Half the field has already been eliminated in the Curbed Cup, our annual award to the San Francisco neighborhood of the year. This week we'll have one matchup per day—with the polls left open for 24 hours—and by Friday only four contenders will be left vying for the prestigious fake trophy. Let the eliminations continue!
[South Beach photo via Sergio Ruiz/Lower Haight photo via Curbed SF]
South Beach is development central and has no plans to slow down, especially with this year's announcement that the Golden State Warriors would like to build a state-of-the-art arena designed by architectural team Snøhetta and AECOM on Piers 30-32. The neighborhood's home to pricey luxury condos in fancy residential towers that are packed with every amenity a person could ask for. One of the other major draws of the neighborhood is AT&T Park, home to your 2012 World Champion Giants.
We should let you know from the get-go that the Lower Haight was crowned the 2011 Curbed Cup Neighborhood of the Year, so South Beach has 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.
· Curbed Cup 2012 [Curbed]