Friday, September 4, 2009

Landscape Changes Continue Un-Abated

Parkmerced Investors and Stellar Management continue to work on landscape work, un-abated. New fern/palms adorn prior empty grass circles, boundary sides of the site have new "security" fencing. Additional signage pops up consistently overnight as lawn signage, or new "directional" signage. Entry features have been added at axis ends of the site. SFSU/CSU although facing major budget issues, consistently is working on landscape, and proposed rennovations for the fall term, while students struggle with increased housing and tuition. Meanwhile there is little information on the Historical Resources Analysis published by Page and Turnbull on parkmerced, and the AIA SF Arch in the city tour 2009 of Parkmerced sponsored by DOCOMOMO has been requested to be removed by Parkmerced Investors, Stellar Management and Craig Hartman of SOM. Sept. 2, 2009, noted in the SF Chronicle a $10,000.00 donation to Gavin Newsomes re-election campaign by Parkmerced Investors. Sept. 4th notes a possible revision to EIR/SF Planning Review by Gavin Newsome that highlights speeding up major EIR projects and review through the use of consultants. As the months progress, issues of "pay-to-play" development and the concerns of a total disregard for the need for new affordable rental housing is ignored by planning departments new EIR www.sfgov.org under Planning Dept. SF, Major Env. Analysis 2007.1275E. The stakes consistently increase, and few people in the economic concerns and issues, are aware of the total loss of this site. Although many photos have been taken consistently I have not been able to update the site based on these issues, but will continue to try and add images of the changes throughout the process, which dileate ongoing rennovations inappropriate to the site.