[BTinSF]

Friday, December 5, 2008
Developer wins battle vs. preservationists
San Francisco Business Times - by J.K. Dineen

Developers looking to build a 13-story condo tower on the site of a 1920s-era auto dealership at Bush and Franklin Streets in San Francisco have beaten back efforts by historic preservationists to torpedo the project.

On Dec. 2, the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency Commission voted unanimously to approve a 70-unit project proposed by Pacific Heights Franklin Partners, a partnership between Dan Schalit and Jim Helfrich of Village Properties. The vote endorsed the environmental impact report, the design of the building and the demolition of the current structure, which is occupied by Cars Dawydiak.

San Francisco Heritage Executive Director Jack Gold said he argued at the hearing that the single-story building deserves preservation because it is part of the “auto row historic district,” a cluster of early automobile businesses on and near Van Ness Avenue.

“It’s one of a type of auto-related buildings in that neighborhood that represent the flowering of the auto industry in San Francisco,” said Gold.

The building was designed by Frederick Meyer, who was the architect of the Bill Graham Auditorium, as well as a number of classic residential buildings like 980 and 999 Bush St., 775 Post St., 795 Sutter St. and 956 Post St. Gold called Meyer “one of the most important architects in the city.”

Source: http://sanfrancisco.bizjournals.com/...ml?t=printable