Welcome to Curbed Checks In, where we check up on some of our favorite development projects, and follow-up on real estate sold that appeared ripe for the teardown or remodel. Have a certain property that you'd like to know the current status of? The tipline's always open or you can leave a comment after the jump
Last year Curbed explored the Hidden History of the Portola District's University Mound Nursery. Owned by the Garibaldi family since the 1920s, the former rose nursery that takes up a full city block is the last remaining of as many as 19 different family-owned nurseries in the neighborhood. There's been grumblings for the last few years that San Francisco has interest in buying the land (that's still owned by the family) and converting it into a park, and now the property has hit the market for $12M. Thanks to a reader tip from the Curbed inbox, we've learned more about the sale and impending plans for the site.
The family had refused to sell for many years, but listed the property for $12M about two months ago. So why the change of heart? After some digging at the Department of Building Inspection, it looks like there was an anonymous complaint back in April about it being a vacant/abandoned building. That triggers in investigation per the Vacant or Abandoned Building Ordinance, which requires owners to register vacant buildings and pay an annual fee.
According to the reader tip, no one has bit at the $12M price tag, with the closest offer being $8M (the site's currently zoned for RH-1 with a 40-X height limit, and the real estate listing says that allows for "development of 34 single family residences on their own separate parcels"). The neighborhood would much prefer the site stay agricultural and would likely oppose any development plans to turn the property into housing.
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission in the meantime has supposedly been in its own talks with the Garibaldi family about buying the property to further their Yosemite Creek daylighting project. If they can't get the site, they'll just stop the creek at the edge of it, but the department has been holding community meetings to gauge support. Looks like they have it - the neighborhood has started a petition to support the PUC's purchase of the site over a developer.
· Hidden Histories: University Mound Nursery [Curbed SF]
· Greenhouses for the Garden District [Change.org]
· Upper Yosemite Creek Daylighting [SFPUC]
· 770 Woolsey St, San Francisco, CA [Redfin]
· Complaint Number 201396761 [DBI]
Loading comments...