You were, in fact, wondering whether Curbed SF would slap up some "best of 2007" linkage, weren't you? Enter the 2007 Curbed SF Awards. From now until the moment we break for the new year, we'll be honoring the best, worst, and most random of San Francisco neighborhood, real estate, and architectural developments.
1) Best breakout performance: Ah, Mint Plaza (and you, too, Mint Collection). Minty Fresh, our love. You've delivered a stunning debut performance; no other development has captured our hearts like you have. Now keep those damn orange chairs out past 4:30 so that we have something to sit on when we tap into your WiFi. Capice? And a power source/ extension cord wouldn't hurt either— if everyone else can camp out in Mint Plaza, why can't we?
2) Most anticipated and beleaguered building: This one goes out to One Rincon Hill, without a doubt. Voted ugliest in San Francisco, dogged on for its silly time capsule stunt, taunted for its elevators and lack of earthquake resilience. Causing riots among realtors! And yet everyone's still obsessed with the damn thing.
3) Best development value add: Whole. Foods. The words that launched a thousand ships. Props to The Potrero for effectively supporting its (debatable) claims of a pedestrian-friendly nabe. We, of course, just heart the free WiFi (even when it blocks the YouTubes.)
4) The comeback kid: Over ten years in the making, Chelsea Park merged into the fast lane over this past year, finally accepting deposits and making very visible progress on a development that promises to draw even more pasty stroller-pushers to the area.