Does North Beach know how to throw a party, or what? 

The Friends of Joe DiMaggio’s 2nd Annual Halloween Extravaganza was held on Saturday, October 31st to beautiful weather, wonderful friends and neighbors, and plenty of costumes - some cute, some scary.  Hundres of families from North Beach joined in the festivities that included games, bouncy houses, a terrific hay bale maze, photo booth, pumpkin painting, balloons, fortune telling, halloween crafts, trick-or-trunk, as well as entertainment from the Bubble Lady and the music of Steel Jam.  This year we also were treated to the amazing culinary duo of tacos (El Tanyanse) and hot dogs (Let’s Be Frank). 

A special thank you goes out to our sponsors - San Francisco Recreation and Parks, San Francisco Parks Trust, Stan Tang, North Beach Kids, Destination Art, Tel-Hi Co-op, Telegraph Hill Neighborhood Center, Snapple, BayCo Vending, North Beach Marine Canvas, North Beach Merchants, Bike-n-Roll, Michael Remery, and Supervisor Chiu. 

New hurdles for the library/park project

A new, and unexpected, roadblock in the North Beach Library and Joe DiMaggio Playground renovation projects has arisen. On September 16, San Francisco’s Historic Preservation Commission will vote on whether to recommend the creation of a “nonlinear historical district” comprised of 5 of 8 Appleton-Wolfard libraries, including the North Beach Library.  

If the commissioners vote yes, as it appears they are poised to do, a lengthy period of reviews and reports will begin. The matter would ultimately be determined by the Board of Supervisors, which could elect to follow or refuse the commission’s recommendation. If the Board agrees to the creation of the historical district, and North Beach Branch is included in that district, it would be eligible for landmark status, making its demolition extremely unlikely.

Retention of current library presents problems

The option of renovating the current library and retaining it for library use was studied extensively between 2003 and 2008.  The building has been deemed seismically unsafe and is - with its split levels, multiple stairs and crowded pathways - not ADA-compliant. Renovation to modern standards would require foundation work, the addition of sheer walls and other earthquake bracing, and the addition of ramps and elevators to link the upper and lower levels to the main library floor. These type of fixes are done everyday to historical buildings, but the odd split floor plan and crowded conditions of the current library (caused by the mandate that the original building be restricted to the size of one ball court) make the renovation and the programming of the resulting spaces more difficult. 

Besides the area that would be taken up with code and safety-related alterations, the Library also hoped to add 3200 square feet of additional space to provide more and better services to library patrons. (At 5300 SF, our branch is severely below the 8400 SF average for all other City branch libraries.) Opponents of demolition of the old library - a few who seem to have genuine affection for the old building and some who, predictably, are using the historic issue to stop a project they dislike for completely different reasons – propose to add the needed additional square footage by building over the bocce courts. The Recreation and Parks Department, owner of the land, and their commissioners have soundly rejected this option. 

And though such an expansion might serve historic preservation needs, it seems to do little else for library patrons. The current building may be considered by some an architectural gem, but it experienced functional problems almost from the start. Retention of the current library entrance, at what would become the far end of the overall building, raises concerns about placement of the circulation desk and the monitoring of arrivals and departures. There are other unresolved questions about the resulting linear and strung-out floor plan and how it would be supervised, and whether additional staff would be needed. Ideally, the ill-used planters and niches on the building exterior would be also addressed, though how to do so within the confines of historical accuracy is unclear. 

It seems logical to retain existing buildings and just spruce them up a bit, but renovations of historic buildings – especially ones protected as landmarks - can also be frustrating, very expensive, and fraught with additional costs and delays not easily anticipated at the project start. As happy as we were to renovate the North Beach Pool, many delays and cost problems were caused by unexpected “discoveries” during construction. The North beach Branch was constructed very economically and the majority of its materials have simply worn out after 50 years of hard use.

Negative impact on park

Expansion of the current building onto more park land – exacerbating the original land-grab a half-century - ago was ultimately opposed by the Library and RecPark staff and commissions as well as park and library users for a number of reasons. Even more recreation land would be lost to the ill-sited library. The resulting block-long building would completely cut off the playground from the triangle and Mason, blocking access and views and creating split spaces that are difficult to program and supervise. The pool’s important west and south windows would be shaded from all western exposure. The planned relocation of the children’s playground would likely be impossible to achieve without sacrificing other recreational amenities. Though the triangle alone could be greened, it would no longer be connected to, or share its greenery with, the greater park and it would be completely unsupervisable by recreation staff. 

Repurposing of the existing library has also been proposed. But RecPark has said it cannot allow the construction of a new library on park land without the return of the site currently occupied by the old library. And no department has indicated it has the millions of dollars necessary to retrofit the old building, or any use for it if that were done.

So, after 10 years of study and planning, 3 years of trying to find an alternative location for the library off park land, 5 contentious years of struggles about acquisition of the triangle, 2 years of community meetings, commission hearings and design reviews and more than 1 year of Environmental Impact Review research – after all that – we are once again hanging in the balance.

The Historic Preservation Commission

The Historic Preservation Commission, created by a ballot measure shepherded by Aaron Peskin and approved by voters in late 2008, was only recently impaneled. Some of the 7 commissioners are holdovers from the Landmark Preservation Advisory Board, the remainder are mayoral appointees. They are a newly minted group, trying to find their rhythm and the Appleton issue is their biggest focus at the moment. Library staff have presented to the commission 3 times in 3 months and hearing 4 is soon to come. As of the last presentation, on September 2, it was clear that some members of the commission were ready to recommend approval of the historical district, even though the Planning Department has not yet presented its reports or findings to the group, and even though 4 of the 5 libraries involved have already been or soon will be altered.

The commission can landmark 4 of the 5 Appleton libraries in their renovated state, but the only library they can completely control is North Beach. It is one of the lesser of the Appleton libraries – lacking the outdoor relationships, the grand single-floor spaces of the other branches. It has never been touted as a shining, precious example – until now. And the full EIR underway – which has been painfully, totally by-the-book – weighs the historical concerns as a major component. But in that venue, and at the board of Supervisors, issues other than historical value can be considered. At HPC, the commissioners reminded speakers that their purview is only the historic worth of the building, that they cannot be concerned about overall civic design or planning, or about community need, or all the effort and funds that have been expended to date. In other words, in their world, buildings count and people can’t.

Show your support!

Posters are also available to place in your windows, so the number and breadth of supporters are more obvious. Copies can be picked up at Schein & Schein, 1528 Grant Avenue (between Union & Green) Wed-Sat, noon to 7:00 PM, Sun noon to 5:00 PM. (Thanks Jimmie and Marty)

Speak up!

Not to be too discouraging but a recommendation to establish the historic district is supported so strongly by certain commissioners (and being pushed for so hard by certain project opponents) that it would be a surprise if they punted. Comments related to architectural and planning issues – especially by design professionals – could be sent to the commission. The next battleground is the Board of Supervisors, so reassuring Supervisor Chiu of your continuing support for the project is helpful. Of all the recognized neighborhood groups in the area, only the Telegraph Hill Dwellers are supporting landmarking – and this without a single presentation to their board or their Planning & Zoning committee by anyone officially representing the project. It seems their board does not have too much direct exposure to the park and library users who have championed the project. (Email addresses follow this article.)

Pitch in!

Any press connections are welcome, along with any other suggestions or offers of help.
If the hardest victories are the sweetest, this will be one fabulously appreciated library and playground!

Historic Preservation Commission

Secretary: Linda.Avery@sfgov.org

Commissioners:
Charles Edwin Chase, Commission President, Architectural Resource Group
Andrew Wolfram, Perkins & Will
Alan Martinez
Jim Buckley, Ph.D.
Courtney Damkroger
Karl Hasz, Hasz Construction, Inc.
Diane Matsuda, John Burton Foundation

Supervisor David Chiu: David.Chiu@sfgov.org

Telegraph Hill Dwellers: thd@thd.org

The Friends of the Joe DiMaggio Playground, along with our neighbors at the Telegraph Hill Neighborhood Center, the Telegraph Hill Co-op, and North Beach Kids had our 1st Annual Halloween Party on Friday the 31st. About 400 little monsters, princesses, cowboys, and their parents enjoyed the festivities, decorated pumpkins, had their fortunes told and navigated the haunted hay bale maze. It was a great event in a great venue in a great neighborhood. Thank you to all of the sponsors who donated their time and support. Please join us next year for an even BIGGER party!

A Better Library

• Larger, with more space for books, computers and seating
• Separate spaces for children, teens and adults
• A community room for programs and meetings
• Seismically safe and ADA accessible
• Existing library can stay open during construction

A Better Park

• Bigger and better lay-out
• More trees and green areas
• A safer, central children’s play area
• All existing amenities improved
• A more welcoming environment for all ages

A Better Neighborhood Center

• Nice transition area between the library and playground
• The new library and park create a welcoming civic presence
• Safer traffic intersections and pedestrian crossings

Discussions about the fate of the 701 Lombard triangle and Joe DiMaggio Playground have shifted out of the courtroom and chambers of City government and back into the heart of North Beach. Two significant developments in 2007 paved the way for the new phase: the official acquisition of the 701 Lombard triangle property by the City last summer and by voter approval in November of a library bond, a portion of which has been set aside to fund a new North Beach Branch Library. Now the Library and the Recreation and Parks Department have begun a joint master planning process to investigate possible locations and configurations for the expanded library and to consider options for assimilating the triangle property as part of the Joe DiMaggio open space.

Two community meetings designed to solicit neighborhood opinions and provide more in-depth explanations of the project’s opportunities and challenges were held on April 30 and May 28. A third community meeting, originally scheduled for June 25, has been postponed to August 18th at Sts. Peter & Paul’s Auditorium at 7:00. The study team decided to push the third meeting to a later point in the study in order to present a more comprehensive analysis of the short-listed options.

The first two community meetings on these topics have been a cause for pride in our neighborhood, in my opinion. The meetings have been well-attended and people have been thoughtful and articulate – and remarkably civil, even in cases where opinions were strong and divergent. So where are we so far?

Planning has to work around a few key, fixed elements. The new pool and clubhouse certainly aren’t going anywhere. And the large expanse of hardscape used for softball, roller hockey and the like will only fit in the Powell/Greenwich corner (though new, permeable and more attractive surfacing would be nice). There are very limited alternative options for locating the tennis courts.

But some pretty major shifts for other amenities have been discussed. Placing the children’s play area in the center of the park has been a very popular notion. This would make the play area easier to monitor, place kids farther away from the street and perhaps open up circulation through the center of the park now blocked by tennis. In this plan, the current children’s play would be partially or totally excavated and the tennis courts moved south towards Greenwich.

Working around the givens, the library’s studies of alternative locations, led by San Francisco architects Leddy Maytum Stacy, coalesced to 3 sites: the Greenwich/Mason corner (starting at the tot lot, shifted slightly south from the current location); an expanded triangle site (which includes a portion of Mason Street); and the Powell/Lombard corner. Both RecPark and the community gave thumbs down to the Powell/Lombard site, leading current studies to focus on Greenwich/Mason and the triangle.

By the second community meeting, attendees seemed to overwhelmingly favor the triangle as a potential library location. “Test fit” studies are being done prior to the next community meeting to see if that’s feasible, even with an encroachment onto Mason. The library believes the triangle’s limited size and configuration makes that solution unlikely, though, and the department favors the Greenwich/Mason site.

The other interesting outcome of the community meetings is what appears to be broad support for the Mason Street closure. Though some people do have strong concerns, in general attendees seemed ready to exchange the asphalt for more parkland. Recent traffic studies seem to support earlier assessments that closure would have no impact on emergency services and little impact on localized traffic. A full report on the methods and results of the traffic counts will be presented on August 18. But a lot more study, planning and legal steps remain before any decisions are made regarding closure.

And the rest of it? The studies are taking a hard look at how to make the park look welcoming and attractive from Columbus while still shielding the park from the traffic, soot and noise on its busy side. Alternative uses and arrangements are being considered for the triangle if it doesn’t house the library. And efforts are being made to accommodate all current uses and still find extra room for tai chi, shade and wind blocks, picnic tables, chess and trees, lots of trees, and greenery.

But all these hopes and visions depend on funding. And, while the library bond should cover reasonable costs for a new North Beach branch, RecPark has been frank from the beginning that, with another year of deep City budget cuts and with current parks bonds funds already committed, they can’t help with funding. The community has raised millions in private donations and governmental grants for neighborhood parks. Can we do it again – in this economy?

Neighbors interested in getting more involved with the Joe DiMaggio project are invited to join the volunteers of Friends of Joe DiMaggio Playground. Over the past 10 years the group has raised money, provided design services, organized community meetings and acquired grant funding for the pool and clubhouse renovation, the new bocce courts and for improvements to the children’s play area. This new phase is the biggest challenge yet and we’d love your help. To be notified of meetings and updates, email friends at DiMaggioPlayground dot org.