Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

New Skyscrapers To Dramatically Change SF Skyline
CBS ^ | January 30, 2007 | Hank Plante

Posted on 01/30/2007 9:50:06 PM PST by MinorityRepublican

SAN FRANCISCO The construction is everywhere in San Francisco, as one high-rise after another has been approved by the city, and about to be built.

Chronicle Writer Marshall Kilduff has covered the city since growth was a dirty word.

"20 years ago, 30 years ago when you had these high-rise fights, you had a much more homogenous town. Little neighborhoods, people who remembered things, landmarks were always under the gun," Kilduff recalled.

CBS 5 asked if the skyscrapers would have been approved 20 years ago.

"Never," Kilduff said. "We had 5, 6 ballot fights. Not (each of them) won. But the general direction was smaller, more contained, less development…and now all that's sort of going away.'

In fact, on Tuesday, five of the world's leading architectural firms came to Fort Mason, to pitch their ideas for a new Transbay Terminal and high-rise.

New trains and buses would shoot in-and-out of the Terminal's First and Mission location, with a skyscraper above it. The building would stand taller than the Transamerica Pyramid.

Across the street, another skyscraper is being proposed. At 1,200 feet, it would be the 3rd tallest building in the United States.

Dean Macris, the city's long-time planning chief, says people want to live and work downtown.

CBS 5 asked Macris if this is the "Manhattanization" of San Francisco.

"Yes and no," Macris replied. "We're not talking about hundreds of towers, we're talking about a selective number of towers. So that if manage it correctly we're not going to be Manhattan."

But not everyone loves the changing skyline. Calvin Welch has been a housing activist for 30 years.

"Well I think, I think you get close to talking about the loss of a civic soul, of a connection between people and a place. And…once you change that, you change everything in a city," Welch said. "And I don't think people quite understand that. But cities are about places, and people's relationship to those places. And once you start putting 2,000 foot high buildings that you ask people to live in, you are totally transforming your relationship to one another, and to the place."

As for the Transbay Terminal Project, the City of San Francisco will pick a finalist over the next few weeks.

By the time all this building is over, it's going to be a very different looking city, whether we like it or not.


TOPICS: US: California
KEYWORDS: ca; california; northerncalifornia; sanfran; sanfrancisco; sf; skyscraper; skyscrapers

1 posted on 01/30/2007 9:50:07 PM PST by MinorityRepublican
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: everyone

Yuck.


2 posted on 01/30/2007 9:55:39 PM PST by California Patriot ("That's not Charlie the Tuna out there. It's Jaws." -- Richard Nixon)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MinorityRepublican
"Well I think, I think you get close to talking about the loss of a civic soul, of a connection between people and a place.

Just pass a bill to require that all building lobbies include the smell of stale urine. San Francisco literally reeks.

3 posted on 01/30/2007 9:57:32 PM PST by glorgau
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MinorityRepublican

prekatrina syndrome...
build your city on a natural disaster waiting to
happen......give it up, S.F.....I would hate
to be in SF if an earthquake hit...


4 posted on 01/30/2007 10:07:03 PM PST by Getready (Truth and wisdom are more elusive, and valuable, than gold and diamonds)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MinorityRepublican

So ... we rebuild New Orleans again in a big bowl and San Fran puts up more things to fall down during the next big quake. Don't worry, though, the Federal taxpayer will foot the repair bill as the local pols yell long and loud so no one realizes their complicity.


5 posted on 01/30/2007 10:14:48 PM PST by NonValueAdded (Pelosi, the call was for Comity, not Comedy. But thanks for the laughs. StarKisses, NVA.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MinorityRepublican
And once you start putting 2,000 foot high buildings that you ask people to live in, you are totally transforming your relationship to one another, and to the place."

Funny, once you start encouraging, subsidizing, and celebrating violent homeless bums, you also are totally transforming your relationship to one another, and to the place.

Sow --> Reap

6 posted on 01/30/2007 10:17:48 PM PST by Zeppo (We live in the Age of Stupidity. [Dennis Prager])
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MinorityRepublican

Will these be for communal living, to house revolutionary committees on how to impeach Bush, libraries dedicated to Marx, Study halls for LSD and other spiritual enhancements?


7 posted on 01/30/2007 10:37:11 PM PST by Dallas59 (HAPPY NEW YEAR 2007!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Dallas59

8 posted on 01/30/2007 10:54:11 PM PST by Dallas59 (HAPPY NEW YEAR 2007!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Blue Jays
If skyscrapers and other symbols of progress anger Muslim jihadists, I'm all for them being built.
9 posted on 01/30/2007 10:57:47 PM PST by Blue Jays (Rock Hard, Ride Free)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Blue Jays
International Finance Center

Proposed

Millenium Tower

Golden Bay Plaza

One Rincon Hill - South Tower

Transbay Terminal Tower
10 posted on 01/30/2007 11:04:04 PM PST by Dallas59 (HAPPY NEW YEAR 2007!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: glorgau
Just pass a bill to require that all building lobbies include the smell of stale urine. San Francisco literally reeks.

The big city sure is scary, isn't it?
11 posted on 01/30/2007 11:08:24 PM PST by aNYCguy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: NonValueAdded
Don't worry, though, the Federal taxpayer will foot the repair bill as the local pols yell long and loud so no one realizes their complicity.

AND you get to blame it on the President....if it's a Replublican.

12 posted on 01/30/2007 11:43:01 PM PST by Allegra (Hey! Quiet Down Out There!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: glorgau
Just pass a bill to require that all building lobbies include the smell of stale urine. San Francisco literally reeks.

Ha-ha! It's just not urine, I've seen homeless people crapping in the doorways in downtown SF. The better businesses hose it down every morning.

Down near the waterfront where the building boom is going on, there's a problem with antiquated sewage systems. I worked for many years at One Market, a set of high-rise towers at the Bay waterfront. The new Transbay Terminal is a couple blocks from there. Often-times the area reeks of sewage, as it backs up underground in pipes alongside the piers. Every new skyscraper adds hundreds if not thousands of workers who add extra flushes into the mix. The City is aware of the problem and is constantly monitoring sewers in order to clear backups, but is hard pressed to keep up. The good news is that you can fart and no" no notices.

13 posted on 01/31/2007 12:58:59 AM PST by roadcat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: MinorityRepublican

SF is a beutiful city. Its just the leftist capital of the US that makes is suck so hard.


14 posted on 01/31/2007 4:50:54 AM PST by MARKUSPRIME
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson