Curbed Cup 1st Round: (8) Mid-Market vs. (9) Lower Haight

[Mid-Market photo via Sergio Ruiz/Lower Haight photo via Curbed SF]

With Twitter finally opening its new headquarters in the Mid-Market area earlier this year, and with nearly every tech company following suit, how could we not include the sorta scrappy stretch of Market Street between the Tenderloin and SoMa? (is it a neighborhood yet? We're calling it a neighborhood from now on.) There's also plenty of effort to preserve the Hibernia Bank and other historic buildings, and pump new life into vacant buildings like the American Conservatory Theater revitalizing the vacant Strand Theater. We should point out that Mid-Market won the Curbed Cup in 2009.
We should let you know from the get-go that the Lower Haight was crowned the 2011 Curbed Cup Neighborhood of the Year, so Mid-Market's got some pretty tough competition. The neighborhood's become more desirable than ever, which is a mixed blessing because asking prices are up for buyers and rental rates are at an all-time high. That said, it's still one of the best neighborhoods for cheap, late night eats and inexpensive imbibing. We're also really excited about the 55 Laguna Housing Project.