[observatory]

Originally posted by Pedestrian: Define "success". I don't doubt lots of people would trek up there to see the view, but do you mean to argue they could monetize its popularity to the point of paying for the costs of installing it and maintaining it with features that wouldn't adversely impact building tenants or owner liability? The closure of places like the Carnelian Room, a restaurant atop the Westin St. Francis Tower, the observation deck atop Embaracadero Center and so on argues otherwise. Those place were closed for a reason, almost certainly economic.




I define "success" as a money-making endeavor as opposed to a money-losing one. San Francisco has NEVER had a world-class observatory at the top of a true supertall structure downtown. If it did, I believe it would be swamped like those in New York, Chicago, and LA (yes, the new observatory at the top of US Bank (old Library) Tower is a hit. The closure of those places you listed do not meet the qualities I mentioned above.