Here’s something fun to break up your day. Noisebridge, the anarchist educational hackerspace near 18th and Mission, mounted a camera to the bottom of a remote controlled airplane and flew it over Dolores Park. The results are some pretty sweet bird’s-eye views of the park and surrounding neighborhoods. Enjoy!
Click image to see it larger
According to this infographic from LivingLovely.com, average Castro apartment rental rates have increased 34% since last year from an $2,494 to $3,352. But that’s nothing compared to how high rents in Chinatown and the Bayview have risen, both seeing an average rental rate increase of over 100%.
I have a few friends in the city right now looking for places, but they can’t find anything in their price range. The cost of owning a home in the city has pushed people into the rental market, increasing the demand for rental apartments. Hopefully the new units going up next to Starbelly at 16th and Market and the units proposed at 15th and Market will help relieve some of our space issues.
Walking by the 76 gas station at Market and 15th today I saw a Notice of Public Hearing sign posted for a proposed demolition of the site to replace it with a 6-story mixed use building with 88 living spaces, retail or restaurant on the ground floor, and a 44 space, underground parking garage.
The Planning Commission hearing is scheduled for noon on September 6th in room 400 in City Hall if you’d like to attend and hear more. If you do get to attend and want to let us know any other details, just email us. We won’t be able to make the meeting!
View the entire notice online. (hit CTRL+F once your there and search for case number “2012.0110CEV”
According to Grub Street, the popular Saturday/Sunday recovery/brunch location at 16th and Sanchez called Tangerine will be closing and relocating, but to where and when no one knows as of yet. Grub Street is speculating that they may move over to the space The Patio Cafe occupied on Castro Street between 18th and 19th which has been closed since the late nineties (WOW!).
The space over at The Patio Cafe is supposed to be huge and include an outdoor patio (duh) so this would be a smart move for Tangerine. There are always lines on weekend mornings and the outdoor seating area is the most coveted on warm summer and fall days.
A new spoof of the Apple iPhone 4S commercials that feature people asking Siri for directions or having her set reminders has been made with some Castro flavor added. Enjoy.
via SFist
For the last year, all over the Gayborhood, these fanciful, elemental, mobile sculpture, structures have been popping up at intersections, street signs and hung from the sides of buildings with greater frequency. This lovely example was harpooned atop the community billboard on 18th street between Collingwood and Castro where the wind caught it’s multi armed, colored stamens giving it life as the breeze spun it into a kinetic frenzy of reflected light. These elaborate, Disco era, inspired sculptures have drawn the attention of locals and tourists alike and quickly become a favorite with all. We here at The Biscuit are mid investigation searching to find the artist(s) responsible for this art and hope to have a followup article to you very soon. Until then enjoy this particular beauty and fantastic example of San Francisco Street Art at it’s most imaginative. 
Construction seems to be kicking off at Hi Tops, the new gay sports bar in the Castro.
As you can see from the highlighted photo, we have owner Jesse Woodward inside taking a look at the renovation progress. Though I could not get a comment from him on an opening date (I tried, though he was busy), I imagine they will be opening up within the next couple of months.
