[Image Courtesy of CMG Landscape Architecture]
The City of San Francisco may jump in on the real estate rush to develop, not high-end condos or start-up-friendly offices, but the City's latest public open space. The grassroots Noe Valley Town Square project, years in the making, just cleared a major hurdle on the path to its existence on Thursday when the Park and Rec commission voted unanimously to recommend to the Board of Supervisors the purchase and remediation of the parking lot on 24th street owned by the Noe Valley Ministry. The parking lot has been used as a popular farmers' market for years and upon hearing that the Ministry was looking to cash out, community members rallied to fund its purchase, soliciting the services of CMG Landscape Architecture to develop a concept for the space. Working with supervisor Scott Weiner, the Residents for Noe Valley Town Square built a public-private partnership whereby the City's Rec and Park Open Space Fund would shell out some $4.2M to secure the site to be built out and maintained by the local Community Benefits District. If the Board of Supes okays the purchase, the property should be secured by July 1 at which point residents will work with Rec and Park to raise money through the State and private donors that will transform the lot into a gussied-up park befitting the charming hamlet. -Laura Tepper
· San Francisco poised to purchase land, make new park in Noe Valley [SF Examiner]
Noe Valley Town Square [Residents for Noe Valley Town Square]
· Past Coverage of Noe Valley Town Square [Curbed SF]