The Semaphore A Publication of the TELEGRAPH HILL DWELLERS Issue 238 Summer 702? ty = 1 Wh | a BELOVED FESTIVAL SI + be * : “1 Dees ee ats Oulag TAG © by Sarah Kliban kids@thd.org elcome to Kids Corner! THD wants to hear from kids in the neighborhood! If youd like to ask a question, or youre a kid and want to be interviewed, please contact us at kids@thd.org. POPPY PEIRCE, 11 What is your most treasured possession? “I love my pillow. It's super squishy and gives me a lot of comfort. I take it on trips.’ What do they do in the White House? “They do a lot of paperwork. They might do a lot of ceremonies and stuff. Speeches. I remember Amanda Gorman did a speech there when Joe Biden was elected.” What’s the most valuable thing you've ever broken? “T kind of break a lot of stuff on accident, but it's mostly my brother who breaks stuff. A window? I remember breaking a tent once when we were camping, and we were soaked afterwards.” What are you really good at? “I really enjoy singing. My friends say I'm really good at it. Disney songs usually.’ What is your favorite place in North Beach? “Golden Boy Pizza. I usually get the pepperoni. The fatter the pizza is, the better it is.’ Join the Telegraph Hill Dwellers! RX Go to thd.org, and become part of this active community! Issue #238 *© Summer 2022 KIDS CORNER What do they do in the White House? “They run the country. There's lots of security. The president is giving orders in the Oval Office. They have secret stuff like the thing that controls the nuclear airstrike mechanism. And maybe radars.’ What’s the most valuable thing you've ever broken? “T broke a cabinet when I was one. It wasn’t ours. It was in a hotel.” What are you really good at? “Video games and math. TD6. Tower Defense Simulator 6, I’m at Level 90. IT have all but three characters. I’ve unlocked 177 different upgrades. 12 characters with 15 upgrades each.” What is your favorite place in North Beach? “Francisco Park. I like visiting it with my auntie. I like watching the dogs.’ WWVANINY 33, VINVd © h ; I SETH FUKUYAMA, 6 What is your most treasured possession? “My Hot Wheels. I just like playing with them a lot. Some of them came on Christmas, and some my mommy or daddy bought.’ What do they do in the White House? “The president helps the people.’ What’s the most valuable thing you've ever broken? “My tablet. I broke the USB port. My mom says I stood on it, too.” What are you really good at? “I'm pretty good at playing Minecraft. I have a two-story house with a secret base. I practice. I’ve been playing since I was 4-1/2.’ What is your favorite place in North Beach? “Sushi on North Beach. Their food is good. Their California Roll is good.’ BALIS PEIRCE, 7 What is your most treasured possession? “My iPad. I get to play video games on it mostly. And it’s useful for things...learning and stuff’ What do they do in the White House? “Government stuff. The President does things. Laws. There are probably a couple of other things.’ What’s the most valuable thing you've ever broken? “I almost broke my iPad. I have broken a couple of glasses and stuff, but everybody does that.’ What are you really good at? “Minecraft. Mining in Minecraft. I use a pickaxe and mine in the ground. You get iron and diamonds and stuff. I’m better at it than my sister. She's too scared to go mining.” What is your favorite place in North Beach? “I like Victoria Pastry Co. They have really good M&M cookies. There are also a bunch of cakes and stuff” VWVAMINY 34,4 VINVd © DEAN FUKUYAMA, 9 os What is your most treasured possession? “My necklace that my auntie made me. It’s with my favorite stone, Black Sapphire. She made it for my birthday last year.’ PRESIDENT'S CORNER by Al Fontes President@thd.org ur neighborhood benefits from multiple non- C) rst each one articulating and promoting an agenda that it believes is best for North Beach and its surroundings. Aside from the Telegraph Hill Dwellers, groups such as the North Beach Business Association and North Beach Neighbors come to mind. While these groups frequently disagree on specific issues, as President of THD, I have always believed that the community can benefit greatly when we find common ground and work together. That cooperation, when it occurs, comes out of mutual respect among those who often differ with one another while having many of the same goals. However, on a more macro level, there seems to be an unfortunate need in our country not only to disagree with people but also to tag them as enemies. Hence, the ascendency of the pejorative term‘NIMBY’ (not in my back yard). This acronym has been around a long time, but according to the Google Ngram Viewer (https:// books.google.com/ngrams), its use really started to surge around 1980, While the term is frequently associated with 20th century battles over airports and nuclear power plants, today we see it more often in discussions regarding housing and land use. Zoning decisions can be very complex, thereby defying quick and simple discussion. In a city like San Francisco that has strong zoning laws and widespread height limits, planning policies can be frustrating to developers seeking to construct the tall, bulky buildings that they consider the most profitable to build. Because any large construction project will have a substantive impact on its surroundings, the local community has a vested interest in its size, shape, and design. Peoples homes might lose all their sunlight and become like dark caverns. Their gardens might cease to grow, or their rooftop solar systems might no lon- ger produce electricity. Traffic and parking in the area can be affected, sidewalks and parks can be darkened, and construction work can damage the local economy. Faced with the hard work of producing solutions to “I have been enjoying countless passages in Peter Dwares informative, funny, page turner “Be the Architect of Your Own Life’. “A philosophy for people who want to excel in business or just live better. “Filled with wisdom and fun.” “Be the Architect of Your Own Life is one of the best self help books I've read.” “Peter Dwares is a Renaissance Man of the first order. Successful real estate developer, author, Founder of Pathways for Kids, especially interested in international issues, thoughtful, engaged.” I DON’T HAVE A BACK YARD these difficulties, someone might find it easier to revert to name-calling. It can be pretty convenient to reduce the person in the apartment next door to a stereotype: a NIMBY. Suddenly, the argument becomes simple and might even feel a bit empowering, This name-calling is a variation on a well-known fallacy: the ad hominem. Latin for “to the person” this term refers to an argument that attacks a person, rather than the logic and facts being presented. If you disagree with a scientist's claim that climate change is a human- made threat, you might want to seek out weaknesses in the theory and the scientific evidence that it relies upon, Or, you could just say the scientist is a liberal elitist who is not to be trusted. Of course, the truth lies in hard, factual evidence, and the scientist’s political views are totally irrelevant. This is why an ad hominem argument carries no weight. In a similar fashion, if you want to build a 100- foot tower in the middle of a neighborhood of 40-foot buildings, you might try to explain why this is good for the local area and for society in general. But that could be a difficult argument to make convincingly, and it might be a lot easier just to call the locals a bunch of NIMBYs. That might even make you feel good, as it allows you to vent your hostility on people whom you believe are affecting your bottom line. Aside from being a logical fallacy, the problem with this name-calling is that it reduces people to stereotypes. Instead of a discussion of facts and figures, we witness an effort to attach unattractive identities to people. And perhaps that is the purpose. We seem to live in a time when nuanced discussions about shadows, the urban environment, and gentrification take too much time and effort. This is particularly true with the rise of social media, which favors brevity over intellectual substance. For people looking at posts on places like Facebook or Twitter, the strongest impact often comes from content that appeals to emotion, especially anger and outrage. That impact is all the more immediate if the post uses a term that sweeps people into a mono- lithic group, effectively dehumanizing them. Recently, pro-development lobbyists have taken the stereotyping a step further, creating a supposedly positive alternative: ‘YIMBY’ (yes in my back yard). A FUN, SIMPLE BUNCH OF VERY INTERESTING THOUGHTS AND CONCLUSIONS THAT ARE GUARANTEED TO BE OF USE Available at pldwares@aol.com or call 415.986.5885 $15 per book All profits go to Pathways For Kids 501 (c) (3) 2 TO YOU. READ AND DIGEST ONE OR TWO A DAY. PETER L. DWARES This acronym has been incorporated into the names of several housing-focused anti-regulation groups, such as SF YIMBY and YIMBY Action. It's easy to see why NIMBY and YIMBY appeal to politicians and lobbyists. With these two acronyms in place, we now have an “us vs. them” dichotomy, which greatly simplifies and amps up the discussion. It turns us into “good guys” and “bad guys,’ who play these roles in what becomes a melodramatic world view. In political discussions, especially on social media, it's tremendously convenient to distill complex decisions into simple, even anti-intellectual perspectives, where policy becomes a battle between right and wrong, heroes and villains. THD has been involved in many policy decisions over the years. Through the Transportation Committee and the Planning and Zoning Committee, we have attempted to deal fairly with proposals large and small that have an impact on North Beach and Telegraph Hill. On the policy side, we continue strongly to sup- port height limits, the formula retail ban, and Transit First. At a more detailed level, we have pushed back on some development projects, occasionally opposing them outright but mostly asking that they be modified so as to respect the surrounding area. In that process, we have frequently been called NIMBYs. This is somewhat ironic, as most people who live in our rather dense neighborhood dont have back yards. But I understand the visceral satisfaction this gives to somebody, and I have occasionally found myself engaging in similar behavior. I have caught myself saying, “So-and-so is just a YIMBY,’ thereby engaging in the same kind of demeaning language. And I have regretted it. Going forward, I hope everyone in and around North Beach and Telegraph Hill will maintain a positive mind set and work together to preserve and nurture this lovely place. To do so, we need at least to understand each other's thoughts and focus on what we have in common, not just what divides us. I promise I will try and attempt to lead THD to do so as well. ” www.sottomaresf.com sotto.mare @outlook.com MARE SEAFOOD Phone: 415-398-3181 SOTTO OYSTERIA & “The Best Damn Cioppino!” Seafood - Pasta - Fish Market - Banquet Room for up to 30 Guests In San Francisco’s “Little Italy” 552 Green Street (between Columbus & Grant) North Beach, San Francisco, CA 94133 pp i ‘ s p00 soo SS ADVERTISEMENT Issue #238 © Summer 2022 LIBRERIA PINO UPDATE by Mark Bittner the streets of North Beach, the big brick building on the northwest corner of Union and Grant was a I: 1974, when I was one of the homeless living on major part of my daily routine. The Union Street side of the building held Caffe Malvina whose kind owner, Franco Bruno, allowed me to hang out without buying anything. I was just seeking relief from the constant exposure to the sun and wind. On the Grant Avenue side was the French-Italian Bakery, which provided an inexpensive treat for someone with very little money. If you knocked on the bakery door around 1 or 2 a.m., a worker would sell you a warm baguette straight out of the oven. Today, the old Caffe Malvina location is Don Pistos, while the French-Italian Bakery, closed for several years, has reopened as the new location An airy, open space. © Davi Lipkin for the Italian language bookstore, Libreria Pino, (A previous Semaphore article about Libreria Pino I wrote in the 2019 winter issue can be found here: https:// archive.org/details/thesemaphore2019winter224/page/ n9/mode/2up.) The bookstore owner, Joseph Carboni, originally opened the business in 2017 at the corner of Union and Jasper Alley. But he quickly discovered that the place was too small, so he began searching the neighborhood for something larger. In 2020, when the space that had housed the French-Italian Bakery became available, he sprang into action. The landlords were offering the old bakery as either a single unit or divided into two. Carboni thought leasing the whole thing was too much, so he focused his presentation to the landlords on a redesigned space for the corner unit. He created some drawings that the landlords liked and was given the go-ahead to begin work on renovating the space. The storefront opened in May. The space feels modern and ele- gant. The bookshelves, handrails, and new walls are painted white. But in a nod to the neigh- borhood’s past, the space retains some of the old build- ing. The southern, Union Street side leaves the original brick wall exposed and unpainted. The ceiling’s original Welcome on Grant Avenue. © Davin Lipkin wooden beams (now painted white) and an old skylight are in plain view. The floors are bare, natural wood. An exposed, partial upper floor with more bookshelves has staircases—one straight, one spiral—at either end. Libreria Pino feels welcoming, which is Carboni’s intention. There's a good deal of comfortable seating, and the large front windows let in a lot of natural light, making that corner of the room feel like a friendly fishbowl. The owner would like the place to become a cultural hub, a place for neighbors to meet. So far, he seems to be succeeding, During the time I was conduct- ing my interview with him, sev- eral people dropped in just to check the place out, Both were locals who were delighted that / there was a new bookstore in North Beach. While Libreria Pino is focused on books in Italian, it also sells English translations of Italian works, as well as a few books in English that have little or no connection to Italy. He calls this bookstore within a bookstore “Telegraph Hill Books.” The store is open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, visit libreriapino. com. Email: info@libreriapino.com. Phone: 1-415-242- 5590. oe TRANSPORTATION REPORT by Howard Wong, AIA, Committee Chair howard.wong@thd.org he 49 Van Ness/Mission bus whizzes past traffic congestion—on red transit-dedicated lanes that are shared by Golden Gate Transit. Cutting travel time by 32%, service will improve fur- ther when traffic signal synchronization is implement- ed. Bus stops have a noticeable esthetic quality, with textured paving, artistic railings, lighting, security, and landscaping—though bus shelters retain Muni’s stan- dard poorly-detailed design. Due primarily to hidden underground utilities, the project was delayed by 2 1/2 years with a cost overrun of $37 million. Total cost: $346 million. MUNI BOND MEASURE FAILS AT THE BALLOT Rarely do bond measures fail at the ballot, even with a two-thirds voter threshold, especially when endorsed by every city official and armed with a $1.5 million campaign against grassroots opposition. Prop A, the Muni $400 million bond measure, lost with 65.11% approval. Pundits blame high “conservative” voter turnout due to the District Attorney's recall elec- tion. But election analysis hints of voter anger and mis- Van Ness BRT: A new, amazingly-fast alternative to transfers at Market Street—to Civic Center, Mission District, Ocean Avenue, and City College—via Fisherman’s Wharf and the Van Ness Corridor. Take the 49-Bus for a city tour, cruising diverse communities, cultures, and cuisines. © Howard WonG Issue #238 © Summer 2022 VAN NESS BUS RAPID TRANSIT OPENS, AND IT WORKS trust in western and southern precincts. Slow service restorations, route changes, and controversial projects haven't put Muni in good stead. With a Transportation Sales Tax Extension on the November ballot, also requiring two-thirds voter approval, Muni needs to be definitive on how funds will improve service and refo- cus existing resources on customer needs—especially as the Central Subway’s costs are approaching $400 million. PUBLIC TRANSIT EQUATES TO DEMOCRACY AND DIVERSITY Looking at past decades of online Semaphore issues, I was struck by the scarce celebration of San Francisco's cultural diversity. Telegraph Hill Dwellers (THD) has helped foster recognition by pioneering neighborhood activism—to protect neighborhood affordability, char- acter, diversity, and scale. Often cited as “a powerful neighborhood organization,’ THD has been a steady incubator of advocates, leaders, and volunteers, who value diverse communities over overly-developed hills wrapped with bridges/freeways/skyscrapers. Founded in 1954 to save the 39-Coit bus, THD has fought for sensible public transit—a circulatory foundation for diversity. Here's a glimpse at dynamic San Francisco and transit connectivity. oe 1g TARDUCKS *TOFFEE 7 Ie; | jm oo } i # =e" 2 } | ~ mE me ii Fillmore Juneteenth: Observing June 19, 1885, 2% years after the Emancipation Proclamation, when federal troops arrived in Galveston (Texas) to inform slaves that they had been freed. The new federal holiday is a time for unity. The 38/38R Geary bus stops at Lower Fillmore. © Howard WonG Pride Celebration: The 52nd annual Pride Parade and Celebration is the largest gathering of the LGBT community and allies in the nation, educating the world, commemo- rating heritage, celebrating culture, liberating true identi- ties, and raising funds for non-profits. Van Ness BRT and Metro are ways to avoid Market Street congestion. © Howard WonG Asian Pacific American Heritage event: Of Asia’s 48 countries, most seem to be represented in San Francisco—as seen by the range of traditional ethnic dress at the Asian Pacific American Heritage Procession at Herbst Theater. Van Ness BRT stops at the front doors of City Hall and Herbst Theater. © Howard WonG Mission Carnaval: The 44th annual event returned after a two-year Covid hiatus, with throngs attending the festival and parade—nicely timed with Memorial Day though tra- ditionally held in the months leading up to Lent. Music and dance are stellar. The 12-Folsom/Pacific bus stops near the Harrison Street event and the 24th Street corridor. © Howarp WonG 3 DISTRICT 3 joe} | SUPERVISOR Sq REPORT — i ore by Supervisor Aaron Peskin aaron.peskin@sfgov.org hile San Francisco attempted to stave off voter fatigue during its third consec- utive—but not its last—2022 election, there was widespread support at the polls for good gov- ernment ethics reforms. I am proud to have authored and pushed the two single highest vote-getting ballot measures on the June 2022 ballot. Proposition E’s Behested Payments reforms passed with 69.41% of the vote and Proposition F’s Refuse Collection and Disposal reforms with a whopping 70.68%. These measures helped overhaul city systems that have enabled a culture of well-documented nepo- tism, corruption, and kickbacks that has not only erod- ed public trust but impacted the quality and service levels of public infrastructure, from street cleaning to park contracts. Voters overwhelmingly passed mea- sures that made it clear that more accountability, trans- parency, and oversight of departments and contracting are essential, It is not only imperative that voters feel confident in the administration's ability to run the City but that our city workforce feels valued and motivated to serve, especially in the wake of Covid. Thank you to organized labor for your strong support in getting these reforms right and to the electorate for making your voice heard! I was proud to work with my colleagues on the Board of Supervisors to advocate for historic invest- ments in affordable housing construction, preservation, and placements. From an expansion of emergency rental subsidies for seniors and disabled residents (critical as we face a looming closure of Laguna Honda Hospital) to funding to move SRO families out of cramped living conditions into step-up housing, pro- tecting our most vulnerable tenants was a top prior- ity. We also voted to invest millions into affordable housing construction, including innovative models for co-ops and the new Educator Housing, a program we created in 2018 with former Supervisor Sandra Fewer. We also made a first step toward an API Equity Plan DIMMASI Ss Sy BALLOT & BUDGET VICTORIES with a $30 million investment in housing and cultural site acquisitions, as well as a landmark proposal to cre- ate a Black Entrepreneurial Center & Social Club on the storied Fisherman's Wharf waterfront. We invested in critical elevator repairs and deferred maintenance in permanent supportive housing stock in our oldest neighborhoods with expansions to our suc- cessful Chinatown SRO WiFi program. We piloted a new Sustainable & Affordable Community Laundromat Fund. Significant investments into revitalizing the down- town core were an attempt to help invigorate tourism not just in bustling North Beach and Chinatown but in the downtown office neighborhoods. Welcomes & Bittersweet Farewells My office has been working non-stop to facilitate the addition of new neighborhood-serving small busi- nesses. We are proud to welcome Luke's Local grocery store, with a recently signed lease at 580 Green Street, to North Beach. We also said “Benvenuto” to Libreria Pino in its brand-new spacious corner location at Grant Avenue and Union Street, cut the green ribbon on the North Beach Pipeline dispensary, and welcomed our friend Jeremy Fish into his new gallery and studio, the Fishtank and the Lopez family at El Farolito into their long-awaited taqueria. This September, we will welcome our friend Yuka to the old Pinocchio’s location, where she will be bring- ing her famous Californian cuisine to her new Cassava Restaurant. Independent arts venue, the Lost Church, will initiate its intimate performances in North Beach, after outgrowing space in the Mission. And, of course, Flour + Water will be coming to the old Rose Pistola location! We're blessed to add more small businesses to the North Beach family. Our office partnered with North Beach Business Association and Chinatown CDC to bring back the Noodlefest, resulting in a totally sold-out event! It was followed by the North Beach Fest, which brought in thousands of visitors to enjoy non-stop music, art, and food. Thanks to those of you who made it a success! Finally, a parting farewell to my Legislative Aide, 1042 Kearny Street San Francisco, CA 941353 Phone: (415) 5398-9696 www.tommasos.com Home of the first wood-fired pizza oven on the West Coast. Since 1935. Lee Hepner, who has moved on from our Office (though not very far!) after a truly prolific seven years. Many of you in Telegraph Hill and North Beach worked with him on everything from planning and land use policy to small business reforms and stream- lining. He has been an incredible addition to our District 3 team, and I want to take the opportunity to thank him for his service to our communities, And a parting farewell to Captain Julian Ng, who has been an outstanding locally homegrown leader at Central Station. I have always had the distinct privilege of working with some of the best Captains at Central, and Julian leaves very big shoes to fill. We wish him the best in his new role as Commander (appropriately charged with “Community Engagement”) but know he wont be far. Congrats! See you in the neighborhood, Aaron y Cole. Fanieare for the soul. FOR ALL OF YOUR HOME, GARDEN, AND HARDWARE NEEDS! 627 VALLEJO STREET @ COLUMBUS 415-432-2653 COLEHARDWARE.COM 1300 Grant Avenue 415-693-9900 handmade@alsattire.com mis> 9992) ons SA dW uel Yahewistem ) re. =a | Macchiarin Creative Design Motalvorks SF Fall 2022 classes available for enrollment now! Please check our website for your choice of dates and class availability. METALWORKSSF.COM Issue #238 © Summer 2022 TANIA ROMANOV AMOCHAEV: AN APPRECIATION by Blandina Farley (Editor's Note: Blandina Farley is a well-known and well- loved part of our community who leads Blandina Farley's Fabulous Tours with expertise, wit, and exuberance. She shares Amochaev’s love of travel, free spirit, and adventure.) - | Thursday nights at Bella Cora on Green Street attract friendly folks who come together in jolly camaraderie, fueled by fine libation, soul- ful singing, and spontaneous dance. It was in that spirit that I first encountered a vivacious woman with spar- kling eyes and a welcoming demeanor. That person, and now good friend, is Tania Romanov Amocheay, author, business leader, and world traveler, whose early life journey might explain her ded- ication to filling every moment with passion, love of life, and joy in connecting with almost everyone she meets. Tania was born in Belgrade, Serbia, to a Russian father and Croatian mother—two displaced émigrés. The family fled the country for Italy, where she spent her early childhood in San Sabba, a refugee camp in Trieste. They eventually made their way to San Franciscos Russian enclave. Completing San Francisco's public schools, she received a degree in mathematics from U.C. Berkeley followed by an M.S. in management from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Now, many years later, she has gone from penni- less refugee to one of the first women to lead a high- tech company—three of them, in fact. Tania is also a founder of the Healdsburg Literary Guild in California as well as the educational non-profit Public School Success Team. This latter is especially important, utilizing community volunteers to reduce public high school dropout rates. But that’s not all. She is an acclaimed author, photographer, and world traveler. In addition to climbing Mount Whitney and Mount Kenya, she circumnavigated Annapurna, trekked through Bhutan and Kashmir, and sailed along remote rivers in Burma (Myanmar). Her camera always accompanies her on her journeys, taking world class LIVE WORMS GALLERY a space for the appreciation of creative pursuits livewormsongrant.com eastudio@comcast.com 1345 Grant Avenue SF Elizabeth Ashcroft, Proprietor Hope. Compassion. Generosity. northbeachcitizens.org 1034 Kearny Street San Francisco, CA 94133 415-772-0918 Blandina Farley and Tania Romanov Amochaev at Belle Cora. © BLANDINA FARLEY.JPG photos of people, places, and amazing sights. As she says, “I have found that photography tells me about myself further than I can tell me about myself?” Prior to completing her new book, she authored two memoirs, Mother Tongue: A Saga of Three Generations of Balkan Women and One Hundred Years of Exile, as well as a travel collection, Never a Stranger, all written under her pen name, “Tania Romanov. Her work has been featured in multiple travel anthologies, including The Best Travel Writing series, and she is a Solas Award winner. When she isn't traveling the globe, Tania lives in a cozy North Beach apartment with a lovely view of the North Bay. And like the city she adores, her free-spir- ited life came to an abrupt halt with the pandemic. She felt, as others did, the confinement of masks and the impact of the social restrictions. As a gregarious person, she suffered the suffocat- ing loss of connection, relieved in part by daily treks across the streets, back alleys, hills, and neighborhoods to re-engage with her city and revisit treasured mem- ories, such as lively sessions conversing in La Lingua Italiana with Lawrence Ferlinghetti at Caffe Trieste. She credits Phil Cousineau’s classic The Art of Pilgrimage and Gary Kamiya’s Cool Gray City of Love as inspiration for her to set out on an unexpected jour- Tania Romanov Amochaev and her family before emigrat- ing to the United States. (courtesy TANI ROMANOV AMOCHAEV) AN EVENING WITH ney, a pilgrimage in her own city. She walked the 49 square miles of San Francisco, absorbing the history of the neighborhoods through which she passed and the stories of the people met along the way. It is a pilgrim- age leading to a profound and personal exploration of place, identity, and race, of the nature of change and the meaning of travel, I know Tania enough to know that her journey was not at all a sacrifice—she loves to walk. It was more a journey of connection, discovery, and rediscovery of self and the city she loves. “Reaching the end of my pilgrimage should have been significant. I wanted to shout, ‘It changed my life: “It didn't happen like that. It would take months for me to learn that meaningful travel works in ways that are not predictable, or even necessarily logical. You Tania Romanov Amochaev and Gary Kamiya. © BLANDINA Farley have to be open to the moment, and you have to stay open long after it passes.’ As for me, like my remarkable friend, one of my great joys has always been to wander the hidden gems to be found in any place but especially in San Francisco, where I also live. I really thought I could not feel more passionate or touched by the people, places, or seren- dipity around every corner until I read San Francisco Pilgrimage: Memoir of a Lifelong Love Affair with My City, the book that resulted. In this love letter to her beloved San Francisco, she embraces experiences and intimate moments of conversation with everyday locals and fellow travelers. Her beautifully expressed connec- tions brought me to a new level of deep understanding and appreciation as to why I am living in this special magical city! It reminded me that the journey can be joyful no matter where one might be as long as you keep your arms wide open to the Wonder of Wander. I hope you can join us on August 17th at Caffe Trieste to meet Tania and hear some of her fascinating tales. nd TANIA ROMANOV AMOCHAEY Wednesday, August 17, 2022 6 p.m. Caffe Trieste, 601 Vallejo Street Ms. Amochaev will discuss and read from San Francisco Pilgrimage: Memoir of a Lifelong Love Affair with My City and will autograph books pur- chased that evening. Memoir of a Lifelong Love Affair My City Advertise in The Semaphore. See page 15 Issue #238 © Summer 2022 THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT by Charles Versaggi b The Condor Club is asleep—like its avian namesake, an endangered species hanging on to a bygone era. With dawn an hour away, North Beach is still in a slumber, dreaming of beatific, upbeat days. Near the corner of Broadway and Columbus, Vesuvio Cafe lies a few steps across Kerouac Alley and the City Lights Bookstore. The tired ghosts of Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, Lenny Bruce, Carol Doda, and Enrico Banducci are wandering the sidewalks, inhabiting the dreams of hapless homeless, a newer Kerouac Alley. Hapless Homeless. The Embrace. 6 beat generation, beaten down by malevolent forces no one cares about. While the ‘hood sleeps, a police car pauses at a red light, two cops surveying the empty dreamscape for any dark forces that threaten the Garden of Eden. An empty Muni bus rushes west through the Columbus and Broadway intersection, passing a few oncoming cars on its way through the Broadway Tunnel. On Broadway, a few early morning revelers are getting a head start on the weekend dance scene at The Cosmo Bar & Lounge where the party starts at 6 a.m. but not without a thorough body search before entering the club. Condor Club. © Cnar_es VERSAGGI © Chartes Versacc: Police Pause. © Cnar_es VERSAGGI Centerfolds. As I walk past the nightclub’s security guards, one of them eyes my camera and confronts me in a suspi- cious voice, “What are you photographing?” “Oh, I'm just shooting the neon sign,’ I say with an innocent half-smile, pointing to the bright marquee overhead. I walk confidently past the guards acting as if I belong here. After all, how could they know that North Beach was where I was born and raised? During the early ‘60s, Broadway was my playground, where in my early twenties, I spent many Friday and Saturday nights club-hopping, twisting and turning the night away, and keeping time with improvisations of jazz and comedy. © Cnar-es VERSAGGI © Cnar-es VERSAGGI © Cnar.es VERSAGGI Issue #238 © Summer 2022 Still not fully awake from an early rise, I continue walking on Broadway, past the hungry i club (not the original one). On the side of the building's wall, a sign promises the best topless girls in town will titillate you —perhaps after a modest dinner at the Basque Hotel & Restaurant above the joint on Romolo Place. A short walk up Columbus Avenue, east from Saints Peter & Paul’s Church at Washington Square, Broadway's neon-lined stretch of night clubs and strip joints has always been San Francisco's center of debauchery. During the late 19th and early 20th centu- ries it was also known as the Barbary Coast, one of the City’s infamous red-light districts, home to brothels, dance halls, concert saloons, bars, jazz clubs, and vari- ety shows—some featuring female impersonators, as well as homosexual services. If you listen carefully, you can hear applause and Broadway Rush. j oo her & lounge Cosmo Search. Centerfolds corner. Issue #238 © Summer 2022 © Cnar.es VERSAGGI laughter from standup comedians, folk singers, and jazz musicians improvising and taking five. Launched by Eric “Big Daddy” Nord, who sold it to Enrico Banducci in 1951, the original hungry i (always lower case ‘h’ and ‘’) was located at Columbus and Kearny in the basement of the Sentinel Building, later renamed the Columbus Tower, and, more recent- ly, occupied by Francis Ford Coppola’ film studio, American Zoetrope. According to one story, the low- er-case ‘i’ was meant to represent “intellectual” or per- haps it was “id.” In 1954 the popular club was moved to the nearby International Hotel on Kearny Street. Closed in 1967, the venue launched the careers of many renowned comics and musicians. Lenny Bruce, Bill Cosby, Mort Sahl, Joan Rivers, Jonathan Winters, Barbara Streisand, Dick Cavett, Woody Allen, jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi, and many folk singing groups © Cuaartes Versacc: Ghosts of Broadway. Kearny Walker. © Cnar-es VERSAGGI Transamerica Alley Farther. recorded their first albums here. In 1959 the perennial- ly popular Kingston Trio recorded their version of the African folk song,“ The Lion Sleeps Tonight,’ two years before The Tokens popularized its “Wimoweh’ refrain. Early risers are milling around Caffé Trieste on Vallejo Street, eager to get their daily caffeine rush. Escaping the brisk morning air, a few regulars are already inside sipping frothy cappuccinos, while an espresso machine hisses away. A lone patron ponders his cell phone. Behind him, the ghost of the cafés founder, Giovanni Giotta (aka “Papa Gianni”), smiles perennially through his Italian sunglasses. Nearby, above an empty parking lot, a Christian billboard provides a ghostly reminder: “After you die, you will meet God.” But no one cares, not even the sleepy sex dolls. It’s too early to wake up. ad © Cnartes VERSAGGI © Cnar-es VERSAGGI © CHarLes VERSAGGI A GLANCE AT THE NORTH BEACH HIST by Nancy Shanahan and Judi Powell . an Franciscos beauty, livability, and international reputation depend, in large part, on the preser- vation of its historic resources. Preservation, in turn, depends on public education and the wide avail- ability to City planners, public officials, and residents alike, of solid, professionally conducted, and accepted historical research. Over the last 50 years, historic resource surveys, led by experts in the field, have been undertaken in the North Beach/Telegraph Hill neighborhood, leading to the creation of the Jackson Square Historic District in 1972, the Northeast Waterfront Historic District in 1983, and the Telegraph Hill Historic District in 1986. A comprehensive effort to research and update the his- tory and significance of North Beach buildings and sites has been underway since the early 1980s. We are excit- ed to announce that an updated North Beach Historic Context Statement and related architectural survey are finally headed for review—and, we hope, approval—by the City’s Historic Preservation Commission later this 470 Columbus Avenue, designed by Martin Rist (1936). year, which will lead to the formal designation by the City of a North Beach Historic District. The following is an update on the process and progress of this historic context statement and survey as well as a glimpse into our neighborhood's incredible history. What are Surveys and Historic Context Statements? One of the most important historic preservation tools is the historic resource survey—a process of identifying and gathering data on a community's his- toric resources, These surveys form the basis of a city’s knowledge about its historic resources. Under state and federal standards, professional research begins with the preparation of an historic context statement describing the significant broad pat- terns of development in an area that are represented by historic properties. The historic context statement becomes the foundation for identifying and evaluating individual historic properties and districts, guiding a city planning department's work on future landmark and district designations and heritage-based initiatives, as well as the department's review of new development projects, area plans, and building permit applications. In addition to eligibility for formal designation, identified architectural and cultural resources might also qualify for local, state, and federal preservation incentive programs that can result in tangible benefits to property owners. These include federal tax cred- its for rehabilitation of qualified historical resources, property tax abatement programs, alternative building codes, and tax deductions for preservation easements. The North Beach Historic Context Statement and Survey In North Beach, a context statement and survey, North Beach, San Francisco: An Architectural, Historical, Cultural Survey, was prepared by Anne Bloomfield in 1982 and officially adopted by the Board of Supervisors in 1999 as the City’s comprehensive record of historical and architectural resources in North Beach. The product of a federal grant and conducted by professional archi- tectural historians under formal contract with the California State Office of Historic Preservation, the 1982 survey met state and federal standards. Four historic districts were © Nancy SHANAHAN identified in the 1982 work: the Upper Grant Avenue District (cen- tered on Grant Avenue and Green Street between Columbus Avenue and Filbert Street), composed of 120 buildings; the Powell Street Shops District (on the west side of the 1800 block of Powell Street), con- taining 11 street level shops in eight buildings; the Washington Square District, composed of Washington Square Park and the 12 buildings surrounding the park; and the Jackson Square Historic District Extension (on the south side of Broadway between Sansome and Kearny Streets), comprising 22 buildings significant for their similarity to the adjoining Jackson Square Historic District. Efforts to update and expand the 1982 context statement and survey were first led by the Telegraph Vesuvio’s Cafe, Cavalli Building at 253-255 Columbus Avenue, designed by Italo Zanolini (1913), is important for its architecture as well as its associations with Italians and Beats. 8 © J. G. Corsett IN ace TAYLOR 7 a = | 40 Fall | r Il A North Beach Playground 75 Washington Square 102 BS Gi = HE Alley flats on Varennes Street north of Green Street, built 1906 to 1907. © Dennis HEARNE Hill Dwellers organization under the sponsorship of San Francisco Architectural Heritage. These efforts were later assumed by the Northeast San Francisco Conservancy, whose fundraising efforts made possible the engagement of preeminent architectural histori- an, Michael Corbett. Based on Mr. Corbett’s exten- sive new research, and with input from the City Planning Department, an updated North Beach Historic Context Statement documenting the amazingly rich history of the neighborhood has now been completed. Architectural historians Katherine Petrin and Shayne Watson re-surveyed the buildings and sites within the updated survey boundaries to identify and evaluate individual historic properties and districts. The area of the North Beach historic context and survey is shown on the accompanying map, including the previously identified historic districts indicated by shading. The following is a brief look at the “significant broad patterns of development” or themes in North Beach history, documented in the updated North Beach Historic Context Statement, including a sampling of the historic properties represented by each. Issue #238 © Summer 2022 a VYSOM Ey) OC 7/ =I CTT ( =n ll i) FILBERT ST. PAT faa BROADWAY eH 4 Pea all ot kL SENT seach historic context and survey. Reconstruction of North Beach From 1906 to 1915 The most significant and comprehensive theme in North Beach history was its rapid rebuilding after the 1906 earthquake and fire that destroyed all existing buildings in North Beach, except for the shell of St. Francis of Assisi Church, leaving the layout of street and lots and Italian ownership intact. Due to several import- ant factors, North Beach was the first part of the City to be rebuilt. Two Italian bankers, A.P. Giannini (Bank of Italy, now Bank of America) and Andrea Sbarboro (Italian American Bank, now merged into Bank of America), helped their compatriots by providing loans and shipping in lumber that enabled owners to rebuild buildings and businesses quickly and cheaply. Another factor in the quick reconstruction was the presence of many architects, contractors, skilled masons, and con- struction workers among the Italian population. Resulting from its rapid rebuilding on previous patterns, North Beach possesses an overall continuity and consistency of style, scale, use, building methods, and materials, Except for a few structures on the south side of Broadway Street and on Columbus Avenue, virtually all buildings from this period are of wood construction. Almost uniformly, they are treated with facade ornamentation derived from Renaissance and Baroque architecture, including cornices, belt cours- es, columns, window and door moldings, and other decorative details. Almost all buildings were built to the sides of their lots. On hillsides, they climb in even steps, the basement or ground floor accommodating the adjustment from level. Among the many building types constructed in North Beach during the period after the earthquake fire, residential and mixed-use flats buildings are the most numerous. Most flats are two- or three-story buildings, with living units stacked on top of each Issue #238 *© Summer 2022 : pe iy 2 SS = 7 = Z i — ae other. The entry to each flat is reached through outside doors and up private interior stairways. Collectively, they are extremely important to a proposed historic district. If you look around, you will see many flats buildings, including Romeo flats, so called because of the open-air or enclosed balcony on each floor, alley flats with flat facades and no bay windows, and flats with storefronts on the ground floor. Social Groups and Social Life of North Beach Italian Life and Culture. Under the theme of Social Groups and Social Life, North Beach was the focus of Italian life and culture in San Francisco during the GOLDEN BOY PIZZA 2010 World Chang | 4 - Flats with storefronts on the ground floor at 538-40 Green Street, built in 1913. © J. G. Corsett ORIC CONTEXT STATEMENT & SURVEY Wer sO Fugazi Hall, formerly Casa Coloniale Italiana, at 674-678 Green Street, designed by Italo Zanolini (1913), is important for its architecture as well as its associations with Italians and Beats. © Dennis HEARNE period from 1906 to 1941, Because of this association, North Beach is known as ‘Little Italy’ Italians were pri- marily responsible for rebuilding their neighborhood after the earthquake and fire before any other section of the City was rebuilt, due to the availability of crafts- men among the Italian population and their sense that North Beach was their own. Institutional buildings are also important to this theme, including the churches of Saints Peter and Paul and St Francis of Assisi and build- ings associated with voluntary societies and social clubs such as the Italian Community Center at 678 Green Street (known as ‘Fugazi Hall’) and the Italian Athletic Club at 1630 Stockton Street, to name only a few. Bohemians and Beats. Bohemians of various sorts have been in North Beach throughout its history. North Beach has been identified as a potential historic district for its concentration of extant places associated with the Beats, which most of us know well—City Lights Bookstore (Landmark No, 228), Old Spaghetti Factory (Landmark No. 127), Vesuvio Cafe, Specs’ 12 Adler Place, Gino and Carlo, Tosca, Caffe Trieste, Fugazi Hall, and so many others. According to the Landmark Designation Case Report for City Lights Booksellers and Publishers": The City’s Beat writers, during the late 1950s and early 1960s, had a monumental effect on American literature and culture in their impassioned challenge of established styles and forms. One thinks of the Impressionists in Paris and their “Salon des Refuses,” or the public outcry against Stravinsky's Rite of Spring in the context of Allen Ginsberg’s Howl. The impact of the Beat movement went beyond the boundaries of literature and into a larger political and social arena. (Peters 2001: 7) Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ). North Beach has also been identified as a potential historic district for its numerous sites associ- ated with LGBTQ history, significant as San Francisco's first bar-based LGBTQ community. According to the 1. Nancy J. Peters, City Lights Booksellers and Publishers Landmark Designation Case Report No. 2000.507L. Prepared for the San Francisco Landmarks Preservation Advisory Board. 2001. 9 Historic Context continued from previous page Citywide Historic Context Statement for LGBTQ History in San Francisco’: As gay and lesbian bars and restaurants appeared in North Beach and Telegraph Hill, more men and women moved to the neighborhood, creating the city’s first queer residential enclave and establishing the roots of San Franciscos LGBTQ communities...Between 1933 and 1965, over twenty nightclubs, bars and restaurants catering to gay, lesbian, and transgender people opened in North Beach. (Graves 2015:59) Out of dozens of North Beach establishments mentioned in the LGBTQ Context Statement, a few of the earliest and most significant are Finocchios, Mona's 440 Club, the Black Cat Café, and the Paper Doll at 524 Union Street, recently designated as Landmark No, 287. Architecture In addition to their importance relating to other historic themes, many buildings in North Beach are also significant relating to the theme of Architecture, as expressed by intact stylistic features, forms, con- struction methods, or distinctive aesthetic quality. These may include the works of master architects, such as Louis Mastropasqua, Italo Zanolini, John A. Porporato, Perseo Righetti, Charles Fantoni, Louis Traverso, Paul J. Capurro, Joseph Devincenzi, and Paul J. DeMartini. Buildings designed by prominent Modern archi- tects between 1935 and 1970 might also be important under this theme, including those by Martin Rist, Hertzka & Knowles, and Gardner Dailey being the most prominent. Other Significant Themes in San Francisco’s North Beach History This article is a brief introduction to some of the major themes in the North Beach Historic Context Statement. Other facets of the rich history of North 2. Donna J. Graves and Shayne E. Watson, Citywide Historic Context Statement for LGBTQ History in San Francisco was pre- pared by Donna J. Graves and Shayne E. Watson. Prepared for the City and County of San Francisco. October 15, 2015. “SEXY, FUNNY” -rneatenpogs “A VALENTINE TO THE CITY” —san Francisco cHronicte FROM « A Finer. a a —— Hine © aie = we a — ew a ‘ Hike ~y Ke f THe A x i. \ nen hr EL Romeo flats at 2055 Powell Street with an enclosed balco- ny on each floor, built in 1908. © Dennis HEARNE Beach were also researched and documented in the report, including settlement houses and kindergartens, schools, voluntary societies, community halls, church- es, commerce and industry, entertainment and vice, infrastructure, parks and playgrounds, and the period of expansion and infill (from 1916 to 1941). Next Steps Although the updated North Beach Historic Context Statement has been the subject of extensive input from neighborhood leaders, historic preservation profession- als, and the City Planning Department, community members will be provided an opportunity for public engagement prior to consideration by the Historic Preservation Commission later this year, with the goal of designating significant portions of North Beach as a City Historic District. Watch for an invitation to a webinar in the near future. See https://thd.org/historic-context for more infor- mation. Note: Tax deductible contributions to support the work to make North Beach an historic district can be made to the Northeast San Francisco Conservancy at https://nesfc.org/portfolio-items/north-beach-survey/ Bad DENNIS HEARNE photographer tel 415 989 5152 email dennishearne@mac.com www.dennishearne.com 480 Francisco Street San Francisco, Ca 94133 CITY LIGHTS Y BOOKSELLERS tities & PUBLISHERS jin" 261 COLUMBUS AVE SAN FRANCISCO CA 94133 | 415 362 8193 www.citylights.com 415-655-9649 www.northbeachgyro.com 561 Columbus Ave. San Francisco, CA 94133 OPEN 7 DAYS AWEEK Sunday - Thursday 10:30 am - 10:00 pm Friday - Saturday 10:30 am - 11:00 pm WE ALSO CATER! Healthy Mediterranean Eatery oN fe, Sify GIGE “90 MINUTES OF KINETIC ADRENALINE” -srist “A STUNNER” —noontine MAKE IT A DATE! | TICKETS FROM ‘35+ JUMP IN — CLUBFUGAZISF.COM Partners: CURATED BITES AND BAR OFFERINGS NOW AVAILABLE. San Francisco Chronicle Issue #238 © Summer 2022 PARKS & TREES REPORT by Mike Rothmann, Committee Chair mike.rothmann@thd.org ast April, the issue of whether to revoke the permit for the pedestrian bridge span- ning Kearny Street was brought before the Board of Supervisors. The motion was spurred by the Portsmouth Square Improvement Project, which seeks to renovate the Square. The bridge, constructed in 1970, connects Portsmouth Square to the Hilton Hotel. The bridge's approval was contingent upon the construction of the Chinese Cultural Center, the guar- antee of public access, and sufficient insurance coverage to pay for the cost of removing the bridge, if necessary. The hearing before the Supervisors was comically lopsided, as many community members (present in the boardroom or by remote access) vocalized the need for the removal of the bridge. Many referred to the bridge as an eyesore—a representation of Brutalist architec- ture that clogs the streetscape. Others were contemp- tuous of the Hilton Hotel's private use of the bridge for corporate parties—a violation of the original permit, which explicitly states the bridge must be available for public access. Up against the majority was the solitary voice of David C. Gonzalez, the president of Portsmouth Square, Inc., a post he had held for less than a year. Portsmouth Square, Inc. and its parent companies own the property, the bridge, and the parking garage beneath the Square. Gonzalez looked a bit worse for wear as he broadcasted from a dimly lit room. His only defense was that because of the pandemic, there would be no clear source of the $2.1 million required to demolish the bridge. After a quick course through the insurance requirements of public structure ownership in San Francisco, Supervisor Aaron Peskin and the rest of the board quickly approved the motion to revoke the encroachment permit and effectively force Portsmouth Square, Inc. to demolish the bridge. There was no clear Existing Grade Upper Level Plaza ~\ &) . ames A iS Y Senior Exercise & Space Existing Grad (39ft), Figure 2. Side by side views of Portsmouth Square now and the proposed renovation. Issue #238 © Summer 2022 DEMOLITION OF KEARNY STREET © KEVIN N. HUME, SAN FRANCISCO EXAMINER indication as to the source of the funds. The bridge has been a major impediment to the Portsmouth Square Improvement Project, now in its final planning stages. Construction, which is scheduled to begin in 2023 and funded largely through a $54 million allocation from the 2020 Health and Recovery bond, will completely renovate the park. With the removal of the bridge, new features will include an 8,300-square-foot clubhouse and double the amount of upper- level plaza space. Although all 63 existing trees will have to be removed (with no specific plan for replacements), the plans show many large trees around the border and landscaping throughout the plaza. There has been very vocal support throughout the Chinese community for this project, as it will improve an essential living space in the Chinatown neighbor- hood. Trees Lost and Trees Gained Stress the Need for Accountability In the first weekend of May, the Department of Public Works (DPW) held a District 3 Workday. The day was marked by motivational speeches by Supervisor Aaron Peskin, Deputy Director of Operations Dijaida Durden, and Thao Jones-Hill, president of Lower Nob Hill Neighborhood Alliance, the new neigh- borhood organization. The event was held at Francisco Middle School. Many school children did their part to beau- tify the neighborhood with tasks like painting So. Existing Grad ii NES over graffiti and plant- Vad (39 ft) ans * ing new trees, Although days like these are great for the community, it is important to remember, especially when planting trees, that the work only begins on that day. As we enter another hot sum- mer of severe drought Garage Exit courtesy SF Rec & PARK BRIDGE OVERWHELMINGLY APPROVED in California, we need to hold our public servants accountable for watering and maintaining street trees, both newly planted and those already established. Over the last few months, we've examined plant- ings and removals of trees in the neighborhood. Some plantings were a part of the DPW Workday. Notable losses during the period include a mature sycamore in Portsmouth Square—the trees are doomed anyway, due to the renovation project—and one of the beau- tiful large ficus microcarpa that line the Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi; after suffering damage to one of its limbs, the tree was resting against the parapet and removed shortly thereafter. The ficus trees are contro- versial due to their potentially destructive limb failures; because of the associated risk and high maintenance costs, these trees are no longer on the list that can be planted in San Francisco, While some say planting the trees was a mistake, I say we enjoy the majestic foliage while we still can. one ae Bes i= Figure 3. Underwatered trees observed on the 800 Block of Lombard Street. © LANce Carnes Lort OD SEA FOOD CO. ~— % 10O- Gst. L937 1318 Grant Ave. San Francisco, CA 94133 (415) 400-5776 thefishofours@yahoo.com SF's original hot yoga studio. Newly renovated! * Classes Everyday Studio Rental Available Hot Yoga & Movement www.solyogasf.com 910 Columbus Ave (at Lombard next to the Comet Cleaners) Lye INTRO SPECIAL $60 ONE MONTH UNLIMITED YOGA INCLUDES A FREE MAT! Marina 1919 Union Street San Francisco, CA 94123 +1 (415) 655 93254 ha North Beach Hayes Valley 1 Franklin Street San Francisco, CA 94102 +1 (415) 757 0877 716 Columbus Avenue San Francisco, CA 94133 +1 (415) 712 8874 Berkeley Long Beach 2905 College Avenue 6460 E. Pacific Coast Hwy #130 Berkeley, CA 94705 Long Beach, CA 90803 +1 (510) 649 1495 +1 (562) 4311700 italianhomemade.com 11 RUDY COLOMBINI: A LEGACY OF LOVE AND MUSIC TO SAN FRANCISCO, THE BAY AREA, AND BEYOND by Blandina Farley elayed but undaunted by the pandemic, Rudy [cin North Beach native and musical legend, is moving full speed ahead as the creator of the San Francisco Music Hall of Fame, a world-class, interactive hub of music and art. There, musicians of all styles and skills will come together to honor legends of the past while creating a dynamic present and insuring an enduring future of music here and on the international stage. Who is Rudy Columbini? Columbini was raised on Kramer Place, a tiny © BLANDINA FarLey alley tucked away down a short stairway at the base of Telegraph Hill. He attended Sts. Peter and Paul gram- mar school, where he received first holy communion and was confirmed. Music was Columbini’s first love and the center of his life. “I taught myself to play, learning from the neigh- borhood kids. When I was 17, I started a band (the Stragglers) with them. Our first gig was at the Spaghetti Factory on Green Street. We covered David Bowie, the Beatles, the Kinks, and some original songs.’ The Stragglers played some other venues like the San Francisco Art Institute and Cesar’s Latin Palace, located in a basement nightspot, also on Green. Then fate intervened. Sts. Peter and Paul Church served as the funeral site for his father (when Colombini was 18) and his mother, when he was 21. “After they died, I had a nervous breakdown. I didn’t know what that was then because we didn’t have therapists. But I know now, and I didn’ start healing until my early ‘30s.’ If playing music was his first aspiration, writing it was his second, a passion no doubt fueled by a chance encounter with Beatle John Lennon. Crossing paths on the corner of Union and Buchanan Streets, a bold young man asked his idol how he went about getting inspira- tion for his songs. “I steal a little here, and I steal a little there. The words are all there; you just grab them.’ Columbini suggests, “Nothing in this universe happens by accident...the probability of a Beatle com- ing to my doorstep’ and saying ‘hi’ to me first is rather extraordinary...there was a purpose to it all.” Inspired, no doubt, Columbini pursued songwrit- ing. And, he started a series of bands to introduce his works. His bands, Twist and the Divine Comedy, fol- lowed the Stragglers. When the Divine Comedy broke up, Columbini left the music scene for two years— until one day, he picked up his guitar and wrote‘Under the Impression, ‘Message of Love, and five other songs for the successful album, Invincible, released in 1999, The response was so great that, in 2000, he developed the Unauthorized Rolling Stones, one of the West Coast's first significant tribute bands, which continues to this day. In all, Columbini has maintained his dual roles as a singer and as creator of many songs, resulting in four albums and hundreds of appearances throughout the West Coast. © BLANDINA FarLey Rudy and Festival dancer. Columbini as Businessman “T was a business natural. We didn’t have much money when I was a kid, and my parents didn't buy me toys. So, I learned to make, find, and trade them. When you dont have things, you learn to acquire them, and I was street smart.” Out of the early grueling experiences of his life, Columbini began to understand the job of making community his family and, on the other side, develop- ing a hardcore drive to take charge and succeed. Columbini attended classes at UCSE, earning a degree in business. He wanted to become a banker, but those institutions let him know that he didn’ fit the “banker mold.’ Instead, he started buying and devel- oping real estate, beginning with small properties and eventually turning many of them into hotels. To date, Columbini has owned 16 buildings, including five hotels, in San Francisco. The success of those business ventures Bowing to the crowd at the newly-returned North Beach Festival. 12 © BLANDINA Farley Issue #238 ¢© Summer 2022 \ DISCOVER THE ICONIC HISTORY OF BAY AREA MUSIC, ARTISTS, BANDS, MUSICIANS & THE HISTORIC POLK NEIGHBORHOOD - WALKING TOUR LED BY LOCAL ROCKSTAR TOUR GUIDE: BLANDINA as GUIDED TOURS Expert tour guide Blandina Farley leads guided tours of the SF Music Hall of Fame Gallery and Brick Walk at 4 pm each day. FREE with gallery ticket purchase. Call 415.816.6207 to reserve your spot. —limited space sells out early— SF Music Hau of Fame Gattery 1353 Busn Street e SAN Francisco, CA 94109 Rudy Columbinii continued from previous page has allowed him to combine business and music. Music City SF The pride and joy of Rudy's business experience has been his work at 1353 Bush Street and the cre- ation of Music City Hit Factory—a sustainable music facility that supports marginalized working musicians of San Francisco, Columbini is the founder and presi- dent of Music City SF, defining itself as “Read World Music Education.” His goal has been to create a place where all people can learn and perform music and art—and to honor the rich musical his- tory of San Francisco. “We bring artists and music lovers together to unite the soul of local music culture. Our mis- sion is to educate and nurture a cultural eco- system that enables musicians and_ per- formance artists to live, grow, and thrive in the Bay Area and beyond.’ Music City SF's building provides a network of services: City Rehearsal, 50 plug and play rehearsal + Music studios + educational facili- ties + a recording studio and internet TV sta- tion + Music City Hotel and Hostel, low-cost accom- modations for musicians, artists, and travelers, as well as a restaurant and cafe + San Francisco Music Hall of Fame Gallery, the world’s largest gallery of San Francisco music, hon- oring 90 of the most iconic Bay Area Issue #238 © Summer 2022 Rudy and Frank. © BLANDINA FarLey artists and bands, And from a comprehensive mission statement on the front of the building: “Music City, a musical incubator and an epicenter for the performing arts, is rooted in the belief that musical talent and creativity continue to be drawn to the San Francisco Bay Area. From the counterculture movement of the beat poets in the 1950's, to the surge of musicians who gave us the Summer of Love, to the megastar classic rock acts of the 1970's and 80's, to the innovative contributions of rap, hip hop, and punk of the 1990's, San Francisco has always stood as the bastion for the work- ing musician and a musical epicenter of the world. The cost of living, however, has eroded the many oppor- tunities musicians once had, and despite tech- nologies’ quick access to a musicians’ work, the lack of a centralized physical community has impaired people's ability to connect on a human level. Music City stands as that community. “Music City will provide a_ self-sus- taining, economically viable musical train- ing facility that will serve as an incuba- tor, offering access to the tools necessary to jumpstart the careers of working musicians and new breakthrough artists. Music City aims to inspire through performance and entertainment. It highlights the immense talent of musi- cians in our community and adds to the richness and vitality of the San Francisco Bay Area's cul- ture.” San Francisco Music Hall of Fame One of the most important aspects of the San Francisco Music Hall of Fame will be the permanent and ever-evolving curated exhibits or “Visionaris’ of music-related items that span from the earliest musicians to the emerging artists of today. Here, budding artists can connect with each legend and visually immerse themselves in the actual feelings of what it takes to bring their own ambitions to fruition. The exhibit will include videos, instruments, authentic artifacts, outfits, and more for an ever-changing and explosive interactive experience. As Rudy Columbini continues to live out his childhood dream—singer, songwriter, entrepreneur— he now turns his heart and soul to focus on the San Francisco Music Hall of Fame. He feels a compelling need to “Wake up the Dragon” in San Francisco by transcending animosity with community and reignit- ing San Francisco and the Bay Area as a place to come together and unite the world through the power of love and music. rad VIRTUAL BOARD MEETING HIGHLIGHTS APRIL—JUNE 2022 by Mary Lipian, Recording Secretary mary.lipian@thd.org APRIL 2022 Luke Chappell presented his plans to open Luke's Local, a new grocery store in North Beach, targeting January 2023 for its opening. Chappell has been in business for 13 years with two other locations in San Francisco. There will be prepared and fresh foods, a butcher, a walkup window, outside seating, flowers, and produce for sale, Hours will be from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. April marked the last Board Meeting of TTHD’s 2021-2022 fiscal year. Al thanked Julia Martin Murphy and Don Raichle for their contributions to THD, as they finished their terms as directors on the Board. THD ’s Treasurer, Nick Ferris, presented the proposed budget for 2022-2023 for the Board’s review and approval. THD plans to host a happy hour at Belle Cora at 565 Green Street on Thursday, April 14th. MAY 2022 THD’s Annual Membership Meeting and Election took place on May 3rd via Zoom. The featured guest speaker was author, journalist, and historian Gary Kamiya. The following slate of THD Officers and Directors for 2022-2023 was unanimously approved by vote of the General Membership. Officers Board President, Al Fontes; Vice President, Nancy Shanahan; Recording Secretary, Mary Lipian; Corresponding Secretary, Melissa Dong Mountain; Treasurer, Nick Ferris; Financial Secretary, Andy Katz; Historian, Termeh Yeghiazarian; Past President, Stan Hayes; Semaphore Editor, Cap Caplan. Directors: 2021-2023 Kristen Foley*; Katie Hopkins**; Kate Kaehler**; Greg Giachino** Directors: 2022-2024 Theresa Flandrich*; Michael Rothmann*; Nanci Gaglio*; Nadya Williams * New Board Members **Directors whose term has not expired THD’s Board voted to form the five-member Executive Committee for 2022-2023. Per the THD Bylaws, the President, Vice President, and Treasurer serve on the committee, together with two members elected by the Board. Stan Hayes and Greg Giachino were elected to fill these seats. JUNE 2022 THD will participate in the North Beach Fair on June 18th and 19th. Al encouraged board members to volunteer for shifts at the THD booth. T-shirts, sweat- shirts, Coit Tower glasses, books, and THD member- ships will be offered for sale. THD members have been invited on a tour of the Central Subway that will take place on Friday, July 8th. x 13 PLANNING & ZONING by Stan Hayes, Nancy Shanahan, and Mary Lipian, Committee Co-Chairs PZ@thd.org ere it is—summertime. Time to relax, kick H=« and enjoy the many pleasures of this wonderful and unique place in which we live. Important planning issues, though, continue to move through the system, sometimes generating tempera- tures hotter than the weather. In this report, we focus on one in particular. 535 Green — Luxury Condos, Not Affordable Housing. We've been following and _ periodically reporting to you on this project for several years now. But, there's a lot going on in everyone's lives these days. Adapted from Developer's Rendering So, just in case this project has dropped off your radar, we thought that youd be interested in an update on it, as it's currently proposed. The proposed project at 535 Green Street, con- sisting of 34 units of housing over ground-floor com- mercial and a basement, would replace the long-time parking lot in the block of Green between Columbus and Grant Avenues. That's the one where many of you might have enjoyed music at the North Beach Festival. And, where the historic Buon Gusto Building is locat- ed, which as you might know, is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places — the “official list of the Nation's historic places worthy of preservation.” From one of the developer's own renderings, The illustration above offers a view of the proposed build- ing, We've added some annotations to show you how much taller the building would be than the lot’s 40-foot height limit and where the last remnants of the historic Buon Gusto Building, consisting of just the fagade, would be visible (though barely). Figure 2 compares the approximate mass of the proposed building to that of surrounding structures, This building would be twice the number of floors typical of other buildings on the block. Much of the building would be well above the 40-foot height limit, up to 79 feet, or about twice the height limit, a height limit adhered to by the other buildings on that block of Green and nearly everywhere else in North Beach. The proposed new building would also impact the 22-unit residential hotel next door to the east at 517 Green by blocking much of the light and air now available to its residents, whose only windows face the project site. The proposed building would be totally out of character with the historic neighborhood in which it is located. And, sadly, it would swallow up and gut the historic Buon Gusto Building, despite its being listed on the U.S, National Register of Historic Places. You may wonder why a building is being proposed that exceeds the City’s height limit, especially by such a large margin. State law may let this happen. Through the State Density Bonus Program, Sacramento has usurped most of the City’s land use policies and regula- tions, allowing developers to waive long-standing City 14 ne if ; (U.S. National Register of #34 Historic Places) 535 GREEN —- LUXURY CONDOS, NOT AFFORDABLE HOUSING planning requirements. For this project, the developer is seeking to override the City’s height limit, dwelling unit exposure requirements, density limit, minimum rear yard size specifications, active commercial use requirements, and parking prohibitions. Surely, in exchange for all this, you would think that the proposed building would provide substantial affordable housing to the neighborhood. Yet, of the 34 condo units, only three units would be affordable to “low-income” families (whose income is less than 80% of the area median income [AMI], or $110,850 for a family of four). Just one unit would be directed at moderate income families (whose income is from 81% to 105% of the AMI, or from $110,850 to $145,500), and only one unit would be directed at middle families (whose income income is from 105% to 130% of the AMI, or from $145,500 to $180,100). These are hard- ly “affordable” The remaining 29 units. units would be full market-rate luxury 1 Buon Gusto Building condos, worth millions to the developer. We support housing on this site, particularly affordable hous- ing. But, as cur- rently proposed, this project is too tall and massive and out of scale with neighboring buildings and out of character with the surrounding historic neighborhood (particularly Figure 2. that block of Green). And, it will demolish most of the National Register-listed Buon Gusto Building. Most of all, despite any claims to the contrary, at its core, this project is about luxury condos and devel- oper profits, not affordable housing. In our view, this project needs to be down-scaled, right-sized, and much more affordable. If you oppose this project, you need to say so, You can find out more information at thd.org/bg, where you can also sign a petition opposing the project and down- load a flyer to pass along to your friends and neighbors. We'll keep you posted. one THE FINE ART OF PICTURE FRAMING ore ee = ~ .- ‘ a. = > Sees WWW.CADRE-SF.COM (415)296-0400 30] MENTION AINID: Geli AEE GUSTOM PRAMING! UNION ST. AT MONTGOMERY “THE SEMAPHORE’ 10% OFF ON Issue #238 © Summer 2022 Advertise in The Semaphore. Reach Our Telegraph Hill Dwellers Community Join Our Roster of Neighborhood-Serving Businesses For Ad Sizes and Rates, Contact: Andy Katz at andy.katz@thd.org TREASURER’S REPORT by Nick Ferris nick.ferris@thd.org ere one-quarter into the fiscal year, and it brings good news: THD remains in a very healthy and stable place. We've been spending more than in past years on social and neigh- borhood events, but membership has grown recently, and we've seen reductions in other departments to offset costs. For the fiscal year, we remain about $500 ahead of budget (so better than expected). The result is largely due to donations from members like you. The production of The Semaphore remains our largest expense, while Member Dues and Contributions remain the largest income sources. There are many ideas for increasing revenues such as selling t-shirts and sweatshirts online. These have been a huge success at the North Beach Festival. Wed love to have members help support these efforts, like integrating an e-com- merce portal to our website. Are you a member who can do that? As always, if members have suggestions as to how THD can better serve its membership with our dues, please reach out directly to me, nick.ferris@thd.org o@ THD Committees NEED You Get involved in our neighborhood and make a difference! Join a THD committee and help keep the Hill a special place to live. STANDING COMMITTEES Budget: Nick Ferris nick.ferris@thd.org Membership: Andy Katz THDmembership@gmail.com Oral History Project Manager: John Doxey oralhistory@thd.org Transportation: Howard Wong howard.wong@thd.org Parks & Trees: Michael Rothmann michael.rothmann@thd.org Planning & Zoning: Nancy Shanahan, Stan Hayes, and Mary Lipian PZ@thd.org Semaphore: Cap Caplan (Editor) cap.caplan@thd.org David Lipkin (Photo Editor) david. lipkin@thd.org Social & Program: Open Waterfront: Howard Wong howard.wong@thd.org SPECIAL COMMITTEES Arts and Culture: Nanci Gaglio nanci.gaglio@thd.org Neighborhood Engagement: Nick Ferris nick.ferris@thd.org PLANNING & ZONING COMMITTEE MEETS last Thursdays of each month. Call for time and location. 986-7070 or 563-3494 or 391-5652. LIAISONS WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS Central Police District Community Advisory Board: Daryl Babbitt Coalition for San Francisco Neighborhoods: Al Fontes Friends of Washington Square: Michael Rothmann Northeast Waterfront Advisory Group Member: Open Issue #238 © Summer 2022 ESPRESSO CAPPUCCINO VINO PANINI Pp T 5 Ss = Breakfast A Support ¥ E GR & Lunch Small 7:30 to 2:30— A .y BE, : ¥ £0 this is 7 days a . © Business week. O 2330 Taylor Street San Francisco, CA 94133 423 Columbus Ave. 415-776-8735 San Francisco, CA 94133 Hanna & Sandy Suleiman 415-397-6261 AWESOME BREAKFASTS & LUNCHES Meet on the 2nd Tuesday every month, with work parties in the RISTORANTE ITALIANO FRIENDS OF WASHINGTON SQUARE 659 Columbus Avenue San Francisco, CA 94133 Tel: 1 415.397.7355 , ; ‘ Fax:1 415.397.7357 Square every quarter. See website for times, dates, locations. www. friendsofwashingtonsquare.com os www.piazzapellegrini.com (=) TELEGRAPH HILL DWELLERS | Voice Mail: (415) 843-1011. Web Site: www.thd.org Ee P.O. Box 330159 © San Francisco, CA 94133 DWELLERS THD BOARD OFFICERS 2021-2022 President: Al Fontes DIRECTORS Term: 2021-2023 Vice President: Nancy Shanahan Kristen Foley Recording Secretary: Mary Lipian Greg Giachino Katie Hopkins Term: 2022-2024 Theresa Flandrich Nanci Gaglio Michael Rothman Corresponding Secretary: Melissa Dong Mountain Treasurer: Nick Fertis Financial Secretary/Membership: Andy Katz Historian: Termeh Yeghiazarian Past President: Stan Hayes Nadya Williams Semaphore Editor: Cap Caplan WELCOMING NEW MEMBERS! There’s no better way to be connected to your neighborhood and be a voice of the hill than by joining Telegraph Hill Dwellers today. TELEGRAPH HILL DWELLERS Join at THD.org. If you’d prefer to have a brochure and sign-up form mailed to you, please send an email to membership@thd.org. Already a member? Give one as a gift! Membership includes: ¢ A one-year subscription to news & events via email and a quarterly publication, The Semaphore. * Opportunities to be active in your community. Your passion likely aligns to one of many committees. * Social and Art & Culture events throughout the year—attend and contribute! Annual Dues: Individuals w...c.ccceeseseseseeeseeeee $35 Households o...e.ceecseseseseseseeeee $50 Seniors (65 and older) .......... $25 Senior Households ou... $40 Join now or give the gift of membership at THD.org or email membership@thd.org. TELEGRAPH Hitt DweLLers Hi] Rema The Semaphore A Publication of te TELEGRAPH HILL DWELLERS Magers Issue 238 Summer 2022 »» ) ae HH LLG THE SEMAPHORE #238 Summer 2022 FEATURES and COLUMNS Kids Corner by Sarah Kliban ........... 00.0.0 eee cece eee ees ] A Glance at the North Beach Historic Context Statement & Survey k by Nancy Shanahan and Judi Powell ............... 00000 e ee 8 Ve President’s Corner: | Don’t Have a Back Yard by Al Fontes ......... 2 a Parks & Trees Report: Demolition of Kearny Street Bridge t —_ liberria Pino Update by Mark Bittner... 2.20... .e 0s sere eee ee ees 3 Overwhelmingly Approved by Mike Rothmann ............... N : ay; pp Transportation Report: Van Ness Bus Rapid Transit Opens, and It Works Rudy Colombini: A Legacy of Love and Music to San Francisco, by Howard Wong .....- 2.1: 20s seer etre et et ieee teen ees 3 the Bay Area, and Beyond by Blandina Farley ................ 12 District 3 Supervisor Report: Ballot & Budget Victories Virtual Board Meeting Highlights April-June 2022 by Mary Lipian . . 13 by Supervisor Aaron Peskin... 0.0.0.2... cece cece tenet nee es 4 Planning & Zoning Report: 535 Green—Luxury Condos, Tania Romanov Amochaev: An Appreciation by Blandina Farley ..... 5 Not Affordable Housing by Stan Hayes, Nancy Shanahan, Marty LpiGih’, «5.0 p4..trseew opanededvie eae bad pace ode Bias 14 The Lion Sleeps Tonight by Charles Versaggi ...........--0-e0e00- 6 ae a ak THD BUSINESS Board of Directors and Committees .............0.0cc cece eens 15 Treasurer's Report by Nick Ferris ...........-- 00000 ee cece eee 15 Become a Member............0. ccc cece eee ence ene e nn eeees 15 SEMAPHORE STAFF Epitor: Cap CAPLAN — semaphore@thd.org Ap Sates: ANDY Katz — andy.katz@thd.org ; = < PHoto Epitor: Davip Lipkin — david.lipkin@thd.org if - r DESIGN AND Layout Aarist: CHRIS CARLSSON — carlsson.chris@gmail.com ) FESTIVAL BRNS The Semaphore is a publication of the Telegraph Hill Dwellers for its members. Articles, except for the summary of Board of Directors’ Motions, do not necessarily reflect the official position of the Association or its officers but are the opinions of the writers of the individually copyrighted articles. The Association can take no responsibility for their content. No part of this membership publication may be reprinted or disseminated without permission in writing. © 2022. Cover Photo: © David Lipkin