[jbm]

I happen to prefer "the hub" a la the hub and spokes of a wheel. In my mind, SOMA ends at S. Van Ness and the mission starts at duboce. so the neighborhood is the triangle between market, s. van ness and duboce.

the commercial dead zone is really the north side of market between 10th and 12th. west of 12th there are not too many empty store fronts. besides that new bike shop, there's also the pastry cupboard and the old McCarney's furniture store is scheduled for demolition soon (deadline to appeal permits is this week) with condos scheduled to go in. I've also heard that the parking lot on the north side of page, right where it hits franklin is also supposedly turning into condos.