floor and expanding to the rear." [Ed.--seriously great smackdown of the requestor's objections in applicant's response.]
• Summary of Planning Staff Analysis: The project meets Residential Design Guidelines. Approve it. Also: "Under the Commission’s pending DR Reform Legislation, this project would not be referred to the Commission as this project does not contain or create any exceptional or extraordinary circumstances."

[SF Planning: 4365 26th St]
[Photo: SF Planning]