Tag Archives: MUMC

SF Planning Commish Nixes New Mega-Bux Slated for Market & Sanchez St.

Posted on by
11

No More StarbucksThursday the hotly contested proposal for a new, approximately 2100 sq. foot, mega-Starbucks retail space at the corner of Sanchez and Market (2201 Market St.) was shot down by the SF Planning Commission 5-1.

We’ve been following the developments since Aug. of 2012  when the Merchants of Upper Market/Castro (MUMC) made the public aware they’d awarded the project their seal of approval. Our comment sections on subsequent posts have been rife with impassioned arguments for and against Starbucks opening a fourth, retail outlet within a 1 mile radius of three others in the Castro/Duboce Triangle neighborhoods.

At the Thursday, May 9th final, final-no we swear-final Planning Commission meeting on the subject the Board followed their own staff’s recommendations and denied the coffee giant a permit based on the newly minted, formula store, Upper Market neighborhood’s density rules. Requirements state formula retail density can’t exceed more than 20% allowed within 300 feet of any given area.

They also noted they’d received petitions and letters from both sides on the subject. Lining up on ‘Yea’ side:  59 letters of support (including one from MUMC and the Buena Vista Neighborhood Association) plus a petition with 453 signatures in favor of their plan. On the ‘Nay’ side: 4 letters (including one from the Castro/Upper Market Community Benefit District-aka CBD-who rarely agrees with MUMC wishes) and a petition containing 4,200 signatures opposed. Commissioners also listened to an hour and half of public comments with 25 citizens pleading the ‘Yea’ case and 16 ponying up for the ‘Nay’ contingent.

Sketch of the new proposed Starbucks

Sketch of the new proposed Starbucks that was rejected by the Planning Commission on May 9th.

The Commission’s majority also pointed out there’s four other long-established, local coffee-house options and one formula coffee shop for citizens to access to meet their caffeine and bear claw needs. They also found that letting Starbucks occupy such a notable space would allow that particular retail design to be the dominant theme for that area and would detract from the community’s unique and distinct character.

Starbucks can still appeal the decision directly to the Board of Supervisors if it so wishes.

If this plan had been approved this would’ve been Starbucks 73rd store in San Francisco. Even without this new Market St. store that translates into one of the Seattle-based chain stores every six-tenth of a mile throughout the City.

Via-SocketSite, Bay Area Reporter

 

Planning Commission meeting for 4th Starbucks location May 9th

Posted on by
30
Notice of Public Hearing for Starbucks at Market and Sanchez May 9th

Notice of Public Hearing for Starbucks at Market and Sanchez May 9th

A notice of public hearing went up in the window of the Industrialists space (2201 Market Street) where Starbucks has its eyes on a 4th coffee location for the Castro. The public hearing will be May 9th and will be a pivotal moment in the decision to allow the chain to setup shop. There are many people for and against Starbucks or other “formula retail” chains moving into the Castro, so we expect local neighborhood associations, local businesses, and many Castro residents to show up en masse to voice their opinions. The Merchants of Upper Market and Castro has already given its stamp of approval for the coffee chain to move in, but the Castro / Upper Market Community Benefit District and the Duboce Triangle Neighborhood Association have officially voiced their opposition in solidarity with Wendy Mogg, owner of Sweet Inspiration Bakery, and other retailers that have circled a petition against the chain’s new location.

Sketch of the new proposed Starbucks

Sketch of the new proposed Starbucks

Two weeks ago, the Planning Commission adopted new rules to establishing formula retail in the Castro neighborhood wherein any project that brings the concentration of chain stores within a 300-foot radius to 20 percent or greater would not be recommended for approval. According to the Bay Area Reporter, planning staff recommended to the commission that the larger Starbucks location is not necessary nor desirable for the neighborhood.

Any way you slice it, it seems Starbucks is facing an uphill battle in securing the new space, but concerned Castro businesses and residents shouldn’t be complacent if they want to keep the new location out of the Castro.

The meeting will be held May 9th, at 12PM at City Hall, room 400.

Chipotle Tries New Tact to Gain Local Support for Contested Castro Restaurant

Posted on by
25

Last year Grub Street broke the story that Chipotle, the Mexican formula fast food chain, had inked a lease for the space that had been Home Restaurant, empty since 2011, at the corner of Market/Church/14th Streets. Opposition to the chains incursion into the Gayborhood was immediate.

Chipotle-LogoMerchants and neighbors started a Change.org petition that garnered hundreds of signatures to say, ‘thanks, but, no thanks.’ Duboce Triangle Neighborhood Association (DTLA) came out against while its sister org, Merchants of Upper Market Castro (MUMC), approved the idea. Result? Stalemate.

Chipotle now has started their own petition and public relations campaign to woo neighbors and local merchants to their cause.

So far they’ve amassed 29 local merchants to add their voice to their call to let the ban on formula chain eateries be lifted so the conglomerate can open in the long dead space.

Neighborhood citizen groups have also been approached and Chipotle’s biggest champion, Sup. Scott Wiener, has also been working diligently on their behalf to make the chains invasion into the neighborhood happen as soon as possible. Chipotle has also been having ‘Pop Up’ styled mini events at the corner offering their wares to citizens attempting to woo them with their culinary delights.

For those unfamiliar with Chipotles story it’s based in Denver, started by a former San Francisco Stars chef, Steve Ells, who was inspired by our classic Mission styled burritos. Armed with our City’s mainstay for its base dish he amassed a whiter version of the classic Mexican Mission menu and began his quest to conquer America one shopping mall at a time.

The new space on Church & Market will be a bit of a break out for the usual Chipotle formula. It will be their first, heavily urban, sit down, eatery with wait staff. They’re hoping to use it as a test spot to see if this new configuration will work for them and allow them to start expanding into neighborhoods around the country that aren’t their ‘traditional’ type of markets. Here is how they envision the space to look post renovation.

Chipotle view from across the street.
Chipotle rendering of the new space on Church & Market.
Birds eye view of the new Chipotle lay out.
Outdoor seating at the new Chipotle.

To be fair to Chipotle, as large chains go, they’re at the top of the heap when it comes to social awareness and are on the record for being anti-industrial farming and committed to many social causes including supporting full LGBT equality.

Those opposed say letting them open at such a highly visible corner sets a bad precedent and will signal a breach in the Castro’s committment to local, small owned, unique businesses. They also point out the four other, long established, family owned Mexican restaurants within blocks of the new Chipotle will be harshly punished financially by the chains presence.

Supporters retort the point is moot as the space needs filling and the chance of a small local business going in that massive space is next to impossible. Home closed due to liquor license irregularities. Boston Market who’d been in that space previously didn’t last as their product wasn’t up to snuff and the original restaurant, the infamous 24 hour, Church Street Station & Crows Nest Bar closed in the mid 90′s after its owner retired and moved to Florida.

Photo provided by Google Map Images

Photo provided by Google Map Images

San Francisco leads the nation in resistance to chain retail and fast-food chains. The Castro has been especially successful in keeping them out with few exceptions. Chipotle’s petition has so far about 250 signatures while the opposition has 500. As this continues on its merry way we’re sure to see an increase in rhetoric from both sides of this issue.

Chipotle remains optimistic of their chances. They expect to be scheduled for a Planning Commission hearing over the summer, and construction would then take about six months after that. So we are likely looking at a 2014 opening if it’s approved

Patio Restaurant to Finally Reopen?

Posted on by
9
The Patio Restaurant (Photo: M. Petrelis/Petrelis Files)

The Patio Restaurant (Photo: M. Petrelis/Petrelis Files)

The folks over at the B.A.R. are reporting that the long closed, once Castro epicenter of food and gab, The Patio Restaurant (531 Castro St.), may at last be reopening by late summer.

The owner, Les Natali, ‘temporarily’ closed the Patio in 1999 for a series of remodeling jobs-and in 2002-after all was said and done shut the doors completely. He bought Gay bar and neighborhood institution, Badlands and dedicated a large amount of time and money remodeling that enterprise while the Patio mouldered unused.

The reason behind the Patio’s long closure has never been 100% clear. The vacant retail space has lain like an open, empty, wound on the Village’s main drag irritating business leaders, neighbors and Castro citizens for more than a decade. Many have complained Mr. Natali doesn’t care about the Castro at all and refuse to buy his explanations for the long delay in reopening.

The restaurant was fully remodeled in 2007.  Many felt this completed work signaled an indication that Mr. Natali had found the right company to come in and run a restaurant out of the space since he’d made no bones about being interested in doing that task himself. Sadly that never came to fruition and in the nearly six years since the space has been used sporadically for community events like a fundraiser or most recently the after party local for the new Nitey Awards that were held at Castro Theatre last week.

Mr. Natali’s adjacent empty retail space and adjoining flat to The Patio property was also the target of a protest and occupation by homeless advocates who took it over in October of 2012 as part of an action around World Homeless Day. Activists used the long empty space as an example demanding such disused property throughout the City be turned over to the homeless so they’d have somewhere to live.

Mr. Natali seems to have everyone on his side to reopen the Patio. Dist. 8 Supervisor Scott Wiener has made it one of his top priorities and he also enjoys the full support of the neighborhood business association, Merchants of Upper Market Castro (MUMC), where he is already a member.

The Patio once kept nearly fifty people employed, supplied the City with a great source of tax revenue and served the community as both a destination and event space. The Castro could use that right about now with nearly 24 empty retail spaces lying fallow and more on the way from all the mixed use new build going on.

As the Patio’s paperwork winds it way from bureaucratic desk to bureaucratic desk through the puzzle that is the City’s permit maze all businesses face The Biscuit keeps our fingers crossed that this time The Patio actually is resurrected.

 

 

 

New site outlines major Castro development projects

Posted on by
8
Map of Major Castro Development Projects

Map of Major Castro Development Projects

Merchants of Upper Market and Castro (MUMC) member Emery Bushong of Herth Real Estate has compiled an informative list of 10 major new development projects now underway in the Castro.  Most include new ground floor retail-commercial space (totaling over 60,000 s.f.), as well as hundreds of new residential units — both condos and rentals. The website includes renderings of what the new locations will look like once completed. It’s a valuable resource for anyone interested in the Castro’s future.

via MUMC

UPDATE: Anti-SodaStream Demo at Cliff’s Variety

Posted on by
5
Protesters in front of Cliff's on Dec. 28th, 2012. Photo: Dov Baum

Protesters in front of Cliff’s on Dec. 28th, 2012. Photo: Dov Baum

As we posted on December 26th, a small protest inside Cliff’s Variety Store on Christmas eve around the sale of SodaStream Soda Maker, a carbonating water system  manufactured in the disputed Israeli-occupied territories in the West Bank settlement of Mishor Adumim, turned physical when Cliff’s employees physically ejected demonstrators from the store.

Police arrived on the scene 25 minutes after being called to find a few of the older members of the group bruised and a bit worse for wear. Statements were taken and some of the protestors have filed assault complaints with the SFPD over their treatment at the hands of Cliff’s employees.

Protestor at Cliff's 12/28. Photo: Dov Baum

Protestor at Cliff’s 12/28. Photo: Dov Baum

Store manager and Merchants of Upper Market Castro (MUMC) President, Terry Bennet, countered her staff weren’t trained to deal with these sort of situations and that the protestors hit one of her staff first and in the jostle to remove them knocked into an as yet unidentified customer with a child in a stroller.

On the 28th of December a group of 25 protestors returned to the store-this time remaining outside-for an hour long, peaceful, vigil to outreach to the Castro community at large.

They held a picket and passed out information sheets on the particulars of their position regarding the SodaStream product and why they feel it shouldn’t be sold at Cliff’s. Reaction was mixed with some supporting and other’s vocally taunting the protestors saying they, “got what they deserved” last time.

Many within the Castro have wondered why Cliff’s, a small family owned business and mainstay of the neighborhood, has been targeted when many large, nationwide corporations also stock the protested product? The group have taken their call for a boycott to large box, corporate stores like Bed, Bath & Beyond who stock SodaStream. Videos posted to You Tube show the group engaging in similar protest tactics at Bed, Bath & Beyond they used at Cliff’s on Xmas eve minus the manhandling.

These protests are not just in San Francisco but have been taking place all over the world. SodaStream has been criticized for operating a manufacturing plant on land in the West Bank by the Israeli non-governmental organizations Coalition of Women for Peace and Peace Now, as well as other human rights organizations

Protestors point out they’ve petitioned Cliffs ,via Ms. Bennet, for more than eight months to remove SodaStream and replace it with other similarly priced products that function in the same way and aren’t financially involved or supporting the ongoing political conflict between Israel and Palestine. Ms. Bennet has declined their entreaties. Protestors stated they will continue the campaign at Cliff’s and at any other store until there is diversification.

Community activists ask shoppers not to buy SodaStream product. Photo: Dov Baum

Community activists ask shoppers not to buy SodaStream product. Photo: Dov Baum

SodaStream was founded in 1903, grossed $275.36 million worldwide for the fiscal year of 2011, and is a strong campaigner for eco/green issues with a specialty focus on removing bottle and can waste from land fills. They assert that by using their product a family of four could keep 10,657 cans and bottles out of landfills on average over five years.

 

Merchants Unite to Keep Mega Starbucks Out of the Castro

Posted on by
20
Poster Inside Front Window of Sweet Inspiration

Poster Inside Front Window of Sweet Inspiration

Sketch of the new proposed Starbucks

Sketch of the new proposed Starbucks

A coalition of local Castro merchants have taken up the fight to stop a proposed mega-Starbucks on Market at Sanchez Street. As we reported in August the project has received the rubber stamp approval of the Merchants of Upper Market (MUMC). It is however heartily opposed by MUMC’s sister organization the Duboce Triangle Neighborhood Association (DTNA) and the Castro Community District Board (CBD).

The opposition coalition, led by Sweet Inspiration Bakery Cafe‘s Wendy Mogg, has initiated a petition drive through out the Castro that’s received thousands of local signatures. They’ve also held a public forum to discuss the issue and get more neighborhood feedback and met with Supervisor Scott Wiener to discuss the situation and enlist his help. Mr. Wiener has, at this time, been giving support to the new project-but-open to hearing from the community opposed to the new franchise development. Additionally they’ve created a Facebook page people can join to keep up on the latest developments and to find out how they can help keep the corporate coffee giants at bay.

No More StarbucksMs. Mogg, the DTNA and other’s within the coalition of neighbors have claimed that Starbucks does not meet the criteria for a “necessary and desirable” formula retail (“chain”) use,with individual character, offering instead a faceless, and expanding corporate concentration in our neighborhood. Starbucks would be replacing a small business, The Industrialists at 2201 Market Street, a unique glass and gift store.

Starbucks has also been accused of not following proper procedure in procuring it’s approval and that they’ve misled neighbors to get their support when gathering signatures on a ‘pro-Starbucks’ petition circulated earlier this year in the Castro.

The coalition also has pointed out that Starbucks would adversely effect the business of multiple, small, San Francisco based businesses who’ve long been established in the neighborhood providing years of tax income to City coffers.

Starbucks has also agreed to pay $15,000 a month in rent for that space. Critics claim that this huge sum would set  an unhealthy rent scale for other landlords in the neighborhood and could lead to raised rents and other small businesses in the area being forced out who’re unable to meet the increases.

Despite the unified opposition of neighborhood groups, and ignoring the fact that they already have three Starbucks within the neighborhood the Seattle based corporation has continued to press forward with their application. Any local merchant or resident interested in helping with the coalition to oppose Starbucks or to get copies of the petition to circulate, e-mail Wendy Mogg at coltercakes@gmail.com.