The City and developer Lane Partners LLC are taking it to the streets at Harrison and Third: the city wants to keep a row of 22 southern magnolias that line the street, while the developer wants to whack and replace them with London plane trees (they're less "water hungry." Didn't you know?) So who's more green? Here's where Lane Partners deftly plays their LEED card: since they're renovating the old SBC building at 370 Third Street and want to score LEED certification, lowering water consumption by changing the trees would gain them ever-coveted points toward that goal. Plus, a couple of (paid) arborists say the magnolias are sick and should be removed. The city and a phalanx of various forestry and tree councils beg to differ, insisting that getting rid of anything existing for its own sake is inherently ungreen. And they're not afraid to get nasty about it — one magnolia supporter called its proposed replacement "a very dirty tree."
· SoMa tree fight makes its way to City Hall [SF Gate]
· Construction Update: All Glassed Up at 370 3rd Street [Curbed SF]
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